Mark,
I thought of it as a step sideways into novels of ethics
rather than metaphysics. And possibly a step down in that it
was done to make money.
(One of the peculiar things about authors is that they don't
always know why they chose any particular path. They may
think they do, and then realize later that it was far more
complex than that.)
Now I know that the detective or crime novel is in actuality
the perfect form for the social novel, and that was why I
chose it. You might even say it chose me. And what happened
over the years was that my "literary" work began to creep
into my genre work more and more. At the same time, that
detective voice started to invade my mainstream work.
I guess we wre what we are and sooner or later that is going
to come out.
I got, and still get, grief from everyone. No one in the
business wants to offend or confuse potential readers by
having strong views, or any views at all. The only folks I
have nearly always done well with are critics and
reviewers.
Dennis-Michael
----- Original Message ----- From: <
DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net> To: <
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, May 14,
2005 5:28 PM Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Lynds Cover Blurb
> Dennis,
>
> Several times you've alluded to your starting out as
a serious novelist
> (don't think those were the words you used, but you
get the idea) and
> how that later affected your crime writing. However,
I'm curious about
> how you made the transition from literary to genre
work. At the time,
> did you see it as a step down, or simply sideways?
Has your perspective
> on the difference, if any, changed?
>
> Speaking of that serious novelist's social
consciousness that starting
> creeping into your genre work, that's one of the
things I've always
> liked so much in your crime novels. And unlike
Travis McGee's rants,
> say, the critique is skillfully woven into the
texture of the books,
> never becoming a sermon. I found it especially
impressive when I moved
> from Dan Fortune to Paul Shaw, how the critique
remained, although
> viewed from the two detectives' very different
social positions.
> Anyway, I was wondering if you ever got/get grief
for that social
> consciousness? If so, from whom, publishers,
editors, readers?
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
>
>
> RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
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