Grazie alla gentile intercessione della Gargoyle Books ( nella figura di Costanza Ciminelli – Ufficio Stampa Gargoyle), ho avuto la grande opportunità di rivolgere alcune domande alla nota e apprezzata scrittrice americana Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.Non posso nascondere una punta di orgoglio e tanta soddisfazione nell’aver portato a termine quella che posso considerare come la mia prima intervista con un’autrice non italiana ma soprattutto con una vera e propria V.I.P. della letteratura horror e vampirica MONDIALE.
Per la recensione del suo ultimo libro pubblicato da pochissimo e menzionato anche nell’intervista vi rimando al link:
http://ilmondodiedu.blogspot.com/2009/10/chelsea-quinn-yarbro-le-cronache-di.html
E’ stata ispirata dalla “Letteratura Gotica Tradizionale” mentre scriveva la raccolta di racconti “Le Cronache di Saint-Germain”?
Probabilmente ma non consapevolmente. Ho sempre letto racconti Horror sin da quando avevo dieci anni. Ne ho letti così tanti che sicuramente qualcuno avrà ispirato i miei scritti.
Il suoi vampiri sembrano essere molto più umani dei veri esseri umani.
Fanno del loro meglio per diventare parte della società umana - attraverso lo studio, il duro lavoro, la gestione di complessi affari e comportandosi correttamente. Inoltre non fanno del male a nessuno se non provocati. Ci può spiegare i motivi di questa sua inversione di tendenza nella rappresentazione del vampiro?
La mia intenzione originaria è stata sempre quella di ricreare un’immagine di Dracula il più positiva possibile mantenendo comunque autentica la figura del vampiro. Credo che il vecchio adagio, “ Tu sei quel che mangi”, vada bene soprattutto per i Vampiri, così ho deciso, che gli elementi positivi ed emozionali erano molto più interessanti di quelli negativi.
Lei crede nell’esistenza dei Vampiri? Oppure l’uso che ne fa nei suoi romanzi è essenzialmente metaforico?
Non penso che esistano i vampiri, ma sono un archetipo di grande forza.
Quali libri hanno influenzato la sua carriera di scrittrice?
Lo scrittore che più mi ha influenzato è stato William Shakespeare.
Un romanzo che avrebbe voluto scrivere?
Ce ne sono molti. Mi piacerebbe fare un libro su James Tree Emmerson, mentre ho già pronto un quartetto di libri che si svolgono in un mondo alternativo dell’Impero Romano e che mi piacerebbe pubblicare. Inoltre ho scritto circa la metà di un romanzo su uno spaccone di un lontano futuro ma non ho trovato ancora un editore. Ho avuto diversi libri come questi in passato e tutti hanno successivamente venduto.
Secondo il mio parere, il Conte di Saint-Germain potrebbe essere considerato come un eroe “bayroniano” e romantico molto prima del Lord Ruthven di Polidori. Lei è d’accordo?
Non penso che Saint-Germani sia bayroniano in quanto non è abbastanza egocentrico. Se il personaggio di Lord Ruthven è basato sulla figura di Byron, allora non deve sorprenderci che il vampiro di Polidori sia un modello molto egocentrico.
Molte delle avventure del Conte di Saint-Germain sono ambientate in Italia. Che cosa le attrae del nostro paese?
Primo, mia madre era per tre quarti italiana. Secondo, l’Impero Romano mi ha affascinato sin da giovane e poi l’ho studiato ampiamente. Terzo, ho studiato anche il Rinascimento Italiano. Apprezzo molto la vostra cultura, la lingua e la gente e mi diverto molto a scriverne.
C'è un libro - tra i suoi numerosi romanzi - che preferisce in particolar
e? E perché?Prendo in prestito una battuta di Picasso: ”il prossimo”. Una volta che un libro è finito, gran parte dei suoi elementi più interessanti svaniscono, e la storia e i personaggi del prossimo prendono il suo posto. Attualmente questi occupano gran parte della mia attenzione, man mano che la storia si sta sviluppando.
- This is the English version of my interview with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.
I warmly thank the author for her kind availability -
Has the Gothic Tradition inspired you while you wrote this collection?
Probably, but not consciously. I’ve read horror fiction since I was about ten, and since I’ve read so much of it, I suppose it comes through in my writing.
Your vampires seem to be much more human than real human beings. They do their best to become part of human society – by studying, working hard, managing complex affairs, behaving correctly; they do not harm anyone if they are not provoked. Can you explain the reasons based on this reversal in the vampire’s representation?
My original intention was to push the Dracula image as far to the positive as pos
sible and still have an authentic vampire. Also, it strikes me that the old adage “You are what you eat” must be especially true of vampires, and from that I decided that positive emotional responses were probably more nourishing than negative ones.
Do you really believe in vampires’ existence? Or their use, in your fiction, is essentially metaphorical?
No, I don’t think vampires are real, but they are a powerful archetype.
Which books have influenced your career as a writer?
The single most influential writer in my life is William Shakespeare.
Is there a novel that you would have written?
Yes, several. I’d love to do a book about James Emmerson Tree, and I have a quartet of books taking place in an alternate world Roman Empire, which I would love to sell, and a far future swashbuckler that I’ve written about half of, but haven’t found a publisher for that one, either. But then, I’ve had several books like these in the past and all have eventually sold.
Do you think the Count of Saint-Germain could be considered like a byronian and romantic hero prior to the arrival of Polidori’s Lord Ruthven?
I don’t think Saint-Germain is Byronic because he’s not nearly self-centered enough. And since Lord Ruthven is based on Lord Byron himself, it’s hardly surprising that the Polidori’s vampire is the self-centered model.
More than one adventure of the Count of Saint-Germain has set in Italy. What attracts you more in our country?
First, my mother was three-quarters Italian; second the Roman Empire has fascinated me since I was young, and have studied it extensively; third, I’ve also studied the Italian Renaissance. I like the history, the language, the culture, and the people, so it’s fun to write about.
Is there a book – among your novels – you prefer particularly? And why?
I’ve borrowed Picasso’s answer: the next one. Once a book is finished, much of its most compelling elements fade away, and the story and characters of the next one take its place, occupying a lot of my attention as the story unfolds.
Probably, but not consciously. I’ve read horror fiction since I was about ten, and since I’ve read so much of it, I suppose it comes through in my writing.
Your vampires seem to be much more human than real human beings. They do their best to become part of human society – by studying, working hard, managing complex affairs, behaving correctly; they do not harm anyone if they are not provoked. Can you explain the reasons based on this reversal in the vampire’s representation?
My original intention was to push the Dracula image as far to the positive as pos
sible and still have an authentic vampire. Also, it strikes me that the old adage “You are what you eat” must be especially true of vampires, and from that I decided that positive emotional responses were probably more nourishing than negative ones.Do you really believe in vampires’ existence? Or their use, in your fiction, is essentially metaphorical?
No, I don’t think vampires are real, but they are a powerful archetype.
Which books have influenced your career as a writer?
The single most influential writer in my life is William Shakespeare.
Is there a novel that you would have written?
Yes, several. I’d love to do a book about James Emmerson Tree, and I have a quartet of books taking place in an alternate world Roman Empire, which I would love to sell, and a far future swashbuckler that I’ve written about half of, but haven’t found a publisher for that one, either. But then, I’ve had several books like these in the past and all have eventually sold.
Do you think the Count of Saint-Germain could be considered like a byronian and romantic hero prior to the arrival of Polidori’s Lord Ruthven?
I don’t think Saint-Germain is Byronic because he’s not nearly self-centered enough. And since Lord Ruthven is based on Lord Byron himself, it’s hardly surprising that the Polidori’s vampire is the self-centered model.
More than one adventure of the Count of Saint-Germain has set in Italy. What attracts you more in our country?
First, my mother was three-quarters Italian; second the Roman Empire has fascinated me since I was young, and have studied it extensively; third, I’ve also studied the Italian Renaissance. I like the history, the language, the culture, and the people, so it’s fun to write about.
Is there a book – among your novels – you prefer particularly? And why?
I’ve borrowed Picasso’s answer: the next one. Once a book is finished, much of its most compelling elements fade away, and the story and characters of the next one take its place, occupying a lot of my attention as the story unfolds.
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