Interview: Chet Gottfried
Author’s Name:
Chet Gottfried
Publishing Credits:
My novels include The Steel Eye (1984; republished 2020), The Gilded Basilisk (2014), Thora’s Dagger (2022), and Into the Horsebutt Nebula (2016); two young adult novels, Einar and the Cursed City (2014) and Einar and the Myrtledale Conspiracy (2015); fifty or so short stories; a miscellany of articles and reviews; and a hundred or so cartoons and illustrations.
What genres do you write?
SF and fantasy, with the occasional touch into horror.
Why should anybody read your books when there are so many others written by famous authors?
I often ask myself the same question, and so, if reading is a pleasure, then a person will sample books across the full spectrum of genres and authors; consequently, a reader may further explore other writers and perhaps discover a new pleasure.
Most authors believe they have original ideas that no one else has used. Can you give us an example of one of your original ideas?
I believe that all stories and novels start with an original idea, whether it is as simple as finding a fertile dinosaur egg or turning too quickly and slipping into a parallel universe. I did have one idea that probably stayed unique for a few months or years. That was back in the 1970s when I wrote a story about a hardboiled robot detective; hardboiled detectives were common in mysteries but not SF. Subsequently, I’ve noticed any number of authors using hardboiled detectives in fantasy or SF.
Have you ever received any awards?
I forgot the few earlier ones, but Einar and the Cursed City won the 2014 Preditors and Editors (P&E) readers poll, YA novel category, and in 2016, Einar and the Myrtledale Conspiracy won the P&E poll, YA category; and also in 2016, an article in Perihelion SF won in the P&E nonfiction category.
If you come up with a new idea to write about, what do you do?
If computer or pen and paper are handy, I write it down. If not, I repeat the idea to myself (such as while taking a shower) until I’m somewhere when I can record the idea.
What’s your favorite time to write?
That has varied over the years. At one point, I wrote during the morning, at another during the afternoon, and during one phase, I wrote between midnight and 3 a.m. At present, if I’m onto something, I begin in the morning and return to it throughout the day. A story can write itself; it’s only a question of being on hand for it.
Do you have any favorite authors and books?
Many, and it’s difficult to choose, but if I go by the number of times I have reread a particular author, I can break it down to Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep), Dashell Hammett (The Red Harvest), Charles Dickens (Our Mutual Friend), Mikhail Bulgakov (The Master and Margarita), and Philip Dick (UBIK).
What events have made you into the person you are today?
On my second or third job after college, I was fired for signing my initials too large. I’ve always enjoyed the Theatre of the Absurd, but the firing brought home that daily life itself can be and often is absurd.
What jobs have you held?
Nearly all my jobs had to do with publishing: proofreading, copy editing, developmental editing, art researcher, designer, typographer, and so forth.
Have you experienced anything that has affected your beliefs in the supernatural?
During a mountain walk in the Lake District, in northern England, while descending one evening, ahead and somewhat below my wife and me was a large pool of mist enclosed in a valley. The setting sun illuminated the mist and it glowed (purple I believe) as if alive.
What is the nicest thing anybody has ever said about your writing?
Considering my writing spans more than 50 years, I can neither recall nor choose, but I can mention a “nicest” that occurred last month. On Facebook, the cover artist to The Gilded Basilisk reposted his cover (along with good words), and two friends added very good things to that post. It made me very happy.
If I could only read one thing that you’d written, what would you suggest?
If I may choose one for SF and another for fantasy.2 For SF, I recommend Into the Horsebutt Nebula, since the novel includes elements of absurd, striking visual images, fun aliens, and a plot that twists about, as well as my sneaking in the odd bits of philosophy when least expected. For fantasy, I recommend The Gilded Basilisk, in which the story begins simply and quickly magnifies into several dimensions; friends become enemies or lovers, enemies become lovers or friends, and some characters are plain rotten. Who can you trust? That is a key question in the novel.
What advice do you have for people who want to become professional authors?
There are three methods. First, become incredibly wealthy or powerful or marry into the same; publishers will seek you out.
Second, become a top expert in one field or another. You may have to do a little self-advertising, but it will pay off.
Third, read, read, read, and write, write, write. It’s hard work, nothing is guaranteed, and it may end in frustration and despair. Nevertheless, keep at it, keep writing, and follow your dream. Overall, writing can be a lonely affair, so joining a critique group can make an incredible difference. Feedback can never be underestimated. My preferred genre critique group is Critters,3 and Andrew Burt does an incredible job running it.