Tor editor Teresa Nielsen Hayden had a wonderful rant some years back. She had been talking to an animal trainer, who explained to her why otters were untrainable. Other animals, it seemed, when given their food reward or whatever by their human handler, would seem to think, "Great, he liked it! I’ll do that again!" Otters, by contrast, would seem to think, "Great, he liked it! Now I’ll do something else that’s even cooler!" Writers, Teresa concluded in a moment of Zen enlightenment, were otters. At least from an editor’s point of view.
When I boot up a new book in my brain, I am not greatly interested in what has and hasn’t won awards. I want to write something else that’s even cooler.
TheCO: What do you do to relax when you aren't busy writing, answering fan mail, and doing the inglorious things that all of us do as part of daily life?
LMB: Well, long walks do double duty as writing thinking time, so I'm not sure they count. Conventions and book tours, while they contain fun, are most definitely work. I watch movies in short binges between books, hit the Guthrie Theater six times a year for stage plays, and read intermittently. (I cannot read and write at the same time, due to style leaks and having that other voice linger in my head for a day or more after. I also can’t study a foreign language and write at the same time, either, I find.)
TheCO: You’ve now written three books in the Five Gods' universe, do you expect it to catch the Vorkosigan series in volume?
LMB: I don't know. I have toyed with the notion of making the Chalion books a closed series of five, one for each of the gods. I would have a book for the Father and a book for the Mother to go, if that worked out. Justice and medicine ought to be fruitful topics. But nothing is decided yet. If there were a sixth book, it would obviously have to belong to the Bastard...
TheCO: Speaking of the Vorkosigan universe, will we ever see another future history in this much loved universe?
LMB: Never say never, but I have nothing in the works at this time. The new thing (otters!) is about three-fourths done, and until I have it bagged and out of my head, there's no room for the next. (To answer the questions just begged, it's a fantasy, unrelated to any prior book of mine, and not yet offered to a publisher. Fall, maybe.)
Article comments
1 - DrPat
I had passed up Hallowed Hunt because I was so disappointed not to see a new Vorkosigan novel. The peek into the creation process makes me realize that LMB fantasy is all we're likely to get for years.
[sigh]
Thanks for this, theco. I think.
2 - Robert A. Mitchell
If you haven't read Bujold before you don't know what a treat you have in store for yourself, if you have you know how long it seems between books. One of the few authors I know of that never disappoints me. Makes me think, laugh, and buy new books because I can't wait for it to hit the used book store shelves.
3 - Dale Josephs
I've always enjoyed reading anything Bujold has published; and this interview makes her even more fascinating: getting this sort of insiders' view of the creative processes are what really prick my interest.
4 - M. Haller Yamada
Wonderful interview! Can't wait to get Hallowed Hunt, and the next New Thing. (-: The otter analogy is very entertaining.
5 - TheCO
Pat you said:I had passed up Hallowed Hunt because I was so disappointed not to see a new Vorkosigan novel. The peek into the creation process makes me realize that LMB fantasy is all we're likely to get for years.
[sigh]
Thanks for this, theco. I think.
Me personally while the fantasy is different i do find the quality holds up quite well. Curse of Chalion has echo's of Mirror Dance, and Paladin reminds me equally of Barrayar and Memory. Hallowed Hunt is genuinely unique, but of no less quality than the 'average' Bujold.
6 - DrPat
Oh, I bought Chalion's Curse, and read it, and found it enjoyable. Palladin and Hunt will probably also find their way to my shelves (in paperback), now that I know there is no further Miles madness in the works...
7 - theco
Ah, i did see Paladin in pb the last time i was in a store, the cover actually shrank down nicely. Enjoy.
8 - V
If you're the least bit hesitant, go read the sample chapters. I can guarantee that you'll want to buy the book immediately.
9 - theco
Oh, what V said.
Hell, you can always talk your library into a copy and check it out. Then buy your own copy if (read as: when) you decide you adore it.
10 - TheCO
Dale,
There are links to other interviews with Lois on her site, and she's doing a couple more cons this year so you might actually be able to meet her.
11 - Temple Stark
Blogcritics' editors liked this one. It's a pick of the week. Congrats. Put the news up proudly on your site.
Here's a link to the rest of this week's picks
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13 - sid
I'm sorry I am just not a big fan of LB's fantasy stuff...I mean come on, why a sci fi author of her caliber should decide to write about a bunch of barbarians with swords and magic (wtf??!!) is beyond me.
I'm waiting for some sci fi before I'll look at her again.