Simon Tolkien

From a Q & A with Simon Tolkien, author of The King of Diamonds:

Q1 - Almost all reviewers have mentioned your grandfather, J.R.R. Tolkien. You must have known that that was going to be a big topic of interest to a lot of people. How did you prepare yourself for the inevitable?

A - I am lucky because I have always enjoyed The Lord of the Rings, and in fact four years ago I read it aloud to my son, which took nearly a year! I think that Final Witness has given me the confidence to believe that I am more than just the grandson of a very famous man, and this means that I can really enjoy my relationship to my grandfather and be comfortable answering questions about him and his books.

Q2 - To what extent has your grandfather been an influence on your work?

A - I have always loved "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit". My grandfather's unique achievement was to create an entirely imaginary world in which his readers completely believe. At the same time he was able to tell a story in such a way that they really need to know what happens next. My novel is set in this world and is obviously entirely different from my grandfather's work. However his mastery of the art of storytelling will always be an inspiration to me.

Q3 - You also mention in your author’s note that the connection dissuaded you from writing for a long time. What finally made you decide to go for it?

A - This is a question which I have...[read on]

--Marshal Zeringue