Like many writers, I am influenced by everything I read and especially
what I enjoy. There is always the little
'how did the author do that?' moment when I finish a book and try to analyze
how everything came together and why it affected me the way it did. For actual story generation, I'm more likely
to be inspired and influenced by nonfiction history and science books these
days. However, for the types of stories
I write there is one author who has had the most lasting influence on my
writing.
Andre Norton.
I started reading her books after I'd already read a number
of Heinlein's works, which I enjoyed . . . but Norton's adventures and
characters appealed to me more than Heinlein's did. I believe the difference is her stories
weren't always so human-centric as Heinlein's and Norton's characters were
often outsiders a trait I frequently find myself using. (So does my favorite author, C. J. Cherryh .
. . and yes, she has influenced me as well, but Andre Norton was the first.). I am fascinated by characters who don't fit
into the surroundings and have to learn the rules of the game, so to speak.
Some of her earliest works are rife with Red Scare backgrounds
and odd bits of strange science like genetic memory regression. We are all influenced, in one way or another,
by our times. The books are still
interesting to read. I often see
Norton's work as less about science and more about characters. Aliens and alien worlds, space travel . . .
those were the stories that drew me. I
came later to her fantasy novels, but I can trace my most lasting influence to books
like the Solar Queen series, especially Postmarked
the Stars.
Other influences from her work? Hmm. . . . Forgotten alien civilizations like
the Forerunners? You bet, and with all
the secrets humans perhaps shouldn't know.
For that matter, I have also gathered the idea that all the stories can
take place in the same future universe and have certain ties to one another.
Oh, and let's not forget the impact of learning Andre Norton
was a woman. And she wrote science
fiction. At the time, the shelves were filled with male authors, and many of
them quite good writers whom I still enjoy.
However, I remember the little thrill I felt when I learned Andre Norton
was not one of them. The moment of 'Oh,
it's not just a boy's club after all!'
Sure she had to have a male name to start with, but that game was
already over by the time I was reading the books.
Ah, and prolific! You
could always count on a great new Andre Norton novel before too long! The shelves of stores had a long line of them
to choose from, both sf and fantasy. I
loved the moments of looking at all those wonderful books.
I will never write like Andre Norton. The times have changed and the world has new
worries and fears of the future. Too
much of science fiction has moved into an age to dystopian futures and darker
days. A little of that sort of reading
goes a long ways for me. I also feel
we've unfortunately lost a great deal of our 'sense of wonder' which was such
an essential part of the golden age of science fiction. If the future is so dark, who would want to
go there?
I'm still holding on to my sense of wonder and looking for
adventures. Yes, many of the places will
be dangerous . . . but not every stranger or strange thing will be an enemy and
not every advancement will mean destruction.
I treat fantasy in the same way.
There are places I want to see and adventures I want to have so I
continue to write them. I'm willing to
take any of you along who want to join me.
If you want to get to read about nearly twenty other writers, check out the Merry-Go-Round Blog Tour. Be sure to read tomorrow's post by Sharon Kemmerer
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