Outer Alliance Spotlight #4: Lynn Flewelling October 9, 2009
Posted by juliarios in : interviews, publications , trackbackWelcome to Outer Alliance Spotlight #4. Each Friday the Spotlight features an ally who writes, reviews, publishes, or is in some other way involved with LGBTQI speculative fiction. Our guest this week is Lynn Flewelling, author of the Nightrunner series and the Tamir Triad.
Lynn began writing as a child, and got serious about her craft when she was in college. She worked writing advertising copy and as a freelance journalist until she sold her first novel, Luck in the Shadows in 1995. Since then, Lynn has been writing fiction full time. The first three volumes Nightrunner series have recently been optioned for film by C-Squared Pictures, and C-Squared have stated their intentions to preserve the gay relationship between Lynn’s main characters in the film adaptations. The 4th book in the series, Shadows Return, is out now, and the fifth book, The White Road, will be available in May of 2010, just in time for the writing workshop cruise Lynn is leading in the Caribbean.
Although she is in a committed and loving relationship with a man, Lynn is glad to be an ally, and says that she would be very open minded about possible mates if she were (by some disaster) to find herself single again. In addition to supporting LGBTQI rights, Lynn supports women’s rights and human rights. She is particularly interested in the International Campaign for Tibet, and the humanitarian work of Thich Nhat Hahn.
Lynn’s cruise workshop is open for reservations now, and she’ll also be reading at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego on Saturday the 17th of October, 2009.
Your Nightrunner series features a gay couple, Alec and Seregil. What drew you to tell their story, and how many books are you planning to write with them?
When I was dreaming up the first Nightrunner book back in the 1980s, the character Seregil was the first to show up. I wanted a ‘nonstandard’ hero, someone different from the more common big, strong, plowboy turned swordsman or magician. So I made Seregil into a sneaky rogue and a spy, based loosely on characters like the Scarlet Pimpernel, Scaramouch, Robin Hood, Odysseus, and in particular, Sherlock Holmes. He is an exile, and outsider, too, and as I worked on that, it occurred to me that I’d never seen a gay fantasy hero. Most of the gay characters I’d seen at that point in film and books were secondary characters, villains, or victims. I’d discovered Mary Renault’s books by then, but I hadn’t seen one openly gay character take center stage in fantasy. That seemed like a worthy challenge. I remember going on some Yahoo writers’ board at the time and asking if people thought a gay fantasy hero would sell. I got a lot of positive response. Once the idea took hold, I couldn’t imagine Seregil any other way. I wanted to handle it the way I would with a straight character—an important part of who he is and how he functions in society, but not the sum of he is. I also created a culture where homosexuality is more accepted, if not universally so. Religious and regional differences do exist in my world, not always friendly. For that matter, not all queer characters are saints in my world, either. Of course, Seregil is actually bi, but with strong gay leanings. He’s very good natured about sex, doesn’t take it seriously—we find out why as the series goes on—until Alec shows up, and has a string of nobles and high class prostitutes he’s slept with and remained friends.
So Seregil is the experienced, self aware character. Alec, who was originally never intended as more than a Watson to Seregil’s Holmes, developed as I wrote him. By the end of the first book I knew there would be a relationship there, but it was nothing that could be rushed or taken lightly. Seregil is Alec’s first love, and just happens to be male, something for which Alec is not really prepared, given his upbringing. So I let it develop slowly, a thread woven into the larger tapestry of the adventures. When the moment of revelation does come, it’s right, or so I’m told. Once established, they are a solid couple, and equal partners. And they are still heroes. In the thick of a battle, they trust each other to take care of themselves, rather than always fretting about whether their lover is OK. When one of them does get hurt, of course, it’s a big deal, but I didn’t want love to emasculate them, either. They are heroes first and foremost. To some extent, I suppose I modeled that on the famous paired warrior lovers of the Theban band, who would rather die bravely than disgrace their lover with cowardice. But they are also imperfect, as people tend to be. Seregil can be a bit thick and insensitive at times, and Alec has a little jealous streak. But how is a boy to feel when the first great love of his life has slept with half the population of two lands, including the queen’s twin brother? A bit of an overstatement, perhaps, but it is a problem.
As for how many books I write about them, there are now four in print, with number five, The White Road, coming out in May 2010, and two more under contract. After that? We’ll see.
Have you encountered any difficulty with publishers or readers on account of the queer content in your books?
Surprisingly little. My agent and editor have been 100% supportive of both the Nightrunner Series, and the Tamir Triad, which deals more deeply with concepts of gender and identity. I’ve had tons of positive feedback from queer and straight readers, far less negative mail, but that’s only the people who take the time to write. I have had people tell me that they enjoyed the series until “all that gay stuff started” and that they wouldn’t be reading any more of my books. Has that element hurt sales? Probably? Do I regret it? Not at all. Sure, I’d love to be a best selling author, but it’s more important for me to write the books I want to write. Given that the first three books have just been optioned by a film company, however, I’m feeling pretty chuffed.
You’ll be teaching a writing workshop on a cruise in the Spring of 2010. Can you tell us a bit more about it? How many writers are you expecting to have, and what sort of lessons will they get? And how did you get the idea for a workshop cruise in the first place?
I was doing a book signing last year when I was approached by a travel agent, who proposed the “seminar at sea” idea. He arranges these themed cruises and thought a writing cruise would be a draw. He’s arranging everything and handling all the reservations. All I have to do is show up, teach, and be pampered. He gave me a tour of a similar ship a few weeks ago. Wow! I had no idea what cruise ships are like. These things are floating palaces, and so much is covered in the price, including meals. There are amazing restaurants, an adults only pool, whirlpools cantilevered over the side of the ship, spas, climbing walls, discos, a casino, innumerable bars, duty free shops, quiet spaces to retreat to when it all gets too overwhelming . . . I was dazzled. The chambermaids make your towels into animal shapes each day. How cool is that? The actual ship I’ll on, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, is the largest cruise ship in the world. We’ll sail from Canaveral and make stops in Cococay, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. The classes will be held on the days we’re at sea. You can find more details at: http://www.connectiontocruise.com/cruises/offerdetail.asp?priceid=1612862&sid=11239
We’ve set a cap of 50 students and I’ll be doing a mix of lecture and hands-on writing exercises. Regardless of the size of the group, I’ll be having lots of face time with the students in class, at dinner, and in several evening open reading salons. I’ll be covering specific topics, from character and plot development to publishing, and should be able to work at a number of levels, depending on the experience of the students. This is intended to be an intensive, nuts and bolts writing class, and a chance to have access to someone working in the field. I do a lot of Q&A. I intend to cover a specific topic in a session, then leave them with a writing prompt, which they will work on during the afternoon, and present at the salon, or in class the next day. It won’t be a static, sit and take notes experience. There will be lots of interaction.
You identify with otters so much that you even have a page devoted to them on your website. What are your most otter-like qualities? Top three, let’s say.
1. I mate for life (and I’m more faithful than an otter).
2. I adore playing with my kids and family.
3. I love to eat raw fish and have been known to bash sea urchins open with a rock.
Aside from your own creations, who’s your favorite fictional LGBTQI character or couple, and what do you love about them?
It’s not terribly original, but I adore Maurice and Alec Scudder in E.M. Forster’s novel Maurice. That book captures the essence of the times through the strangled relationship between Maurice and his social equal, Clive, then breaks all bounds of propriety and class when poor, confused Maurice succumbs to the advances of the gamekeeper’s son, Alec, and ultimately claims his own identity and runs away with him. Clive is so icy, so self hating, hardly able to touch hands; Alec, a Bacchus-like figure, sets up a gorgeous little assignation nest in the boathouse and climbs in through windows. The contrast is brilliant, and for once, the reader gets a happy ending! Merchant Ivory did a nice job with the movie, too. I’m a sucker for a costume drama.
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Thanks, Lynn! We’ll have another Spotlight post next Friday. In the meantime, why not check out Lynn’s books, or sign up for her cruise?
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