JanCyberC: Jack...first question from me. Do you consider yourself a hard
SF writer?
Jack McDevitt: That sometimes scares people off because 'hard' sounds inaccessible. But that's the way I seem to get described.
shsilver: Archaeology and history form a big part of your books'
backgrounds. Do you have any formal training?
Jack McDevitt: No. I'm an old English major. But I seem to be constantly chasing
things that are lost
baryon: Jack, do you have any plans to do an E book?
Jack McDevitt: Not at present. I still don't think people want to read books off
screens. Not with current technology.
Starlit: what got you into science fiction? why do you write in the genre?
shsilver: Is that Old English, like Saxon, or old English, like you got
your degree a while ago?
Jack McDevitt: Old English as in too many birthdays. As to how I got started, Flash
Gordon launched me around 1940. I loved the old rocket ships and never
recovered.
JanCyberC: "Constantly chasing things that are lost." Do you
mean researching things in the library or actually going out into the field
and chasing things down?
Starlit: it's how he keeps in shape
Jack McDevitt: I mean when I write. I'm fascinated by what's just beyond the
horizon. Like most sf people, I suspect. But it keeps creeping in.
baryon: Are you still a fan
Jack McDevitt: Sure. Can't imagine what life would have been like without science fiction.
Starlit: do you have a favorite among your works?
Jack McDevitt: No. That's like asking me to pick a favorite kid. I have favorite
characters, like Avila in ER and Hutch in Engines But not favorite
books.
Starlit: do you/did you have a "problem child," a story that was
particularly recalcitrant? Jack McDevitt: The early ones were more difficult, because I had so much to learn. For me the most difficult part of the process is acquiring the
concept. Once I have that, the writing tends to be easy.
JanCyberC: Jack...you say "early ones"... when did you start writing SF?
Jack McDevitt: 1980. I was teaching customs inspectors and had gotten bored. In
the words of an old friend, I was moving cargo instead of ideas. My wife
challenged me to do what I'd always been threatening to do, write an sf
story. I did, and it was all downhill from there.
baryon: Would you do a novel based on someone elses characters? Or do you
prefer creating your own?
Jack McDevitt: I want to create my own characters. I've turned down every offer to
write using other characters. There's a good reason. You don't get to do the creative process.
For example, do a Star Trek, and you can't kill anybody significant. That
takes a lot of the fun out of it.
JanCyberC: Thanks Jack. I just finished reading your Nebula nominated
story GOOD INTENTIONS which you collaborated on with Stanley Schmidt. Is
that the "Analog" editor Stanley Schmidt?
Jack McDevitt: Yes.
shsilver: How did the collaboration work, on a technical level?
Jack McDevitt: I should add that most of the story is a representation of actual
events. I wrote most of the first draft; Stan did the last quarter, and then
the second draft. Passed it back to me for the final run through. We then
agreed on what we had and submitted it.
shsilver: Why did you & Stan submit it to F&SF instead of, say, Analog?
JanCyberC: Lol, steven you stole my next question 8^)
Jack McDevitt: Stan was editor at Analog, and we needed someone unbiased to look
at it. If it was a disaster, we'd have nobody to blame it on.
JanCyberC: Interesting, that it's nominated for a Nebula, and yet the two
of you were still uncertain about the story... is this a common thing among writers? An uncertainty about
their work?
Jack McDevitt: I'm always uncertain about a work until responses come in. Not sure about others, Jan. It is with me. I have a book out now
which has just drawn a positive response from my UK editor, and I was very
much relieved. Is that a lack of self confidence? I don't know, but
that's what it sounds like.
shsilver: So far, all of your novels have been stand-alones. . .
Jack McDevitt: Steven, the next book will use characters fromThe Engines of God.
JanCyberC: Excellent. Is this a novel you're working on now or have just
submitted?
Jack McDevitt: It's been submitted.
shsilver: Speaking of which, why the different title for Infinity
Beach/Slow Lightning?
JanCyberC: Different title?
Jack McDevitt: McDevitt couldn't make up his mind. I liked both titles, the
editors split, so I suggested each use the title she liked.
Jack McDevitt: An earlier title was Shores of Night. But that never felt right.
JanCyberC: Ah...so Infinity Beach is the American Title and Slow Lightning
is the "?" Title?
Jack McDevitt: Slow Lightning is the UK title.
JanCyberC: LOL. Looks like the telepathy is working tonight. Thanks
Jack.
JanCyberC: Something interesting I noticed in GOOD INTENTIONS...you have a
depressed and suicidal AI in this story, just as you had a depressed and
suicidal AI in ETERNITY ROAD. Is there a particular reason you seem to feel AIs would be
unstable personalities?
shsilver: No outside interests?
Jack McDevitt: Yep. The AI in the role play that inspired the story was inspired by
the AI from Eternity Road.
JanCyberC: Ah...okay, then that would explain the personality similarity.
Jack McDevitt: And no, I don't know whether AI's would be unstable, although I
suspect any isolated intelligence would have a problem in time.
shsilver: Actually, Rob Sawyer has an interesting AI in Factoring Humanity
which attempts to figure out why it can never be human.
Jack McDevitt: Outside interests? Sure. Chess, bridge, theater, movies. I even
stood at shortstop at Tropicana Field last weekend and discovered the bases
are farther apart than they used to be.
shsilver: Sorry, I meant the AIs don't have any outside interests.
Jack McDevitt: Oh, about the AI's-- How many outside interests can you have when
you're locked
inside a machine? And I guess that's what I was thinking.
baryon: Thank you for keeping it to singles. There are too many trilogys
out now
Jack McDevitt: I agree about the trilogies, or decologies. Hutch's second outing
is not a sequel.
JanCyberC: So, you'll probably never write a series then, Jack?
Jack McDevitt: I might eventually write a series around a single character. Hutch
comes to mind. But they would not be related narratives.
JanCyberC: Jack, have you had any pressure from publishers to get into the
"Trilogy Game"? That is... have they been pushing you to start a series?
Jack McDevitt: Publishers have put no pressure whatever on me. I'm free to write
whatever I want. Although HarperPrism has asked for blockbusters
Starlit: Do you subscribe to the Poughkeepsie service or another?
Jack McDevitt: Negative on Poughkeepsie. Not sure what it is.
Starlit: idea service
Jack McDevitt: Sounds like a story idea.
shsilver: I thought it was in Schenectady.
Starlit: there was a story written about it a few years back
Jack McDevitt: Beaten to the line again.
Starlit: it's a toss-up
JanCyberC: As did I Steven, as in "It Came From Schenectady".
shsilver: The very one. Barry Longyear used it for a collection title.
Starlit: is that euphemism for "Hell"?
Jack McDevitt: I've never been able to use a story idea generated by anyone else.
Not sure why. People always have suggestions, but it has to be an internal
process.
shsilver: Funny, I've had several story ideas generated from reading your
books.
Jack McDevitt: Good luck with them, Steven.
JanCyberC: No Starlit, Schenectady is what you tell the talk show host
when they ask you where you get your ideas. Okay...this character Bryan in
GOOD INTENTIONS... I'm assuming he's an alien...And since the story is based on the Asimov Seminars...I have
ask... do you feel there's a possibility that alien visitors would put
SF Conventions high on their list of tourist attractions?
baryon: sure
Starlit: didn't somebody make a movie about that recently?
JanCyberC: LOLOL...ah yes, I believe they did Starlit.
Jack McDevitt: Would you, if you were visiting another world? Alien fantasies
might be interesting to visitors, but I suspect they'd be more likely to
head for the White House.
JanCyberC: true.
Starlit: why the white house and not Parliament?
shsilver: If they've been monitoring tv broadcasts, they'd head for
Hollywood.
Jack McDevitt: Center of power. Maybe they'd make for Greenspan, actually.
Starlit: Parliament isn't a center of power?
Jack McDevitt: Not to the same degree, Starlit. Anyway, I'd make for #10.
Starlit: true
Starlit: but then the aliens would have to have spent a long time studying
this world to figure out where the power centers are and you can't do all that from space
Jack McDevitt: I wouldn't expect them to land without considerable study.
JanCyberC: Jack, Meisha Merlin is going to be republishing a couple of
your books in the near future. Can you tell us which, and why you're
re-releasing these novels in one omnibus?
Jack McDevitt: They wanted to do it that way, and I had no objection. Hercules
has been completely revamped, by the way. Talent is as it originally
appeared.
JanCyberC: Hercules was your first novel, correct?
Jack McDevitt: Yes.
JanCyberC: When you say "completely revamped" do you mean that you went
through and edited it, or significantly rewrote it?
Jack McDevitt: I rewrote substantial sections. It had been overtaken by events.
The Cold War, which was central to the original novel, has ended.
There's a reference to DJIA hitting 3000. I started making small changes
and they became major. The second half of Hercules is far different. I also think it's a better book now.
JanCyberC: Ah...so anyone who may have read the original is in for a
pleasant surprise... and those of us who didn't get the original will as well.
Jack McDevitt: A surprise in any case.
JanCyberC: 8^D
JanCyberC: I wanted to ask you a couple of questions about Infinity Beach
if I could.
Jack McDevitt: Okay.
JanCyberC: Is this an interstellar story, or does it take place inside
this solar system?
Gandalara: Hello, Mr. McDevitt! MOONFALL was great!
Jack McDevitt: It's at the end of the next millennium. It's primarily a mystery.
But the detective, if you want to call her that, has access to FTL and high
tech.
Jack McDevitt: Thank you, Gandalara.
JanCyberC: Oh excellent... so the major means of transport is FTL. What
sort of High Tech? Computer related?
Jack McDevitt: Major means of transport is high speed non-friction glide-trains.
Starships are going out of fashion because the rest of the universe seems
to be empty. There's no
real reason to go anywhere.
JanCyberC: Ah...until of course, this "first contact gone bad."
Gandalara: Sounds so sad
JanCyberC: Is there a particular reason that you decided that a first
contact would go bad instead of the "ET" type of experience?
Jack McDevitt: If indeed it WAS a first contact. There are only rumors. And it
all happened almost 30 years ago. Contact would be the grail. Surely
if it really happened, it would not have been kept quiet. It's like the experiment in every sf book you've ever read. Things
always go awry. If they don't you don't have a story.
JanCyberC: Several of your novels do seem to have a mystery basis to
them...ANCIENT SHORES and THE ENGINES OF GOD are just a couple of examples of your search for the makers of
the "found" tech. Do you think... that there's a significant similarity between SF and Mystery? The genres that is.
Jack McDevitt: Eternity Road also. Why does the explorer who has apparently found
the objective he was looking for deny everything? It's all lost stuff
again. There can be a similarity, but we're talking about cross-genres. I
like msyteries, love them, not whodunits, but What happened here? SF is
ideal for that kind of approach.
Gandalara: So what's the next project? Or has that been asked already?
Jack McDevitt: Next project is a second outing for characters from The Engines of
God.
Gandalara: Great. The one I haven't read yet :)
Jack McDevitt: It won't matter.
shsilver: Gives youa good excuse to read it, not that you'll need a good
excuse.
Gandalara: Gives me an excuse to buy 2 books, not one :)
JanCyberC: Okay...Infinity Beach is out now...the Meisha Merlin Omnibus is
due soon...and you've just submitted another novel...
JanCyberC: can you tell us what the title of that novel will be?
Jack McDevitt: Working title is Deepsix.
JanCyberC: And will it be the next published or is there something else in
the works?
shsilver: And who is the publisher?
Jack McDevitt: It'll be next up. Probably this time next year. Avon
Eos.
JanCyberC: Excellent...Deepsix? Is this set in outer space?
Jack McDevitt: There's a planetary collision in the works a few thousand light
years away.
We've known it was coming for about 30 years. A science team goes out to
watch. At the last minute, they notice ruins. (Hard to see because the
world is
engulfed in an ice age.) They divert Hutch from another mission, add a
couple of volunteers, and
send her down to investigate with a week or so to go. Earthquake follows. Both
landers are destroyed.
JanCyberC: Ooooh! Sounds wonderful.
Gandalara: Oooooh
JanCyberC: Argh...and now we have to wait a year.
Jack McDevitt: The problem: how do you rescue people off a planetary surface when
there is no lander?
Starlit: who do you feel has most influenced you as a writer?
Have you absorbed any influence from other writers?
Jack McDevitt: Probably the usual suspects, Starlit. Heinlein, Asimov, Bradbury.
Clarke. The older guys, who were writing when I was a kid. And people like
Benford. I grew up on Startling Stories.
Jack McDevitt: Great covers. I will always bless my mother who, despite worrying
about the cover art, let me bring them home.
Starlit: Campbell's ASTOUNDING? GALAXY?
Jack McDevitt: Read "Galaxy." Some "Astounding." I was 12 and "Startling" and "TWS"
and "Amazing" were more at my level of understanding.
JanCyberC: Jack... I don't know if we can wait a whole year for more work
from you. Do you have anything shorter than a novel being published
between then and now that you can tell us about?
Jack McDevitt: No, Jan. No short fiction in the pipe, although I plan to do a few
stories before I start on the next novel. Right now I'm trying to get some fuel back in the tank. I handed in
Deepsix a few weeks ago and am just not quite ready to start again.
JanCyberC: Okay...so that answers the next question... is there another
novel in the works right now.
JanCyberC: Jack...you say you didn't start writing SF until 1980 when your
wife dared you to do what you'd always been threatening. Can I ask how old you were then? You see some of us 40+ers are still dreaming about publishing
out here.
Jack McDevitt: How old? I was born in 1935. Wrote 'The Emerson Effect' --my first story, at 45. People are more talented than they realize. The problem is that
they don't have confidence. The only way to get it is to sell a story. Once
you do that, and you see what you can do, you're on your way.
Starlit: obviously effective
JanCyberC: Thanks Jack ...you've given us all hope.
JanCyberC: Folks...do we have any more questions for Jack McDevitt
tonight? Is so, please speak up now.
Starlit: ... or forever hold your peace
JanCyberC: Jack...a couple of last questions from me then What conventions are you planning on attending this year so that your fans can meet you Face to Face?
Jack McDevitt: The important thing is to work out a good story, a good conflict,
have a character confront what he says he believes, for example. Get the
right plot and the story will write itself.
Jack McDevitt: Philcon, Oasis 13, and Deepsouthcon.
JanCyberC: Excellent...we won't be seeing you at the WorldCon this year
then.
Jack McDevitt: No -- As I explained to Steve, I have kids in school and the budget
doesn't allow very much. Philcon is good because I have friends and can
freeload.
JanCyberC: Are you planning on any booksignings in the near future as
well?
Jack McDevitt: I've just completed a wave of booksignings. And I'll be at the
University of AZ for a day in early May. Right now that's about it.
JanCyberC: That's great. I'm glad to hear that ... are the dates of your
signings, etc on your website... in case folks want to check to see it they can meet you?
Jack McDevitt: Yes they are.
JanCyberC: Excellent thank you Jack.
JanCyberC: atomic, Star, Tech...any last questions for Jack?
Techyo: Nope
atomicray: How many prospective books do you have in process while working
on the current (if it already answered, forgive me)?
Jack McDevitt: I never get beyond the current one. Can't do two things at once.
JanCyberC: I find it fascinating that you were in Customs and then
suddenly turned to SF.
Jack McDevitt: Govt work always incites fantasy.
JanCyberC: All of the customs men I've ever met seemed to be very angry
people.
Starlit: Federal Government has to be an alien society all by itself
atomicray: seems a perfect link to me [G]
Techyo: ROFL my exuncle by marrage was in customs. I think he was alwasy in
fantasy.
JanCyberC: But then it may be that most of the customs people I've met are
going into and coming out of Montreal...and there's that language thing.
Jack McDevitt: Actually, they are mostly hardworking people who have to deal with
occasional bureaucrats who aren't too bright...
atomicray: ha Jan!
Jack McDevitt: But I've noticed morons in charge in private industry just as often.
Starlit: I always thought intelligent bureaucrats was an oxymoron.
Jack McDevitt: My first protagonist, the guy in The Hercules Text, was a
bureaucrat...
JanCyberC: The one Novel I don't have....
Starlit: well, that's fiction...
Jack McDevitt: At one point the working title was Hour of the Bureaucrat. Terry
Carr almost had a stroke.
JanCyberC: LOL, why?
Starlit: we can alwys dream up idealized folk
Jack McDevitt: "Bureaucrat' in the title? Nobody would buy it. You need The Iron
Sun or something along those lines.
atomicray: OH MY GOD, is that what we're supposed to do, Star!? No wonder
I keep messing up. [G]
atomicray: LOL Jack
Jack McDevitt: No kidding. Graphic titles and good artwork. That's the secret.
Starlit: I don't know about SHOULD.
JanCyberC: Ahah. But you know, I'd buy a book with Bureaucrat in the
title... if only because it would make me think of a Phillip K. Dick novel.
Jack McDevitt: There are probably too few like you, Jan.
JanCyberC: or too many, depending on who you ask, Jack. Jack...just looking at your mini bio on your website again
here...you were a naval officer? Based where?
atomicray: another terrific link for SF
Jack McDevitt: Couple of years in the Far East, some time in New England, two in
DC.
JanCyberC: Far east...Vietnam? Korea? Tell me if I'm prying.
Starlit: were you "wet" Navy?
Jack McDevitt: Japan. I was a communications specialist. Occasional sea duty, but
landbased.
Starlit: ah
Jack McDevitt: AH? What have you figured out, Starlit?
Starlit: you answered my question
JanCyberC: Interesting about Japan. Do you feel that your experience
working in Japan perhaps aided you when you set about creating alien
cultures?
Jack McDevitt: That's a good question. I'm not sure. I know it broke me loose from
the one in south Philadelphia, where I grew up. The world there is SO
different in so many ways.
JanCyberC: I'm just saying that because the last time Harry Turtledove was
out here he mentioned that he has glossed over the Japanese in his World
War novels because he didn't feel he could write from the japanese pov
convincingly.
JanCyberC: I think a lot of us don't really realize how different their
culture is from ours. Although I believe they are being westernized pretty rapidly
right now
Jack McDevitt: Nor could I. They are too unlike us to grasp. Too many things I
could not understand. Like a nonchalance with traffic victims, who were not
moved until police finished their reports
atomicray: Jack, are you a two finger typer?
Jack McDevitt: Six and an elbow.
atomicray: lol
JanCyberC: 6 & and elbow, lol. I'm trying to think which 6.
JanCyberC: Okay folks...let's thank Jack for coming out and joining us
tonight.
Starlit: thank you for your time
Jack McDevitt: Me too. If we do meet at a convention, please ID yourself, okay?
JanCyberC: Oh, Jack...we'll definately ID ourselves if we ever get the
chance to meet you.
Starlit: indubitably
Jack McDevitt: Thanks, Jan. Starlit. Tech. Atomic. Nice of you to pop by.
Techyo: Glad to meet you, Jack.
JanCyberC: Thank you so very much for coming out to join us this
evening.... we really appreciate this chance to talk to you in person.
atomicray: Wish I hadn't missed it!
Jack McDevitt: Thanks, Jan. I'll look forward to it. I hope to make Chicago in a
year or so.
Techyo: Thanks Jack!!!
Jack McDevitt: Tech, these things are probably a bigger boot for me than for
anybody else.
atomicray: grin. Thanks Jan and Jack
JanCyberC: Yes, Jack, Steven was saying that he's working on getting you
up here to Chicago. It's a definate must... I know a lot of us enjoy the type of SF
you write.
Jack McDevitt: I will make it in the near future.
JanCyberC: Good. And we'll hold you to that.
Jack McDevitt: Anyhow, thanks for the good time, folks. I think we have a wrap.
