Focus on Terry Dowling

[Alisa Krasnostein]

Born in Sydney in 1947, Terry Dowling is one of Australia’s most awarded, versatile and internationally acclaimed writers of science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy and horror. He is author of Rynosseros (1990) Blue Tyson (1992) and Twilight Beach (1993), Wormwood (1991), The Man Who Lost Red (1994), An Intimate Knowledge of the Night (1995), Antique Futures: The Best of Terry Dowling (1999), Blackwater Days (2000) and Basic Black: Tales of Appropriate Fear (2006). He is editor of the World Fantasy Award-winning The Essential Ellison (1987/ revised 2001), Mortal Fire: Best Australian SF (1993) and The Jack Vance Treasury (2007).

As well as appearances in The Year’s Best Science Fiction, The Year’s Best SF, The Mammoth Book of Best New SF, The Year’s Best Fantasy, The Best New Horror and The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror (a record eight times; he is the only author to have had two stories in the 2002 volume, one chosen by each editor), his work has appeared in such major anthologies as Centaurus: The Best of Australian Science Fiction, The Dark, Dreaming Down Under, Gathering the Bones and The Oxford Book of Australian Ghost Stories and in such diverse publications as the prestigious SciFiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Interzone, Oceans of the Mind, Ténèbres, Ikarie, Japan’s SF and Russia’s Game.Exe. His fiction has been translated into many languages and has been used in a course in forensic psychology in the US.

As well as receiving a 2007 Stoker Award Best Collection nomination for Basic Black: Tales of Appropriate Fear, Terry’s 2006 Cemetery Dance collection received two International Horror Guild Award nominations in the categories of Best Collection for Basic Black: Tales of Appropriate Fear and for Best Short Story with “Cheat Light”.

Welcome Terry to the forums!

Just as a side note, Terry has let me know that he is currently staying on a farm with slow internet connection and unstable electricity until Monday. He's promised to pop in over that time when he can.

Terry, with all those publications under your belt, do you (think you will) ever feel as though you have told all the stories there are to tell? Also, over the time that you have been involved in the Australian community, has it changed? And if so, how so?

[Terry Dowling]

Thanks for this opportunity, Alisa, and sorry about the poor internet connection. I'm staying at the farm where I set my PhD novel CLOWNS AT MIDNIGHT. There's a labyrinth, masks on the trees in the forest on the hill behind the house and lots of mysterious things about. You'll see a pic of the location in the Process gallery at my homepage, www.terrydowling.com.

I'll never run out of stories, partly because of the nature of the imagination once brought on side (I truly value the unconscious and subconscious as writing tools) and the fact that you reach a point where your skills are in place and you're working on automatic. It's what I call escape velocity. All effective writers tend to achieve it.

I came in as a fan but held back from fandom for a time. Because of the internet drop-outs here, let me post this and come back for seconds.

Terry

[Terry Dowling]

The original fan scene when I came into the sf and fantasy scene in the late 70s was still quite Melbourne oriented, which made those of us in other parts of Oz feel, at first, like poor cousins somewhat, then like true naturals who recognised no hierarchies and served no agenda but our own. Like realizing that nationalism becomes patriotism becomes jingoism, that sort of freedom is very liberating. You serve no cause but your own determination to do as well as you can with people tapping in to the same energies and values. I'm so glad it went that way for me and other writers when I started. The focus has shifted now, with vigorous activity everywhere. It's exciting and promising and looks like staying that way. The only concern are the usual ones attending any sort of cliques, fan groups and joinerism situations: too much self-importance, a lack of genuine perspective and a suitable sense of history and how things really were in spite of how you want them to be remembered. We have to remember how we (and our writers and our achievements) fit into the global scene as based on merit, not just our wishes it could be so.

Terry

[Alisa Krasnostein]

How do we fit into the global scene?

[Cat Sparks]

Hi Terry,

Where did the original concept for the Rynosseros stories come from? Were you standing on the edge of a desert one day, staring out into the distance when you suddenly pictured great sand ships pulled by kites, or what? I vaguely recall some sort of sand ship in one of the lesser known Frank L Baum novels. Was this an influence? Did Tom have other influences that you're aware of?

[GaryK]

Hi Terry,

I loved the way in "Flashmen" there was very little (no?) infodump -- you gave the reader enough credit to figure out the important stuff for themselves from the context of what was going on in the story.

Another brilliant example of this technique, in my opinion, is the film version of "Children of Men".

Do you think, especially with regards to science fiction, there's a tendency for new writers to feel they have to explain every aspect of the world they're creating.

(I know I do, and I know "Flashmen" really made me reconsider my approach to writing)

Thanks,
Gary

[Terry Dowling]

Thanks for the questions. Alisa, we can be global players if almost every sense. The only yardstick is quality -- in short, turning out strong and competitive work and - putting it frankly - making someone else look good. We need to remember that editors are always looking for something new and dangerous, and at the shorter lengths it's possible to take a chance. At the longer lengths, it becomes a marketing rather than straightforward editorial decision: what do the shareholders need? But we are global players in our ones and twos and in the general receptivity of those overseas markets. They know to expect good stuff can be forthcoming. The thing for us locally is monitoring how it really is, like, for instance, Jonathan Strahan with his 17 (?) books edited is an astonishing and unprecedented achievement, quite a rarity by anyone's standards. He should be lionised and treasured. Merit is the standard where he's concerned. He walks the walk. Our authors are now at the stage where international editors approach them for stories, works, ideas etc. So it's quality and a matter of sending out your best.

[Terry Dowling]

Hi Cat! I've never read Baum, never even looked at his books until I became friends with Jack (Vance) and saw the earliest editions on his bookshelves in 1983. I guess it's the Tom O'Bedlam/Loving Mad Tom stanza from an issue of The School Magazine all those years ago that brought the first fascinations with the noble madman: 'With a host of furious fancies / Whereof I am commander / with a burning spear and a horse of air / To the wilderness I wander / By a knight of ghosts and shadows, I summoned am to tourney / Ten years beyond the wide world's end / Methinks it is no journey.' In 1982, my friend Carey Handfield gave me the whole lyric and I set music to it (ask me to sing it for you!!). The second last stanza says: 'And those that cross Tom Rynosseros / Do what the Panther dare not'. I already had a high-school exercise book fragment about a hero named Blue Tyson, then came upon the term 'char volant' for kite-drawn sandships. It's such a rich beginning, single factors can't easily be named (it assumes I know them all), but Bradbury's Martian sandships have to be in there too. So, cutting it short, something that formed and reached its time. What a joy!

[Terry Dowling]

Gary, thanks for your very kind words. They mean a lot. I've always understood the power of the donnee (the given) and know it can make you a major player if you get the balance right. Many writers, film-makers, game designers don't. On the other hand, we've all sat down halfway through a film or dipped into a book midway through and been caught up in its compelling qualities. I call this Voice of Truth and it is a keystone of a formula I like to give at writing workshops and, as you say, use in my stories. Look at Cordwainer Smith's work, for instance. We could name many authors. Provided the world, situation etc, feels real, you can pull off wonders. In this regard I direct you to a computer game like SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS -- entirely givens and so profound and powerful. A real lesson and a real confirmation of a vital way to proceed. WARNING: You will lose a lot of readers by doing this, but you will keep the ones you really want and (best of all) earn the admiration of your peers, in effect becoming a writer's writer. No mean achievement. Another way of putting it: I can't help myself. I hate talking down to people; we're very smart animals who have been made lazy. Provided the reward is there, the risk is worth it, like Ian McDonald with RIVER OF GODS and Kim Stanley Robinson with YEARS OF RICE AND SALT. Take risks!!!

[kathryn]

Hi Terry,

Our authors are now at the stage where international editors approach them for stories, works, ideas etc. So it's quality and a matter of sending out your best.

Is there any Aussie writers in particular that you are watching at the moment?

Also, if you had to recommend *one* collection of yours to someone who wasn't familiar with your work, what would it be and why?

Regards,
Kathryn

[bluetyson]

I'll follow Kathryn's quesiton with an addition then : who are your favorite Australian SF writers?

Seeing you mention him, do you have a favorite Cordwainer Smith piece?

The story technique you are talking about above, for your own work, would you class say, 'Scanners Live In Vain' as something similar?

Melissa Scott is a fan of yours, and she seems to also be good at that 'throw readers in there' type of writing as well.

Are there other writers you think of, or bring up when you are talking about that particular way of doing things?

Also, who are your favorite horror writers?

[Cat Sparks]

Hi Terry,

Do you think the short story might be an endangered beast? Anthologies abound, but many of them seem to be small press, even in the States. meanwhile, magazine circulation rates continue to drop. Is the short story still a valid art form or it is going the way of the dinosaurs... and the poem?

[terrydowlingfanclub]

Hi Terry

hope all is well. (Drat! I see the login "BlueTyson" is already taken).

Interesting to read your recollections of the 1970's. I've recently been corresponding with a lady Nellie/Narelle who recalls your days as a folk music singer in Sydney around gladsville balmain; she recalled with humour that in fact for many years she was under the impression that you wrote a really nifty song that was (in fact) one of Bob Dylan's better numbers. She also recalls a few lines of verse you put into a song using her name (I've been meaning to drop you a line about this).

Anyway, how does music influence your writing? Some writers who have musical talent put it into their writing; for others there's not much cross-pollination between these aspects of their lives. What is your writerly relationship with your music?

And, I should ask (geek question) have you any songs published or published musical credits? (this would repair bibliographical omissions).


Cheers

Murray
Melbourne

[GaryK]

WARNING: You will lose a lot of readers by doing this...

Can't really afford to lose that many at this stage in my career but at least I know the direction I want to take with my writing!

Thanks again,
Gary

[Terry Dowling]

Kathryn, hi. For all sorts of diplomatic reasons I'm going to hold back a bit here. There are many local writers who are producing interesting work but then - possibly in a bid to build up a body of material asap and to be seen as viable players - allow less than optimum work to be published. I've probably done this to an extent, but there is so much more of it now and small-press venues make it easier. Sean McMullen once said to me, Quality will out! He's absolutely right. So, hold back, find five readers to vet your stuff and say what should and shouldn't see light of day can be useful.

Among my own work, I'd suggest ANTIQUE FUTURES as a single volume to be an introduction (reviewed so wonderfully here, my thanks for that!) or BLACKWATER DAYS, alas, both difficult to get hold of. With luck there will be a local edition of BASIC BLACK sometime soon. I'd start there, though it is mainly 'horror', 'terror' and 'dark fantasy'.