Interview with David Keck

Given the choice, would you take a New York Times bestseller, or a World Fantasy Award? Why, exactly?

DK: A long time ago a writer friend of mine told me that I should start selling out. I've never been entirely sure that I wasn't -- or that I knew how. When I'm working on a story, I can only leave in what I can stand. I can only smile at what makes me smile. If I was hunting bestsellers, I'm sure I'd never get one. If I went prowling for awards, God knows what I'd wind up with.

Honestly, do you believe that the fantasy genre will ever come to be recognized as veritable literature? Truth be told, in my opinion there has never been this many good books/series as we have right now, and yet there is still very little respect (not to say none) associated with the genre.

DK: I have spent time defending fantasy. Mozart and Shakespeare had a good line in medieval fantasy, after all. Still, I find that fighting about the whole thing doesn't gain a person very much. Some readers have very little time for anything that steps away from realism: the gnomes, the starships, the magic swords. For many people, these things are packed away with the old toys when they're trying to appear grown up. Hopefully, good writing (and maybe a few good movies) will draw readers back. And, personally, I can think of no better place to wrestle with demons than a good fantasy.

Will there be a promo tour this spring? If so, what cities are currently on the itinerary?

DK: My first little promotional tour is to my home town: Winnipeg. The Canadian distributor is flying me to Winnipeg. They've arranged some interviews (including a spot on CBC radio and my first bit of TV), and it should be a good chance to see old friends and breathe the clear, prairie air.

Any foreign sales to report thus far?

DK: So far, the Germans and the Russians have bought the rights to publish In the Eye of Heaven in Europe. It's entirely possible that more offers will come to the table as the book rolls out.

What extensive research did the writing of the IN THE EYE OF HEAVEN entail?

DK: I read books of folklore and social history all the time. There is always a stack of the things on every flat surface wherever I've been. (You can't imagine). And there's nothing like getting out to see the real thing. I like little better than finding lost nooks and crannies in an old castle I read about long ago.

But the search gets sillier. Once upon a time, a friend of mine was taking a course in the Canadian novel. He showed me a novel written about the First World War. While the author, title and plot have all escaped me, I still have good notes on what it was like to live with lice crunching in the seams of your uniform. And I had much the same reaction to Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes. First hand accounts of fleas! Magic!

Oh. And a good book of battlefield archeology is important if you're going to know which bones to break.

What made you choose to write an epic fantasy? Were there any perceived conventions you wanted to twist or break?

DK: Like so many, I started my love affair with fantasy reading Tolkien. To me, that's the genre I think of when I get to work. But I can't write like that man. I'm from a different time and a different nation. I suppose it's all about what makes a person cringe and what makes him smile. I love thickets full of clammy devils and the heartstopping thrill of medieval dentistry. But I flinch at an elf who's a dab hand with a longbow. Conventions and cliches: it's all in the smiles and cringes.

Many thanks again for taking the time to answer these questions. I wish you continued success with your writing career and best of luck with the upcoming release of IN THE EYE OF HEAVEN.

DK: Thanks for giving me a chance to say hello!

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Interview by Patrick
fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com