Lance Parkin: Difference between revisions
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'''Lance Parkin''' is an author who has written a number of books, including the first-ever original [[Eighth Doctor]] novel; ''[[The Dying Days]]'' and the BBC novels; ''[[The Infinity Doctors]]'', ''[[Father Time]]'' and ''[[Trading Futures]]''. Other works include ''Warlords of Utopia'' and (with Mark Jones) ''Dark Matter'', a guide to the author Philip Pullman. | '''Lance Parkin''' is an author who has written a number of books, including the first-ever original [[Eighth Doctor]] novel; ''[[The Dying Days]]'' and the BBC novels; ''[[The Infinity Doctors]]'', ''[[Father Time]]'' and ''[[Trading Futures]]''. Other works include ''Warlords of Utopia'' and (with Mark Jones) ''Dark Matter'', a guide to the author Philip Pullman. | ||
==Writing novels== | |||
Parkin's shortest ever pitch for a novel was ''"I'll set it on Mars!"'', after then Virgin editor [[Rebecca Levene]] said that she needed a [[Bernice Summerfield]] book in six weeks. <ref name= "Outpost interview">[http://www.gallifreyone.com/interview.php?id=parkin Interview with Lance Parkin Interview by Graeme Burk (Originally published in ''Enlightenment'', republished on Outpost Gallifrey]</ref> | |||
His final pitch to Levene was for ''[[The Dying Days]]'' and went (something like); .."20 Years ago Dan Dare discovered the truth about Mars and Francis Urquart (the Prime Minister from the House of Cards series) put him in prison. Now he's escaped."''. <ref name="Outpost interview"/> | |||
Parkin notes that ''[[Just War]]'' was a reaction to [[Timewyrm: Exodus]]. <blockquote>''"I like the book, and at the time I was preparing the original submission (Autumn [[1993]]), it was one of the best of the range. It's still very popular - which is why the blurb I wrote for ''Just War'' makes it sound like a sequel! There were problems, though: my main criticism being the depiction of [[Hitler]]. The frightening thing, to my mind, is that Hitler wasn't possessed by the devil or the [[Timewyrm]]; he was just an ordinary man. [[Steinmann]] is a reaction to the Exodus Hitler - a talented, intelligent, cultured man who chooses to be a [[Nazi]]. That is much scarier than the thought he's been hypnotised by aliens. ...Hitler, of course, isn't mentioned once in Just War - I wanted to try and explore the Nazi mentality without needing to refer to him."''</blockquote>[http://nzdwfc.tetrap.com/archive/tsv48/lanceparkin.html TSV 48 Lance Parkin interview by Paul Scoones] | |||
Between his three year writing gap between ''The Infinity Doctors'' and ''Father Time'' Parkin was working as a storyline editor for ''Emmerdale'' he was also writing a synopsis for a book that was to have been published in the publishing slot that ''[[Parallel 59]]'' occupies, known as ''Enemy of the Daleks''. <ref name="BBC interview">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2004/01/01/13699.shtml BBC Website Interview with Lance Parkin 01 January 2004]</ref> | |||
Parkin also admits that he ''"relies on 'continuity references' in my books, and I still do to an extent – but references to the spirit, not the letter. It's good to be looking forward, not back. It's good to have the Doctor centre stage, as the protagonist."'' In particular following events of ''[[The Ancestor Cell]]''/''[[The Burning]]''.<ref name="BBC interview"/> | |||
On the [[EDA]]s as a whole; ''"I think that particularly from The Burning to, say, Time Zero, they’re just about all as good as the NAs, which is about the highest praise I have for Doctor Who."<ref name="Unreality interview">[http://unreality-sf.net/interviews/parkin.html Unreality SF Lance Parkin interview Part 1]</ref> | |||
When writing ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'' he notes that ''"It seems absolutely bizarre to say it at this point but the BBC were keeping their options open. If Doctor Who had bombed on telly, it would have been over and done in thirteen weeks. So part of the brief was to leave things open just in case the EDAs needed to pick up just where they’d left off!"'' <ref name="Unreality interview"/> | |||
However Parkin notes concerning ''The Gallifrey Chronicles'' and its relation to the new [[Series 1 (Doctor Who)|series]] <blockquote>''"It’s not an open ending - we know what happens because we saw the result on telly. The Doctor gets his memory back, the Doctor restores Gallifrey, the Doctor wins . . . then at what must be his all time high, it’s all taken from him. And it’s this great big epic story full of mysteries and huge events far too grand to spell out in a book on or TV. A lot of people, wanted a book where the Doctor was led to a big glowing ball of his memories and he grabbed it with both hands and went '[[Drahvin]]s . . . [[Voord]] . . . [[Nimon]]s . . . that bit in ''[[The Daemons]]'' where [[Bessie]]’s got a remote control . . . I remember it all!' and I understand that impulse, but . . . well, we know he got his memories back. We don’t need to see and be spoonfed everything.<ref name="Unreality interview"/></blockquote> | |||
==Bibliography== | ==Bibliography== | ||
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===Bernice Summerfield Novels=== | ===Bernice Summerfield Novels=== | ||
====[[Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures]]==== | |||
*''[[Beige Planet Mars]]'' | *''[[Beige Planet Mars]]'' | ||
====[[Big Finish - Bernice Summerfield Series]]==== | |||
*''[[The Big Hunt]]'' | |||
===[[List of Audio Stories#Big Finish Audio Dramas | Big Finish Audios]]=== | ===[[List of Audio Stories#Big Finish Audio Dramas | Big Finish Audios]]=== | ||
| Line 38: | Line 59: | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2004/01/01/13699.shtml BBC Website Interview with Lance Parkin 01 January 2004] | *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2004/01/01/13699.shtml BBC Website Interview with Lance Parkin 01 January 2004] | ||
*[http://www.gallifreyone.com/interview.php?id=parkin Interview with Lance Parkin Interview by Graeme Burk (Originall published in ''Enlightenment'', republished on Outpost Gallifrey] | |||
*[http://lostluggage.org.uk/?p=60 Lost Luggage.org.uk Doctor Who and Mythology, by Lance Parkin] | |||
*[http://theeyeless.blogspot.com/ Lance Parkin's blog] | |||
==Footnotes== | |||
<references/> | |||
{{real world stub}} | {{real world stub}} | ||
Revision as of 08:20, 3 June 2008
Lance Parkin is an author who has written a number of books, including the first-ever original Eighth Doctor novel; The Dying Days and the BBC novels; The Infinity Doctors, Father Time and Trading Futures. Other works include Warlords of Utopia and (with Mark Jones) Dark Matter, a guide to the author Philip Pullman.
Writing novels
Parkin's shortest ever pitch for a novel was "I'll set it on Mars!", after then Virgin editor Rebecca Levene said that she needed a Bernice Summerfield book in six weeks. [1]
His final pitch to Levene was for The Dying Days and went (something like); .."20 Years ago Dan Dare discovered the truth about Mars and Francis Urquart (the Prime Minister from the House of Cards series) put him in prison. Now he's escaped.". [1]
Parkin notes that Just War was a reaction to Timewyrm: Exodus.
"I like the book, and at the time I was preparing the original submission (Autumn 1993), it was one of the best of the range. It's still very popular - which is why the blurb I wrote for Just War makes it sound like a sequel! There were problems, though: my main criticism being the depiction of Hitler. The frightening thing, to my mind, is that Hitler wasn't possessed by the devil or the Timewyrm; he was just an ordinary man. Steinmann is a reaction to the Exodus Hitler - a talented, intelligent, cultured man who chooses to be a Nazi. That is much scarier than the thought he's been hypnotised by aliens. ...Hitler, of course, isn't mentioned once in Just War - I wanted to try and explore the Nazi mentality without needing to refer to him."
TSV 48 Lance Parkin interview by Paul Scoones
Between his three year writing gap between The Infinity Doctors and Father Time Parkin was working as a storyline editor for Emmerdale he was also writing a synopsis for a book that was to have been published in the publishing slot that Parallel 59 occupies, known as Enemy of the Daleks. [2]
Parkin also admits that he "relies on 'continuity references' in my books, and I still do to an extent – but references to the spirit, not the letter. It's good to be looking forward, not back. It's good to have the Doctor centre stage, as the protagonist." In particular following events of The Ancestor Cell/The Burning.[2]
On the EDAs as a whole; "I think that particularly from The Burning to, say, Time Zero, they’re just about all as good as the NAs, which is about the highest praise I have for Doctor Who."[3]
When writing The Gallifrey Chronicles he notes that "It seems absolutely bizarre to say it at this point but the BBC were keeping their options open. If Doctor Who had bombed on telly, it would have been over and done in thirteen weeks. So part of the brief was to leave things open just in case the EDAs needed to pick up just where they’d left off!" [3]
However Parkin notes concerning The Gallifrey Chronicles and its relation to the new series
"It’s not an open ending - we know what happens because we saw the result on telly. The Doctor gets his memory back, the Doctor restores Gallifrey, the Doctor wins . . . then at what must be his all time high, it’s all taken from him. And it’s this great big epic story full of mysteries and huge events far too grand to spell out in a book on or TV. A lot of people, wanted a book where the Doctor was led to a big glowing ball of his memories and he grabbed it with both hands and went 'Drahvins . . . Voord . . . Nimons . . . that bit in The Daemons where Bessie’s got a remote control . . . I remember it all!' and I understand that impulse, but . . . well, we know he got his memories back. We don’t need to see and be spoonfed everything.[3]
Bibliography
Doctor Who Novels
Bernice Summerfield Novels
Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures
Big Finish - Bernice Summerfield Series
Big Finish Audios
Faction Paradox Novels
Reference Books
External links
- BBC Website Interview with Lance Parkin 01 January 2004
- Interview with Lance Parkin Interview by Graeme Burk (Originall published in Enlightenment, republished on Outpost Gallifrey
- Lost Luggage.org.uk Doctor Who and Mythology, by Lance Parkin
- Lance Parkin's blog
Footnotes
