First SFF Novel Analysis & my Robert Silverberg story

[kateelliott]

In a previous post I asked people to name the first science fiction or fantasy novel they read, if they remember.

I just went through and did a very casual analysis of the results.

I suspect more people would have said fairy and/or folk tales, as many did (as I did), but I did specifically request genre, that is, a story that we would consider to fall into fairly clear genre parameters. The kind of stuff, you know, that some journalism outlets write snarky articles about, wondering why the heck it is those strange people (us) read that geeky unreal childish stuff. But I'm digressing.


As expected, The Hobbit was mentioned many times.

I was surprised by how many people started with C.S. Lewis' Narnia books, but I shouldn't be. I suspect that's only because I didn't find those books until I was in college; they simply weren't on my radar. My parents did not read sff, and for some reason my high school English teacher who did read sff and who greatly encouraged me in my writing and reading habits (some of you know him: Chip Sullivan, former president of IAFA) never steered me to them.

Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.

A couple of mentions of the Oz books (which were big early reads for me, possibly before the Silverberg novel I tend to identify as my first clearly sff title).

And a few mentions for Lloyd Alexander, Alan Garner, Ursula K. Le Guin, Richard Adams' Watership Down, as well as miscellaneous other fantasy.

SF mentions are less frequent but include multiple mentions of Robert Heinlein and the aforementioned Silverberg, as well as the Star Wars books.

However, I expect a prize ought to go to twinsuns who writes:

Basically, you were my first favorite modern-day sff writer.

Aww! That's sweet, but also terrifying.


Let me tell you my Robert Silverberg story.
[Be aware this is merely my take on the story. I can't vouch for Silverberg's recollection of the same events.]

Two fucking decades ago (damn), I was introduced to Robert Silverberg at a convention when I was a newly published writer. Robert Silverberg has of course been an immensely prolific and notable writer and seemingly around forever (from my perspective).

I said, perkily (and cluelessly), "So glad to meet you! You wrote the first science fiction novel I ever read, REVOLT ON ALPHA C! I was in fourth grade!"

He got A LOOK on his face of perhaps that disjunction we hit once we pass a certain age when we are periodically forced to recall the inevitable crawl of advancing years as they slowly obliterate us. But he graciously smiled and replied, "thank you. I was ten when I wrote it." {That was a joke. Or maybe not . . . he did start writing early.}

I never got to know Mr. Silverberg beyond occasionally saying hello to him at conventions. In fact, the second time I met him, I said, "You probably don't remember me, but -- " At which point he cut me off and said, "oh, I remember you."

Time passes in the way it does in films where water flows under the bridge, usually accompanied by a musical piece.

Dear reader, you will find me at AussieCon, in September 2010 (just last year!), in scenic Melbourne.

Who do I encounter there but Robert Silverberg! (at the after-Hugos party, to which I was not invited but I got in anyway -- that's another story).

And I said to him, "I know you remember me, and I have a story to tell you."

He gave me A LOOK like oh god what is it going to be this time?

I smiled and said, "I just had a new novel come out with a new (to me) publisher and editor. And my new editor, Devi Pillai, sent out the Advance Reading Copies accompanied by a letter which began, 'I first read Kate Elliott's Jaran when I was 13.'"

Trust me, you would have paid money to see his expression.

Because, you know, it's kind of like being a grandparent.