That being said, I would like to express my appreciation for the readers who have written me over the years to comment on the books. Tiger and Del have reached many people, and I am particularly proud of the male readers who’ve written to say that the books have altered their views of women. The point of these books was always to present women as humans, not individuals defined solely by gender. If I have made anyone think about the role of sexism in society, I’ve accomplished a goal. By the same token, I don’t intend polemic to get in the way of a good story, and I hope readers have enjoyed their visit to the world of Tiger and Del regardless of the subtext.
Two specific questions are the most often asked in e-mail and at personal appearances. The first is, why did I, a woman, choose to write the books from Tiger’s point of view?
The answer is simple: It’s the way the opening scene in Sword-Dancer presented itself. I “heard” Tiger’s voice in my head one night, odd as that sounds, while taking a break from the Cheysuli series back in 1983. Once I sat down and wrote the opening line, Sword-Dancer was off and running.
The other question deals with point of view, or pee-oh-vee, as we writers call it. Most fantasy novels are written from what’s known as the third person, when the story is told about characters. Many readers don’t care for the first-person POV, preferring books that approach the story from a greater distance or from multiple points of view. I understand this; I recall when I was in high school putting first-person books back on the shelves rather than checking them out. But as a writer, I discovered that “personage” allows the author a great deal of flexibility. Some stories need to be told from a broader perspective. But for some reason, Tiger was very insistent about telling his own story.
That story, now, is ended. I would like to thank all the readers who kept “T&D” alive through so many exploits. Over eighteen years, my own life has undergone nearly as many convolutions as Tiger’s: single when I wrote Sword-Dancer, then married, then divorced. I lost the two people closest to me—the people who raised me, who taught me to love books—in my grandfather and mother, eighteen months apart, in ’97 and ’99. And I moved from the Big City to rural acreage in the shadow of pine-clad mountains.
In the meantime, there are others stories to be told. I hope readers will enjoy them with me.
—J.R.
Flagstaff, Arizona
November, 2001
About the Author
Jennifer Roberson has published twenty-two novels, including historicals Lady of the Forest and Lady of Sherwood, both reinterpretations of the Robin Hood legend emphasizing Marian’s role; and Lady of the Glen, a retelling of the historically documented Massacre of Glencoe in 1692. Her primary emphasis is fantasy, and she has to date published eight novels in the Chronicles of the Cheysuli; six volumes in the Sword-Dancer saga; and a media novel set in TV’s Highlander universe; and she has collaborated with Melanie Rawn and Kate Elliott on historical fantasy The Golden Key, short-listed for the World Fantasy Award in 1997. She has edited three fantasy anthologies: Return to Avalon, Out of Avalon, and Highwaymen: Robbers and Rogues, and has contributed to collections, anthologies, and magazines. Her works have been translated into many foreign languages.
Jennifer Roberson has a BS in journalism, and is preparing to pursue a masters in liberal studies. She lives in northern Arizona, where she breeds and exhibits Cardigan Welsh Corgis in conformation, agility, and obedience. At last count her household numbered six Cardigans, two Labradors, three cats, and a Lipizzan gelding, but that is always subject to change.
The author may be reached via her Web site at: www.cheysuli.com
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