Jul
14
We asked Tor author RA Salvatore to tell us a little about where he writes his novels. His latest book, The Highwayman, is out now priced at £6.99 in paperback. This is the latest in a series of articles supporting War Of The Words, the world’s greatest competition in SF literature, where you have the chance to get your own SF novel published by Tor. For more details, click here (opens in a new tab).
RA Salvatore
This is my expanded office, over the garage at my house. I added a couple of bays (I like cars!) and more than doubled the size of the office above to satisfy my gaming needs as well. My work area is my play area, full of bookcases and windows and with a small balcony overlooking the wooded lands behind my home. The room is full of outlets and CAT6 jacks, with a dedicated FIOS line and 8 computer hookups so my friends can come over to play, and hopefully, so that I can use the office as a BETA site when 38 Studios gets our MMO to that point.
The painting hanging over my desk is by Keith Parkinson – the only cover he ever did for me, for my book, “Mortalis”. There’s a sad irony to that artwork. “Mortalis” was my most personal and painful work; I wrote it while watching my brother, my best friend, wither away from pancreatic cancer. Keith nailed the cover. The battered monk on it, dying of the plague, resembles Gary in his last days, and the woman standing behind him bears no small resemblance to my sister-in-law. That image haunted me after Gary died in 1999, and for a couple of years, I didn’t often view it. I just couldn’t bring myself to, as I never read “Mortalis” after its release, even though I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever done, and probably the best work I’ll ever do. The pain ebbed, and I found myself looking at the painting more often.
Then Keith died of cancer a few years later, in 2005, six years almost to the day after Gary. But I haven’t shied from that painting, even moving it to my office at 38 Studios before bringing it home to hang it in my personal office. Because now when I look at that beautiful artwork, I am reminded of two dear friends. I’m past the pain now, mostly, though the hole remains, but in Keith’s work, both he and Gary live on in my thoughts.
The bookcases nearest my desk contain my works, mostly – since I’m writing various series of books, I have to refer back often, so this is my working reference library. There’s also my favourite informational work: the Time-Life “Enchanted World” series. Tolkien’s works are there, of course, since he was the one who reminded me, during a great blizzard where I was trapped at age 19 in my parents’ home for a week, that escapism is not a bad word, and that my imagination is one of my favourite places. A quarter of the shelves on these twin bookcases are dominated by my earliest inspiration: “Peanuts”. When I was a kid, I very often buried myself in the comic musings of Charles Schultz, and the older I get, the more I realize that “Sparky” Schultz was on target on just about everything. “Peanuts” was my earliest escape. I’d fly with Snoopy after the Red Baron, crash land in the farmlands of France and bellycrawl behind enemy lines.
Under a full moon, of course.
Mortalis was a great book! I’ve spent many, many hours with Drizzt and all his friends, and enemies, and love that world. Bob’s story of the painting of the book cover is sad for me as I have a painting of ducks on a mill pond. It is not a masterpiece by any means, since my sister had only recently found her nitch as an artist before she found out she had leukemia. But the sight of the painting reminds me she is no longer here. It has remained wrapped in the shipping box in the closet for the past four years, since my last move, and will remain there until I find the courage to open it.
Great to see another Peanuts fan =) Knowing the story behind the story – I will have to check out Mortalis for sure. Is that still in print? As an artist, I was also a very big fan of Keith’s work. I see Thomas Covenant, T. Brooks and Narnia on the shelf as well – very cool. Just picked up Mr. Brooks’ The Word and the Void series (got to be some of his best work ever in my opinion).
Anyway, I won’t ramble too much other than to say I have been lurking around the 38 Studio’s site awaiting new news on that project and look forward to hearing more about the story/world. For me MMO’s are all about three things: exploring, story, and having memorable adventures with friends.
Take Care!
Sometimes we forget that writers have very personal stories of their own. Thanks for sharing that with us and for not apologising that you allowed yourself to use the emotional turmoil you were feeling to influence your work. Some of our most inventive creations come from grains of truth!
I love your books and have reread all of the books by you that I own more than ten times each, but I am trying to get yours and Lisa Smedman’s email address so please respond
hello mr.salvatore.i’m a big fan of drizzt and company.i have all the book’s of the legend of drizzt. though the crystal shard trilogy is in the late 80’s early 90’s paper back covers(i found them at a local good will,in 2006 loved them so much i went and got the whole story.)after i finish this story i will go to the nxt one.i’m reading the silent blade now, i have two paper back trilogy’s legacy of the drow,and the paths of darkness. thanks to a cat they were both damaged;anyhow, i have learned not to read the backs of the books. because i found out what happened to wulfgar.prematurely.
homeland,exile,sojourn,the crystal shard,streams of silver,the halfling’s gem,the legacy,starless night,siege of darkness,passage to dawn,the silent blade,the spine of the world,sea of sword’s.my paths of darkness has 4 books in it.the nxt to last is the servant of the shard;then sea of swords.
in my legacy of the drow trilogy. it has the legend of drizzt books in order from homeland til sea of swords.with out servant of the shard in the order.it has that book in the sell sword trilogy.
i’m going to finish the path of darkness trilogy by reading all 4 books in it.”thinking about it idon’t know if i want to know.”is the sell swords triloy a differant story?
i love your work. i will own all of the drizzt story’s and the one’s of the female dark drow.if you can please correct any mistakes i have made,but please don’t tell me any of the story’s.
THANK YOU DRAIL
Wow, I have never read that book, infact i have’nt read much of R.A. Salvatore’s work. But The War Of The Spider Queen, was pure gold.
Im going to be a writer myself. Let us not forget the book is’nt a book, its an extention of the mind, body, and soul.
R.A. Salvatore if you happen to read this Email me.
Your one of my insperations.
Hi Mr. Salvatore, My husband and I are of the older generation both retired. I want to thank you for taking us on adventure after adventure. We both love the Drizzt’s series and look forward to reading the Orc King. I would like to ask you if you plan on sending the five companions on more adventures…I just love them and can’t imagine losing anyone of them. Each character has so much to give and it would break Drizzt’s heart to lose any of his wonderful friends…keep writting and we will keep reading.
Thank You
Linda
Mr Salvatore is a gifted writer and his works have helped many to know and love the English language. These well written articles convey an excellent picture of Mr Salvatore personally. Bravo!
Christopher M
(huge fan of Mr. Salvatore since age 10)
16 years old
i love Mr.Salvatores writing and i can only pray he writes a book explaing what happened to artemis or what happened to drizzt and bruenor after the loses in the latest book(ghost king)
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