[Caitlin]

I just wanted to let readers of my sffworld interview know that I gave incorrect information in my final answer. The Aurora Awards are not juried; author Yves Meynard was a juror for the 2004 Sunburst Award: www.sunburstaward.org. My mistake had nothing to do with my familiarity with and admiration of the award, and everything to do with my lack of brain cells (as the few I have are currently dedicated to writing. I think.).

Please do check out the link; Canadians and non-Canadians alike will be impressed by the winners, nominees and jury members.

[Sean Wright]

I've just read your interview with KatG - very interesting. Using such close personal loss in your fiction is very brave and commendable, Caitlin.

Also, well done on getting that recommendation for the 2004 Sunburst Awards - as both the 2004 and 2005 short-lists demonstrate, the competition out there is strong.

Must pick up a copy of Telling now - Amazon watch out!

regards
Sean

[Caitlin]

Thanks for the message, Sean! I'm glad you're positive about my use of autobiographical elements in my fiction; I've found it's somewhat murky territory. The question "Is your novel autobiographical in any way?" usually elicits a bit of authorial bluster. "Not at all: my characters are their own people, based on no one; I don't need to use my own life at all..." My second novel is far, far less personal than my first, and I'm happy to say so - but I'm also happy (as the interview proves!) to explain in some detail the autobiographical aspects of the first. (One author who was extremely forthcoming on this topic was Lloyd Alexander. I first wrote to him when I was 14; one of the many questions I asked him was whether his characters were based on real people. He confirmed that many of them were, "which is why I'm glad to see you've understood them so well." Still gives me goosebumps!)

And hurray for the Amazon order!! :) Thanks again.

[KatG]

See now, and if I'd known my Canadian awards, I would have caught that little error. :)

There's a lot of good fantasy being written in Canada, and while a lot of it trickles down to the U.S. or crosses over to the U.K., I wish it got more attention. I think that's started happening now, with the voracious appetite for fantasy in the market.

[KatG]

We have corrected the error! Thanks be to Kater who so quickly took care of it.