Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay CMis a Canadian writer of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid. Those works are published and marketed as historical fantasy, although Kay has expressed a preference to avoid genre categorization...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth7 November 1954
CountryCanada
journey destiny hiking
There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.
despair matter gates
We salvage what we can, what truly matters to us, even at the gates of despair.
falling-in-love sadness people
There was some sadness in how that could happen, falling out of love with something that had shaped you. Or even people who had.
kings woods blame
Unless the perfidious wolves have the temerity to disobey the High King's plans, we should meet Shalhassan's forces by the Latham in mid-wood with the wolves between us. If they aren't,' Diarmuid concluded, 'we blame anyone and everything except the plan.
enemy
We must be what we are, or we become our enemies.
bridges shapes longing
Words were power, words tried to change you, to shape bridges of longing that no one could ever really cross.
bravery
You have to be afraid for it to count as bravery.
long looks world
It is always difficult, even with the best will in the world, to look back a long way and see anything resembling the truth.
hands fists made
A hand fought best when it made a fist.
growing-up real eye
We are all shaped by where we grow up, though that shaping takes different forms. I dont think theres any doubt that coming of age in Winnipeg both opened my eyes and made me hungry - if I can subvert all claims to be a real writer by mixing metaphors like that.
clearly happier identical invent liberated national pretending rather spanish
I'm happier not pretending I know anything about El Cid in Spain. He's a Spanish national hero. I'd rather invent a character inspired by him but clearly not identical to him. And then I feel liberated creatively.
book draw early emerge far forward include main offered research single storyline surprises themes time
In general, the main themes emerge early for each book, even before the storyline and characters, as I research the time and place I want to draw upon. Having said that, every single book so far has offered me surprises en route, and these include motifs that come forward as I am writing.
audience author book directing excellence good leave listeners mediocre missing persona public radio shy sound spent work worry
I spent many years writing and directing in radio drama, so I am comfortable with an audience or a microphone, but I do worry about the blurring of an author's public persona with the work itself. A good 'performer' can make a mediocre book sound strong, and a shy author can leave listeners missing the excellence of his or her writing.
balance books characters morning pages readers stick themes three trying turning until
I want readers turning pages until three o'clock in the morning. I want the themes of books to stick around for a reader. I'm always trying to find a way to balance characters and theme.