Previous Interview by KC Heath - Originally published on Yet Another Book Review
Interview: Debra A. Kemp
KC: What state or province do you live in?
Debra: Oft times I feel like I live in a state of confusion, what with
my imaginary friends, I mean characters, and having to come back to reality
after writing . . . Oh, you mean . . . Currently, I live in South Dakota.
However, I am a native of Indiana. How did I get to South Dakota? In a very
round about way-via Louisiana, England and Michigan. And over the course of 20
years as a military spouse.
KC: Tell us a little about yourself.
Debra: Ah, the military spouse! There's a character-building
experience. I have the certificate from the United States Air Force to prove
that I stuck it out the same 20 years as my husband, Bill. It's what I fondly
call "the major award". We have two grown children, both married. We also have
one very active granddaughter, Victoria-well into her toddler days and a total
delight. I'm glad I can be a part of her life. She's a major distraction to my
writing these days, but I don't mind. It took 27 years to see the first book
written and ultimately published-I've learned patience. Besides writing, I work
part time in a second-hand bookstore. Pure heaven! What better job can there be
for a book-a-holic? (Or worse?) I get to meet and talk to other book lovers, and
otherwise just be around BOOKS. If things are slow, I can read. (I have to be
able to recommend the product we're selling, after all!!) And sometimes I even
get some writing done. Stuff I couldn't do in my old profession as a Registered
Nurse. I graduated from Indiana University in 1981 with an Associates Degree in
nursing. This was back in the day when there were still three entry levels to an
RN-the hospital school diploma, the ASN and the BSN. 1981 was also the last year
the old five part state board tests were offered. The N-CLEX came out the
following year. So there's actually some history there! I even attended
(briefly) a hospital school of nursing!
KC: How did you get into writing?
Debra: I got into writing because King Arthur commanded it of me. Let
me explain. I did not grow up wanting to be a writer. As a child I had the usual
long list of professions-the usual for a girl in the 60' and mid-70's. But
history and English were always my favorite subjects in school. Then one
evening, sorry to say I don't recall the exact date, I saw a movie that changed
my life. Literally. That movie was CAMELOT. I went home in awe of the concept of
the Round Table. And I wondered two things. First, what could I find in the
library about Arthur and Camelot? (I was very young and naïve. Good thing I love
to read. I'll never run out of material!) My other question was-What if Arthur
and Guinever had a daughter? What would she be like in her father's shadow? Lin,
as a character, was conceived that very night (circa 1973). Of course she has
evolved over the years. I have been hooked on the Arthurian legend ever since.
And not long after seeing that movie I remember thinking: "I want to write my
own version of the King Arthur legend." Which is quite different from: "I want
to be a writer." To me, the two are so entwined it's impossible for me to
separate them. It's like Lin chose me to tell her story and I consider that a
great honor.
KC: Have you seen the new King Arthur movie? What did you think?
Debra: I went in expecting to hate it, like I do FIRST KNIGHT.
I heard the hype about its historical accuracy, etc. But never really bought any
of it--it's a movie!! But as I watched, I realized that I really have no right
to question another writer's interpretation of the legend. After all, a medieval
monk wrote that he had made "one heap of all he'd found" of King Arthur from a
jumble of materials. And scholars and writers have been doing the same ever
since. We've been trying to make sense of Arthur. I saw it as no different from
reading a new Arthurian novel. I found KING ARTHUR's premise was no more
outlandish than some Arthurian fiction I've read over these past 30 years.
Kennealy's space opera comes to mind. As does Lawhead drawing Atlantis into the
legend. Another author has made Lancelot a vampire. Personally none of those is
my cuppa, but that diversity is the beauty of the legend. (For me, at least.)
It's so open to interpretation. Every author has done it--the unknown monks of
the Vulgate Cycle, Sir Thomas Malory, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, TH White-the list
goes on and on. So why is a script writer any different from a novelist? True,
historically there was much to criticize in a movie claiming historical
accuracy. Even though I've been studying the time period for my own novel for
about 30 years, I do not claim to be an expert. So I will leave this particular
debate for scholars. I just knew going in that there would be far too many
inaccuracies for me to even try to keep up with and decided to let that part go
for a few hours and treat the experience as though I were reading a novel. And I
guess that sort of mind-set worked, because I found the movie highly
entertaining. And with all the debate going on about it on my various Arthur
legend lists, I find myself wondering if I saw the same movie that most people
are criticizing so harshly. It's JUST a movie. A few of the things I liked: the
appearance of Germanus and the Pelagian heresy references. That should get
people doing a little more research into the actual time period. Dagonet,
Tristan, and Lancelot reminded me of how we are all influenced by Malory and the
medieval tradition; whether we admit it or not. The characterization of Bors was
a pure treat. I wish Gawain had been utilized more, though. (I am partial to
that Orkney faction in my own writing.) But I think that's my writer's persona
saying, "I would have done it differently." And I do! Overall, the movie KING
ARTHUR was good entertainment. There are far worse ways to spend a Sunday
afternoon. Bors alone was well worth the matinee price. So, I guess it's all in
the viewer's perspective and expectations. We each create Arthur in our own
image.
KC: What kind of research did you do for your story? & How hard is it
to make a story historically accurate?
Debra: I have devoted more than 30 years now to researching the King
Arthur legend and the period of the Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain. It's what I
love to read. Give me a book about the Roman use of cavalry, and I'm in heaven.
I'm always looking for new theories on the historical Arthur and new
translations of the medieval texts. I especially love my 5-volume set of the
Vulgate cycle. What a treasure-trove of stories! I doubt I'll be delving in to a
new time period (or subject) any time soon. It's just what I love to read.
Specifically, besides the obvious stuff about the time period, etc., I also had
to read a lot of self-help books about rape and abuse. I also sought out slave
accounts from any era that I could find. Let's see, what else? I had to learn a
little about sea-travel, languages, herb lore . . . Countless details. Research
is a constant for me. For the current work in progress I've recently needed to
read up on black-smithing and the construction of chain mail. Historical
accuracy is exceedingly difficult for me. I know I must avoid anachronisms;
however, I have a major one working against me-language itself. I'm an American,
while Lin would do her utmost to avoid using any version of the Saxon tongue-old
or new. What's a writer to do then to make the writing accessible to modern
readers and still be authentic? I'm fairly certain that people of the past would
have spoken much as we do now-adapting their language for every day
conversations, complete with clichés and slang. I guess in a way my writing is a
translation of Lin's story. (I'm not a writer, merely the designated typist?)
But if the word really matters to the story, I try to find one that at least has
roots in Latin. So I know FIREBRAND is not perfect. And purists will no doubt
crucify me for having characters from the Mabingion rubbing elbows with knights
from Le Morte d'Arthur. However, Culhwch is too delicious a character not to
include, as is Lancelot. I don't think a story is entirely Arthurian without the
Lance/Gwen affair. (Sorry about that! Not!) But that is part of the tragedy of
the whole thing. Besides it suits my story line. But is character juxtaposition
considered anachronistic and historically inaccurate? If so-guilty!! At least I
have fun doing it. OK, so I had to research the legend and a historical time
period and then blend the two into a composite of how things might have been in
the late 5th century in order to create an illusion of reality for readers to
experience. Definitely challenging.
KC: Since you are basing your story on a big-time legend, have you had
any complaints about your creative license? --readers who didn't "get" the idea
that this is all just for fun?
Debra: Thanks for the excuse to go back through my rejection stack and
contest score sheets. Oh, the flack I got from contest judges before FIREBRAND
was published. I was accused of not doing enough research-from a judge who used
an encyclopedia to check my Arthurian background. Of course my stuff didn't
match such exacting scrutiny. Another stated: "a woman as a knight of the Round
Table would never happen in the legends I know and love." Apparently that judge
hadn't read as much of the legends as I have. True, there are no named female
Round Table knights. But there a few examples of Round Table knights
encountering female knights. One even has her own romance. If anyone wants to
know specifics, I'll be glad to answer any questions. Of course, I didn't write
in a medieval setting anyway, so I don't think it's such a difficult to jump to
make. Arthur's daughter would be an extraordinary woman. Seems logical enough
that she would at least try to become a knight. But that particular comment made
me change my actual wording. I no longer use knight in the story but the Latin,
eques. Since publication though, most of my feedback has been positive. Recently
a woman wrote saying she'd been blown away by FIREBRAND and that my premise was
pure genius. Plus I impressed Geoffrey Ashe with Lin's originality--it's there
in every printed book. To me, there is no higher compliment. So much for the
naysayers once and future! (GRIN!!) It was fun thumbing my nose at them.
KC: Do you have a website?
Debra: Yes! http://www.telltalepress.com/debrakemp.html It has a
direct link to my e-mail. And for those interested, the FerchArthur of my e-mail
address has a double meaning. "Ferch" is "daughter of" in Welsh, so there is the
obvious Arthurian connection with Lin and her dad. But my own father's name was
Arthur. Coincidence? Hmmmm . . .
KC: Can you give us a little tease on what to expect with your next
book? And update us as to its progress.
Debra: A tease? Well the working title for the second book is House of Pendragon II: The Warrior. It picks up where FIREBRAND left off: Lin going to Camelot for the first time with her dad. (Others may consider it blasphemy to call King Arthur "dad", but I think I've earned the right after all these years of working with his daughter.) Anyway, Lin meets her mother (who has never been called "mom" around here.) Of course there are serious issues between mother and daughter. Plus Morgause's four eldest sons make Camelot their home and we know how Lin feels about them!! But they are her kinsmen, so . . . What a family! I'm especially having great fun with Lin and Gareth. She's always surprising me. This book also deals with her early years in her father's army--hence, the title. Big surprise there, huh? And I can finally see light at the end of the tunnel! It's very nearly finished. Only about 5 chapters to go, or about 100-120 pages. Things have been going well lately. I hope to have it done by the end of the year, then I submit to Amber Quill and then wait for them to say yea or nay, then wait in the queue for publishing. It never ends. An excerpt is available in an anthology, "THE SPRING OF THE NINE HAZELS", published by Bardsong Press. The piece is called "The Awakening"--more compelling than chapter eight, right? It won first place in the 2002 Celtic Voices Contest hosted by Bardsong Press. http://bardsongpress.com/index.htm
KC: Anything else you want to add?
Debra: I'm not exactly sure why I'm compelled to say this, but writers
get asked it a lot. I write my rough drafts in longhand, using a fountain pen in
blue ink onto yellow legal pads. When I feel the chapter is fleshed out enough
and I have a sense of how it will end, I type it on the computer. The system
works for me. I guess the old-fashioned way puts me closer to Lin: I get the ink
stains on my fingers just as she would have with quills, and the writer's
cramp!! I just don't want to become dependent upon the technology. So long as I
have paper and some sort of writing instrument--even a crayon--I can write
anywhere and at any time. If anyone's interested, I use music for various moods
while writing. Metallica, Godsmack and Soulfly work great when Lin is especially
angry--like with Modred. If I need to tap into Dafydd, I use Celtic harp, Van
Morrison or Chris DeBurgh. Guess that's about it for me. Thank you so much for
this opportunity. I enjoyed the virtual chat.
KC: Thanks Deb, I look forward to reviewing your next book!
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