 A
collection published by the New England Science Fiction Association to
mark Diana's appearance as Guest of Honour at the 1995 Boskone s-f
convention. The introduction is by fantasy author Patricia Wrede.
Contains:
Everard's
Ride
Set in the Victorian era. Alex and Cecilia
Hornby have been bought up on tales of lights on the deserted island
in the bay and the Wild Rider who appeared once every hundred years.
They are catapulted into adventure when they follow the Wild Rider
across the nearly invisible secret causeway to the island and are
arrested by the Prince who rules there.
Nad and Dan adn Quaffy
A writer battles with her new word processor
and suddenly finds that her story takes on a life of its own and she
becomes involved in a revolt.
What Diana Wynne Jones says
This one is a loving send-up of a well-known author whose writing I
admire and read so avidly that I'm sure I know where a lot of it comes
from. The idea of it came to me as I typed nad for and
for the hundredth time, changed it, found it was now adn,
reached for my coffee in frustration and idly realised - among other
things - that this other writer did this too. (From Minor
Arcana)
Also published in Minor
Arcana and in Digital Dreams, edited by David Barrett, NEL 1990
The Shape of the
Narrative in The Lord of the Rings
An analytical essay
When Diana Wynne Jones was an undergraduate she attended some
lectures that Tolkien gave. Here she uses quotes and examples to
explain Tolkien's mastery of the narrative, which is more than just
the plot and how he wove his stories. Also published in J R R
Tolkien: This Far Land, edited by Robert Giddings, Vision Press
1983
The Master
A vet is called out in the early hours of the
morning to a strange location in the middle of nowhere. After
being chased by wolves a strange man shows her around the Master's
house and she tries to understand who the Master is and why he keeps
wolves.
What Diana Wynne Jones says about The
Master
"The Master" was another dream, or maybe a nightmare, which
I dreamed more than once and had again to exorcise by writing it down.
It is of course about precognition. At that time, I was quite
worried about the way most of my books came true to me after I had
written them, but I am glad to say that the events in "The Master"
have (so far) not happened to me. (From Minor Arcana)
Also published in Minor
Arcana and in Hidden Turnings.
The True State of
Affairs
Story
Somehow Emily, from Kent, has found her way into Dalemark. Mistaken
for a woman called Hilda, with whom she had swapped clothes, and
captured in her place, she is locked away in a citadel with no
prospect of release or escape. To keep herself sane she writes down
her story and manages to use some of the paper for a secret
correspondence with another prisoner who she starts to fall in love
with.
What Diana Wynne Jones says
"The True State of Affairs" is one of the first adult
stories I wrote. I had been reading The Kingis Quair, which is a true
story by King James I of Scotland, about the time he was in prison.
Staring out from his cell, he fell in love (courtly love) with a girl
he only ever saw in the distance. Of course it all stopped when he was
released. It occurred to me to wonder what the girl felt about it, so
I wrote the story. (From Minor Arcana).
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