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ON THE COVER
From back in 1976 with his King's Gambit through to 2004 with his short-story collection, Strange Prey, he has taken the fiction market by storm. His unique story lines offer a thrilling crossover mixture of mystery, fantasy, and sci-fi. Prior to his success as an author, George worked at a variety of jobs, including 17 years as a Special Ed teacher for mentally challenged children. He also worked during the lean, start-up writing times, as a night security guard and as a teacher of severely disturbed, very dangerous children. A Syracuse University grad that barely made it through his school years due to deep depression and self-doubt, he turned to writing as a form of escapism. He is now author of over 25 novels and over 100 short stories and articles within a span of 27 years. Quite the accomplishment! With over a quarter of a century of written entertainment, George continues to thrill millions of readers with his distinct style of writing. Today George is still at the top of his form studiously working on new ideas for his fans. He has graciously taken some time answering our questions and sharing his personal insights on writing. IN: Why do you have works written under the name David Cross as well as George Chesbro? Is there a clear difference in the books under each name? GC: The Chant Sinclair books were targeted at a mass market paperback audience. I created the character, but the publisher wanted the option to continue the series indefinitely with other writers who would produce the books under contract. David Cross was the agreed upon "house name" that all of the books, and hopefully there would be dozens, would be published under. Obviously, things did not work out, since there were only three books. The publisher deemed them too "cerebral" for the intended audience, and this was probably a correct judgment. When they were reissued by Apache Beach, I used my own name. IN: In your experience, how has the publishing industry changed over the past 30 years?
IN: How did you get started as a writer? What were some of your first projects, and what was the time between beginning your first piece of fiction and its publication? GC: I began writing at the age of 20, while I was in college. Seven years and several hundred thousand words later, I published my first piece, a poem, for which I received $1.00. My first published short story followed soon after. IN: You're writing has been categorized as "Tech-Noir" (definition: Kat Richardson). What does that mean specifically to you? How do you describe or categorize your writing? GC: I don't categorize my work, although I'm aware of the fact that my disregard for certain genre conventions is disquieting to many readers and critics of traditional mystery fiction. The label Tech-Noir was first applied to my novels by a college professor, and I’m not sure what it means. It probably has something to do with the fact that science plays a large part in many of my novels, especially in The Beasts Of Valhalla, which represented a huge turning point in my approach to writing so-called detective novels. IN: It strikes me that you write because you have to. Is that accurate, and if so, what do you personally get out of writing? Why must you write? GC: I write because it makes me feel whole. Creating anything is about alleviating pain and/or anxiety. Writing fills a lot of painful cavities. Writers of fiction are never models of mental health. Happy people don't write fiction; it's too hard, and there are far too many more pleasant things to do with one's time. IN: In your article The More Things Change from February 2000, you write, "It's the problematic talent thing that makes the successful writing of publishable fiction the darkest and most difficult of the arts." What do you mean exactly and, now seven years on, do you still believe this to be true? GC: It will always be true. Talent in all the other arts manifests itself at an early age; in grammar school, everyone knows who can sing, dance or draw and who can't. Talented youngsters may be encouraged by teachers or other mentors, and then go on to train for a career in the arts. As they mature they may join communities of like-minded souls who further encourage and console. There is constant feedback from childhood on to indicate whether or not an individual may have a talent to nurture and peddle in the marketplace. None of this is true for the fiction writer. Talent for fiction writing cannot be taught. There are no writing prodigies, and joining a group of fellow non-published writers is likely to be more damaging than fruitful. The only critic whose opinion counts is an editor who'll buy your work, and most feedback a beginner gets is rejection. Writing is an "alone" profession; like mushrooms, fiction grows best in the dark. IN: How do you approach the creation of a new story? Are you strategic and methodical, random and adventurous, or a little of both? GC: Writing fiction is a blue collar profession; you go to work every day and do your job. I get lots of ideas from the newspapers, and I keep lots of clippings to pore over when I'm searching for "inspiration." If, how, and when such an idea may grow into an actual novel is a mystery, in a manner of speaking; it either grows or it doesn't, but your job is to show up every day to water and otherwise tend to these seeds of ideas and see what happens. IN: How did you decide to create the character Mongo, giving him the distinction of being a dwarf?
IN: There is a gap in publishing of your books between 1979 and 1985. What happened for you over those 5 years? Also, you switched publishers in 1985. Was this related? GC: The bottom had fallen out of the publishing industry, and many writers were in trouble. I had given up my career in Special Education and went to work as a night security guard in a rock and roll motel to pay the bills. I "wrote my way out" of there with Veil. I didn't so much "switch" publishers as I (or my agent) did "find" another publisher. IN: Your latest book has not yet been picked up by a U.S. publisher, but it has been published in French by Rivages. Why does this happen? GC: Lord Of Ice And Loneliness, like The Beasts Of Valhalla, is not your average detective novel and, like Beasts and Shadow Of A Broken Man, it probably strays over a lot of genre boundaries. I was fortunate to already have a French publisher who thought the book was just dandy. In our political and cultural climate, in a rabidly religious nation where at least as many if not more people believe in virgin births as in evolution, publishers may have thought it would be a bit problematic to publish a "detective novel" that posits the apocalyptic consequences of the simultaneous discovery of a long-extinct sentient reptile species with the appearance of an apparent godhead who not only performs miracles and answers prayers but does it on his own television show. A "Born Again" novel it is not. IN: Would you advise an author who is not getting picked up nationally to look for a foreign publisher? If so, how do you find and solicit these publishers? GC: Foreign sales are usually executed by agents and/or foreign rights divisions of American publishers, virtually never by writers acting on their own. IN: When did you launch your website and how important has it been to the advancement of your career?
IN: Do you ever read the Message Board postings, and if so, do they influence your work? How? GC: I do read all the Message Board postings and I occasionally respond if I think it's appropriate. They don't influence my work, but they certainly do (usually) give me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I have very loyal and kind fans. IN: What writing projects are on your horizon? GC: I'm going to work, planting seeds, watering, seeing what may sprout. IN: Do you have any other specific advice for our readers? GC: Nothing any good is ever written; it's rewritten. Read George C. Chesbro's excerpt from An Affair Of Sorcerers. Bibliography Mongo Novels Chant Novels Veil Kendry Novels Other Novels Short-Story Collections
Editor Inkwell Newswatch (IN) japierce@fwointl.com
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