Post by Lucy on Mar 3, 2008 17:13:52 GMT -5
Check out this short statement straight from Anne Rice's own website, written by her:
A CHRISTIAN LESTAT NOVEL INVOLVING THE TALAMASCA?
Or
KEEPING MY PROMISE TO THE LORD
Well, guys, a casual remark I made in an interview with TIME.com a few days ago has brought more reaction than I ever dreamed it would and so it seems I must clarify what I said. Yes, I am contemplating one last novel involving the Vampire Lestat, and the Talamasca, the fictional organization I created years ago in the Vampire novels. The novel, if ever written, would be entirely Christian in framework and would involve Redemption. It would affirm my dedication to Christ and my belief in Him and my commitment to write only for Him.
Such a novel would probably not appeal to the old Goth readers who want to see the vampires continue in their old ways. But it might very much appeal to readers of the old books who saw them as spiritual works about the search for salvation. They might welcome it as a Christian conclusion to the saga I abandoned in 2002. In fact, emails have been flowing in for the last few days expressing great enthusiasm for a Christian novel with the vampire Lestat.
Let me affirm: the book --- if ever written --- would reflect my commitment to the Lord to write for Him and for Him alone. The novel is still in the idea stage, and represents an attempt to bring my deep Christian commitment to my old hero and bring my old hero to my Christian commitment. The novel would only be written if and when I find a space to do it that does not interfere with my writing of Jesus’ life on earth in the Christ the Lord series.
Yes, I did famously say I would never write about those old characters again, and I meant it when I said it because I could not then envision a redemptive novel with Lestat. I had attempted redemptive novels with him like Memnoch the Devil and Blood Canticle and they had not entirely succeeded. Also my new vocation, to write directly for Christ, became the dominant theme of my entire life. And it still is the dominant theme of my entire life.
Have I changed my mind about the old characters? Yes. And No.
Three years have passed since the publication of Christ the Lord, Our of Egypt, and I have been besieged with emails asking me to write about Lestat again, and more than once the suggestion has come up that a novel about him could be redemptive, could be Christian, could be reflective of my new found faith. During these three years I’ve contemplated this in depth, and I do see some real possibility there. So I made a mention of this in my interview with Time.com. In other words, I have changed my mind about Lestat, but about Christ I have not changed my mind at all!
I’m seeing something new, and something that could be powerful and Christian and deeply meaningful for many readers. Maybe it will happen; maybe it won’t.
But let me assure you -- all of you out there, Christian or non-Christian -- that my consecration to Christ as a writer remains the same. The Lord has given me the strength to maintain that commitment, and I find writing for Him and about Him to be the most challenging and wondrous part of my entire life.
There is no possibility for me to return to writing about the vampires as heroes of a dark realm in which they are the only authority on their actions. There will be no more rip roaring adventures for the godless Lestat. That is dead and gone. I found the light in Christ for which my old characters were always searching. The question is: can I bring my Christian faith back to one of those old characters in a meaningful and deeply religious way.
If this new novel is written – and it may never be --- it will be about the question of Lestat’s salvation and it would, as I said, have to reflect in depth my Christian view of the world and my Christian values.
It’s worth noting that the original idea for this book was actually developed in 1998, with the tentative title of Angel Time. It never got written, and I think I know why. I wasn’t ready to write it. I wasn’t ready to bring Lestat into an embracing Christian faith. But now perhaps I am ready and able to do this, and the novel might reach a great many readers of the earlier books who have been reluctant to accept books about Jesus Christ.
There are no immediate plans to start on this book about Lestat and the Talamasca.
To repeat: My novels about Jesus come first. Two of a projected four in the series have been completed and I am now a work on the third.
I thank you for reading this, and for allowing me to clarify what is developing in the blogosphere as a real misunderstanding.
I’ve always been completely honest with my readers about my plans and about my thoughts and feelings. And my novels have always reflected my current struggles and beliefs and commitments. I’m being completely honest with my readers now about envisioning this exceptional book which might somehow link my old work and new work in a profound Christian way.
Christ the Lord, the Road to Cana, will be released in a matter of days, and I welcome response to this book. I am also deeply involved in the third novel about Our Lord’s life on Earth, involving His ministry and the miracle of the raising of Lazarus. Tentative title: Christ the Lord, The Kingdom of Heaven.
As for Lestat, he’ll have to wait in the wings for a while. And he may never make another appearance. Prayer, meditation, deep contemplation of all the elements involved, will have to precede any return to the old character and his old struggle.
Let me add one more important observation. Americans think about money a lot. They think about what people will do for money or will not do for money. They are accustomed to discussing authors in terms of money quite casually and sometimes without much factual information to back up their cynical observations.
I’m in the fortunate position to assure my readers that my new books dedicated to Christ have done surprisingly well. I see no financial advantage to returning to Lestat in any form, including that of a Christian novel. If I do write this book, it will be because I feel that I ought to write it, that it is in me waiting to be written and demanding to be written. I’m blessed in that financial considerations simply are not involved.
And once again, let me say, my consecration to Christ remains as strong as ever, thanks to His mercy and His grace.
Anne Rice
February 25th, 2008
A CHRISTIAN LESTAT NOVEL INVOLVING THE TALAMASCA?
Or
KEEPING MY PROMISE TO THE LORD
Well, guys, a casual remark I made in an interview with TIME.com a few days ago has brought more reaction than I ever dreamed it would and so it seems I must clarify what I said. Yes, I am contemplating one last novel involving the Vampire Lestat, and the Talamasca, the fictional organization I created years ago in the Vampire novels. The novel, if ever written, would be entirely Christian in framework and would involve Redemption. It would affirm my dedication to Christ and my belief in Him and my commitment to write only for Him.
Such a novel would probably not appeal to the old Goth readers who want to see the vampires continue in their old ways. But it might very much appeal to readers of the old books who saw them as spiritual works about the search for salvation. They might welcome it as a Christian conclusion to the saga I abandoned in 2002. In fact, emails have been flowing in for the last few days expressing great enthusiasm for a Christian novel with the vampire Lestat.
Let me affirm: the book --- if ever written --- would reflect my commitment to the Lord to write for Him and for Him alone. The novel is still in the idea stage, and represents an attempt to bring my deep Christian commitment to my old hero and bring my old hero to my Christian commitment. The novel would only be written if and when I find a space to do it that does not interfere with my writing of Jesus’ life on earth in the Christ the Lord series.
Yes, I did famously say I would never write about those old characters again, and I meant it when I said it because I could not then envision a redemptive novel with Lestat. I had attempted redemptive novels with him like Memnoch the Devil and Blood Canticle and they had not entirely succeeded. Also my new vocation, to write directly for Christ, became the dominant theme of my entire life. And it still is the dominant theme of my entire life.
Have I changed my mind about the old characters? Yes. And No.
Three years have passed since the publication of Christ the Lord, Our of Egypt, and I have been besieged with emails asking me to write about Lestat again, and more than once the suggestion has come up that a novel about him could be redemptive, could be Christian, could be reflective of my new found faith. During these three years I’ve contemplated this in depth, and I do see some real possibility there. So I made a mention of this in my interview with Time.com. In other words, I have changed my mind about Lestat, but about Christ I have not changed my mind at all!
I’m seeing something new, and something that could be powerful and Christian and deeply meaningful for many readers. Maybe it will happen; maybe it won’t.
But let me assure you -- all of you out there, Christian or non-Christian -- that my consecration to Christ as a writer remains the same. The Lord has given me the strength to maintain that commitment, and I find writing for Him and about Him to be the most challenging and wondrous part of my entire life.
There is no possibility for me to return to writing about the vampires as heroes of a dark realm in which they are the only authority on their actions. There will be no more rip roaring adventures for the godless Lestat. That is dead and gone. I found the light in Christ for which my old characters were always searching. The question is: can I bring my Christian faith back to one of those old characters in a meaningful and deeply religious way.
If this new novel is written – and it may never be --- it will be about the question of Lestat’s salvation and it would, as I said, have to reflect in depth my Christian view of the world and my Christian values.
It’s worth noting that the original idea for this book was actually developed in 1998, with the tentative title of Angel Time. It never got written, and I think I know why. I wasn’t ready to write it. I wasn’t ready to bring Lestat into an embracing Christian faith. But now perhaps I am ready and able to do this, and the novel might reach a great many readers of the earlier books who have been reluctant to accept books about Jesus Christ.
There are no immediate plans to start on this book about Lestat and the Talamasca.
To repeat: My novels about Jesus come first. Two of a projected four in the series have been completed and I am now a work on the third.
I thank you for reading this, and for allowing me to clarify what is developing in the blogosphere as a real misunderstanding.
I’ve always been completely honest with my readers about my plans and about my thoughts and feelings. And my novels have always reflected my current struggles and beliefs and commitments. I’m being completely honest with my readers now about envisioning this exceptional book which might somehow link my old work and new work in a profound Christian way.
Christ the Lord, the Road to Cana, will be released in a matter of days, and I welcome response to this book. I am also deeply involved in the third novel about Our Lord’s life on Earth, involving His ministry and the miracle of the raising of Lazarus. Tentative title: Christ the Lord, The Kingdom of Heaven.
As for Lestat, he’ll have to wait in the wings for a while. And he may never make another appearance. Prayer, meditation, deep contemplation of all the elements involved, will have to precede any return to the old character and his old struggle.
Let me add one more important observation. Americans think about money a lot. They think about what people will do for money or will not do for money. They are accustomed to discussing authors in terms of money quite casually and sometimes without much factual information to back up their cynical observations.
I’m in the fortunate position to assure my readers that my new books dedicated to Christ have done surprisingly well. I see no financial advantage to returning to Lestat in any form, including that of a Christian novel. If I do write this book, it will be because I feel that I ought to write it, that it is in me waiting to be written and demanding to be written. I’m blessed in that financial considerations simply are not involved.
And once again, let me say, my consecration to Christ remains as strong as ever, thanks to His mercy and His grace.
Anne Rice
February 25th, 2008
