Crimson Shadow, The - R. A. Salvatore Page 0,398

mirth tainted by the scars of a war that would never fully heal.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

R. A. SALVATORE is the bestselling author of more than forty novels, which have sold more than 15 million copies. His works include The Icewind Dale Trilogy, The Dark Elf Trilogy, and The Cleric Quintet, and his most recent series is The Hunter’s Blade Trilogy. Now he is making the jump to graphic novels, with many of his works being adapted to that format.

He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and family.

STRAIGHT FROM THE AUTHOR

R. A. Salvatore Answers Questions from Readers About The Crimson Shadow

Q: Where do you get your inspiration for your characters, especially Bruenor, Drizzt, Catti-brie, and Regis? And where do you get your inspiration for the stories in general?

—Karen S., Lexington, SC

R. A. Salvatore: I think every writer will tell you pretty much the same thing: Inspiration comes from all around us. Every book I read, or movie I see, or landscape I discover, or song I hear makes an impression on me. As does every person I meet. Often I suspect that being a writer is a matter of unconsciously taking all of this information, breaking it apart, spinning all the bits into a different collage, and regurgitating them in different combinations. There are no specific people I meet who become “characters” in my books, but the characters in my books carry traits of many people I’ve met. For example, I’ve often said that Drizzt is who I wish I had the courage to be.

The same is true of the stories I craft. They come from deep inside, from the reams of information that have settled in that mass of gray matter sitting atop my shoulders, in my gut and in my heart. Everybody is a storyteller, of course. Being a working professional writer may be nothing more than having an instinctive way of telling your stories which appeals to enough people to keep publishers interested in publishing more.

Q: Does the Crimson Shadow series have any ties into the Forgotten Realms? If so, where does it fit in?

—Kris L., Dallas, TX

RAS: No, the Crimson Shadow takes place in a world I created. One that more closely resembles our own world, I might add. It’s no accident that the isles look like Britain, for example.

The Forgotten Realms® book series was created by Ed Greenwood. Although dozens of authors and game designers have put their stamp on the place, in my mind it will ever be Ed’s amazing world. I salute him and love him dearly and will be forever grateful that he allowed me to push the dirt around in his sandbox. The only work I’ve done that is in any way connected to the Forgotten Realms are my Forgotten Realms novels (twenty-three and counting). That’s the way it has to be, both legally and morally.

Q: Do you think that writing is a God-given talent, or do you think that anyone can do it if they have enough determination?

—Luke G., Bismarck, ND

RAS: I think it’s a little of both. Anyone can become well versed in things grammatical. Anyone can learn the “rules” of a language. It occurs to me that some people learn them too well, and lose track of the notion that grammar is something different. It’s not a set of rules; it’s a set of tools.

Also, as I said before, everyone is a storyteller. Every person has an “idea” for a great book. If you connect this with my previous paragraph, it seems apparent that “anyone can do it,” right?

Maybe, but there’s a third piece of the puzzle. We all have different ways of telling our stories, different inner voices. Being a writer means finding that voice, and being a successful writer, I believe, means having an instinctual method of telling a story that pleases many people. You won’t please everyone, of course. No writer can hope for that. But maybe, just maybe, you’ll please enough to make it worthwhile for you and for the publishers to print it and put it on the shelves.

That’s all regarding “publishing” and not “writing,” and believe me when I tell you that there’s a huge gulf between the two concepts. So yes, anyone can become a writer, but not everyone can get published. And by the way, that’s not always a measure of talent. Timing and luck are huge components!

Q: What sort of role do you think music plays in the creative process of writing a book?

—Wesley J. K., Wellesley, Ontario, Canada

RAS: That would