The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

[14:57] *** KK has joined #Deryni_Destinations
[14:58] *** KK sets mode: +q KK
[14:58] <DeryniBot> Welcome KK to the worlds of Katherine Kurtz!
[14:58] <Shiral> Ta da!
[14:58] <andi55> :)
[14:58] <KK> Hi, guys.
[14:58] <Shiral> Hi Katherine, we seem to be rather intimate this week
[14:58] <KK> My, we're thin on the ground tonight.
[14:58] <the_Bee> hiyas KK! Meet andi55
[14:58] * andi55 is suddenly feeling shy...
[14:58] <KK> But of course, it is Memorial Day weekend for you guys.
[14:58] <andi55> Hi there
[14:59] <Shiral> They'd better hurry and come on it
[14:59] <Shiral> in, rather
[14:59] <Shiral> Yeah. People may have gone away for the long weekend
[14:59] <KK> Hello, andi55.
[14:59] <Shiral> BRB
[14:59] <the_Bee> How is the house shaping up?
[15:00] <KK> So, tell me about you, andi.
[15:00] <KK> hi, bee.
[15:00] <andi55> Um...well, for starters, I'm female.
[15:00] <KK> It's coming along. We got the new ceiling back up in the
corridor, and the master bath is about ready for tile and paint.
[15:00] <andi55> I'm a college student in Michigan
[15:00] <KK> A girl andi is good. :-)
[15:00] <the_Bee> which college?
[15:00] <Shiral> And back
[15:01] <andi55> Grand Valley State...I'm finally going back after a 5-year
hiatus :) :)
[15:01] <KK> Good on ya!
[15:01] <andi55> I'm studying psychology
[15:01] <KK> It's never too late.
[15:01] <the_Bee> good for you. what major?
[15:01] <andi55> and I'm thinking of minoring in music
[15:01] <Shiral> Do you play a particular instrument?
[15:01] <andi55> I want to go into music therepy and work with people with
autism
[15:01] <KK> What were you doing in the intervening 5 years, to think you'd
like to study psych?
[15:01] <the_Bee> interesting combo. music and the mind
[15:02] <KK> That is very cool.
[15:02] <andi55> Nothing much, sadly... I was a psych student before I left
school the first time, and just sort of ran out of money during the
intervening time
[15:02] <andi55> I'm a singer
[15:02] <Shiral> Cool=o)
[15:02] <the_Bee> cool!
[15:03] <KK> That's how I ended up working for LAPD for 13 years; ran out of
money after my first semester of grad school.
[15:03] <andi55> my last 5 years were a lot of short, boring jobs followed
by long stretches of relaxing but poor unemployment
[15:03] <Shiral> You must have enjoyed the LAPD, Katherine. =o)
[15:03] <andi55> I'm loving being back in school
[15:03] <andi55> I bet the LAPD was fascinating
[15:03] <KK> One of the great things about being a writer is that you can be
a perpetual student!
[15:03] <Shiral> Unemployment is a little hard on the finances, yes
[15:04] <andi55> I'm still poor, but now I'm poor _and_ going into debt :p
[15:04] <KK> I was a civilian employee, but yes, it was exciting. I was a
tech writer.
[15:04] <KK> Indebtedness in a good cause is tolerable.
[15:04] <Shiral> Ah, but into debt in a good cause
[15:04] <andi55> I totally agree
[15:04] <KK> (Is there an echo in this room? We know one another too well,
Shiral.)
[15:05] <andi55> Going back to school is the best thing I've done with my
life in years
[15:05] <andi55> lol
[15:05] <Shiral> We just keep saying the same things, KK <G>
[15:05] <KK> It's one of the better presents one can give oneself.
[15:05] <Shiral> Or having the same thoughts
[15:05] <the_Bee> Evil minds think alike ;o)
[15:05] <Shiral> heh heh heh.....
[15:05] <KK> Of course.
[15:05] <andi55> Or, great minds think alike.......and so do ours :)
[15:06] <Shiral> Some days, I'm grateful that my mind functions at ALL
[15:06] <KK> One of the good things about an academic break is that it helps
focus the mind for what one really wants to do--especially compared to
unemployment or underemployment.
[15:06] *** Debbie-VB has joined #Deryni_Destinations
[15:06] <DeryniBot> Welcome Debbie-VB to the worlds of Katherine Kurtz!
[15:06] <Shiral> Hi VB
[15:06] <andi55> hi
[15:06] <KK> Hello, Debbie!
[15:07] <Debbie-VB> Hi all
[15:07] <the_Bee> Question< KK: Do you know who was the last person to know
the location of the Coroth Portals? And what kept him/her from passing on
the information?
[15:07] <the_Bee> hi debbie
[15:07] <Shiral> I think some people go to college too soon, before they
really KNOW what they want to study/do in life
[15:07] <Shiral> But I wouldn't know ANYBODY like that. <G>
[15:07] <KK> Dunno, Bee. I'll have to ask the characters. It probably
happened during that long period when there was no Duke of Corwyn and the
title was in abeyance awaiting a male heir.
[15:07] <the_Bee> I'm still waiting to figure out what I want to do when I
grow up
[15:08] <andi55> Well, I can't wait to grow up......it'd be forever
[15:08] <Shiral> There's gotta be a portal SOMEWHERE in Coroth, I'm sure
[15:08] <Shiral> Put Briony and Kelric to work finding it. =o)
[15:08] <KK> I'm sure there must be. One day, Morgan will have to find it.
[15:08] <Shiral> Kids are great at that kind of thing
[15:08] <KK> Yike, bad idea--two really talented Deryni kids turned loose on
the world.
[15:09] <Shiral> Ah, but would they be able to work it, or just find it?
[15:09] <the_Bee> I wonder if Stevana knew, but died before telling her
children
[15:09] <Debbie-VB> "Mummy, this floor feels funny"
[15:09] <andi55> lol
[15:09] <KK> If they could find it, they could work it--providing they had
the coordinates of another Portal somewhere. That might be the rub.
[15:09] <Shiral> Why is the floor tingly, Daddy?
[15:10] <Shiral> Just hope they show up in Rhemuth!
[15:10] <the_Bee> "oops! kelric gone bye-bye!"
[15:10] <KK> It isn't the sort of thing you'd entrust to a child before you
were sure they were mature enough not to abuse it.
[15:10] <Debbie-VB> true
[15:11] <Shiral> Since real magical training starts at around puberty, would
they be endangered if they found it while still prepubescent?
[15:11] <the_Bee> but if Morgan doesn't know where it is, he can't warn them
not to go near it
[15:11] <Shiral> Poor Briony, having to try to explain to Daddy where Kelric
went, when she's not sure herself!
[15:12] <KK> I'm not sure they'd know they'd found it, while still
pre-pubescent.
[15:12] <Shiral> A good point. So they probably wouldn't know about the
various portals in Rhemuth, either
[15:13] <the_Bee> does the onset of puberty trigger any power-events for
Deryni?
[15:13] <andi55> Oooh...puberty is bad enough normally
[15:13] <the_Bee> or just normal adolescent behavior?
[15:13] <KK> They might have been taken through Portals, but they'd have
been blocked while doing it, so they wouldn't have the knowledge of those
Portals.
[15:14] <KK> Puberty is the trigger for a lot of things.
[15:14] *** Dov has joined #Deryni_Destinations
[15:14] <DeryniBot> Welcome Dov to the worlds of Katherine Kurtz!
[15:14] <Shiral> Hi Dov
[15:14] <KK> hi, dov.
[15:14] *** jp has joined #Deryni_Destinations
[15:14] <DeryniBot> Welcome jp to the worlds of Katherine Kurtz!
[15:14] <Debbie-VB> there is such a thing as normal adolescent behavior?
[15:14] <Shiral> Brendan has at least knowledge of the Library portal,
though
[15:14] <jp> hi
[15:14] <Shiral> Hi JP
[15:14] *** Dov has quit IRC
[15:15] <KK> True.
[15:15] <Shiral> But then, Brendan is also on the verge of puberty
[15:15] <KK> But he'd have been blocked.
[15:15] <KK> Also true.
[15:15] <Debbie-VB> but Brendan is not that far away now from legal
adulthood
[15:15] <KK> True again.
[15:15] *** Dov has joined #Deryni_Destinations
[15:15] <DeryniBot> Welcome Dov to the worlds of Katherine Kurtz!
[15:16] <the_Bee> rehi Dov. Hi jp
[15:16] <Shiral> So I'm guessing Brendan may not have to take on Marley the
minute he turns fourteen?
[15:16] <Shiral> Rehi Dov
[15:16] <jp> seems rather quiet in here
[15:16] <andi55> seems to be a small crowd tonight
[15:16] <Shiral> It's certainly intimate, this week
[15:16] <Dov> hi bad connection here
[15:16] <KK> In practice, I suspect that practical adulthood comes more
around the age of 18, and knighthood, even though in law a 14-year-old is of
age.
[15:17] <Shiral> And since Brendan has a capable regent in his mother, he'll
probably wait until 18?
[15:17] *** Dov has quit IRC (User has been mind-ripped)
[15:17] <Debbie-VB> I'm fairly sure that he's getting Duking lessons from
alaric
[15:17] * the_Bee leads her swarm up peer's wazoo, stinging all the way
[15:17] <KK> Brendan will have had a regency council involved in the
day-to-day running of Marley, with Morgan overseing it.
[15:18] <Shiral> Oh, I would think Morgan is also teaching him things about
statecraft, yes
[15:18] <KK> When Brendan comes of age, he'll be nominal head of his
council, but in practical terms, he'd be a fool to insist on really running
things until at least the age of 18.
[15:18] <Debbie-VB> actually those should be earling lessons. Brendan's not
a duke
[15:18] <Shiral> And he doesn't appear to be a fool
[15:18] <KK> True.
[15:18] <andi55> I can't imagine anyone would _want_ that much
responsibility that young, anyway
[15:19] <KK> Conall would have wanted it--but that was a major character
flaw.
[15:19] * jp note to self: must put up family tree's by computer so I
instantly know who is being discussed
[15:19] <Debbie-VB> I'm sure Kelson didn't. Or Brion
[15:19] <Shiral> Conall had a bit of a "Me" complex
[15:19] * andi55 nods
[15:19] <the_Bee> Conall was never forced to grow up like Kelson and Dughal
[15:19] <KK> Actually, he wanted the privileges, but not the
responsibilities.
[15:20] <Shiral> He just saw that Kelson got to do the kinds of things HE
wanted to do, and didn't realize how hard it really is to be King
[15:20] <andi55> that sounds sort of close to a "typical" adolescent, I
guess *g*
[15:20] <KK> Yep.
[15:20] <Debbie-VB> I can see conall's reign as being closer to Imre's
[15:20] <Shiral> Thank goodness his little brothers seem to be much more
reasonable young men
[15:20] <the_Bee> I sometiomes think conall went wrong out of boredom. He
was a squire, but he didn't seem to spend much time squiring
[15:21] <Shiral> I can't picture Conall happily polishing anybody else's
boots!
[15:21] <the_Bee> He had a good brain and not enough to do with it
[15:21] <KK> I don't know that he would have been as capricious as Imre, but
he would have been self-indulgent, I'm sure.
[15:22] <the_Bee> and once Rory became a squire, Conall became pretty much
superfluous
[15:22] <KK> Yep, don't know how he managed to slip under Nigel's radar.
[15:22] <Shiral> As an administrator, he might have done an okay job.
Especially as he gained age and experience. But he probably would have been
pretty rowdy in private life
[15:22] <jp> KK, I believe you have a son. Was he going through adolesence
when you wrote about Conall's little foray into kingship?
[15:22] <Shiral> Nigel was busily helping Kelson be King at age 14, and his
attention to Conall probably suffered thereby
[15:23] <KK> Let's see, when was that? Cameron went through a really rough
patch around 1990-95....
[15:23] <Shiral> Quest came out in 1986
[15:24] <KK> So I should have known what to expect....
[15:24] <KK> Cameron was only 12 then.
[15:24] <the_Bee> known about Cameron via Conall, or vice versa? ;o)
[15:25] <jp> just wondering about the whole art imitating life thing........
[15:25] <andi55> I guess you can just be grateful that Cameron wasn't
developing Deryni abilities :)
[15:25] <KK> amen!
[15:25] <Shiral> ANd that Cameron never put Scott in a Coma
[15:25] <KK> There were some pretty turbulent times.
[15:25] <Debbie-VB> but the three of you survived it
[15:25] <KK> Yep.
[15:26] <KK> And we're all best of friends now.
[15:26] <Shiral> Most excellent
[15:26] * jp would that make him Comaron?
[15:26] * andi55 groans
[15:26] <andi55> bleh
[15:26] <Shiral> Not a bad future character name, though <G>
[15:26] * Debbie-VB blows a raspberry at jp
[15:26] <the_Bee> Mom was 11 when her father remarried. I bet she was a
handful during adolescence
[15:26] * KK groans too
[15:27] <jp> sorry
[15:27] <Shiral> Kelson never really got a chance to rebel
[15:27] <Shiral> Unless there were episodes before Brion's death we don't
know about????
[15:27] <the_Bee> 10, not 11
[15:27] <KK> It must be difficult for a lot of
step-sons/mothers/fathers/etc.
[15:28] <Debbie-VB> maybe we'll find out in the third book of the childe
cycle
[15:28] <KK> Oh, there were certainly episodes--but I think Kelson adored
his father. Probably had a harder time with Mom.
[15:28] <Shiral> Really? <EG>
[15:28] <KK> She tended to over-coddle him, even before Brion died.
[15:28] <Shiral> But then, she probably had a harder time with him, too
[15:29] <KK> Probably.
[15:29] <Shiral> Maybe she did him a favor by spending three years in a
convent
[15:29] <Shiral> In terms of day to day stress
[15:29] *** TheCatWhisperer has joined #Deryni_Destinations
[15:29] <DeryniBot> Welcome TheCatWhisperer to the worlds of Katherine
Kurtz!
[15:30] <jp> hi cat
[15:30] <andi55> It seemed to mellow her out, at least a little bit
[15:30] <the_Bee> hi cw
[15:30] <Shiral> Hi CW
[15:30] <TheCatWhisperer> Hi, everyone
[15:30] <Debbie-VB> Jehena only really began to mellow after she accepted
that she too was Deryni
[15:31] <Shiral> And when she met Barret
[15:31] <Debbie-VB> and even then she backslid a lot at first
[15:31] <andi55> true
[15:31] <andi55> but I imagine the years in the convent gave a lot of
thinking time
[15:32] <KK> Barrett was very good for her. I wish she'd met him sooner.
[15:32] <TheCatWhisperer> hi, kk :)
[15:32] <KK> Hi, cw.
[15:32] <Shiral> The Convent seemed to mess her up, or maybe she was only
messing herself up
[15:33] <KK> The convent probably reinforced what she'd been taught as a
child.
[15:33] <andi55> hmmm...there is that
[15:33] <the_Bee> I wish she'd met Warin de Grey. not for romantic
purposes, but because he would have understood what she was going through
[15:33] <jp> and a well placed Deryni sympathiser at the convent could have
done some groundwork for her change of heart?
[15:33] <Shiral> She had to get herself through the Veil before she could
meet Barrett, though.
[15:33] <KK> True. But by then, she knew what she was.
[15:34] <KK> Mother Judiana would have been good for her.
[15:34] <Shiral> Her priest seems to have a more progressive attitude
towards her Deryniness than Jehana does herself, though
[15:34] <Shiral> Pre-Barrett, anyway
[15:34] <andi55> shiral: the Veil? Am I forgetting something from the book,
or is this something else?
[15:34] <Shiral> In King Kelson's Bride, Andi
[15:34] * andi55 has a memory like a sieve when it comes to plots
[15:34] <KK> He's one in a long succession; amazing he got through the
selection process.
[15:34] <andi55> I get to read books for the first time every few years, tho
[15:34] <andi55> :)
[15:35] <the_Bee> a library portal disguised as a garderobe
[15:35] <Shiral> Kelson has an antechamber to the regular ROyal library
where he keeps his "Deryniana"collection
[15:35] <KK> It's the same room where, years before, Camber's kin set up a
Portal.
[15:35] <Debbie-VB> There is a veil which only allows those of the kings
blood to pass and those who have been attuned to it
[15:35] <Shiral> Must have been Jehana's subconsious that picked Father
Ambros.
[15:36] <andi55> ah...right. It's coming back to me :)
[15:36] <KK> A Eureka moment, but on a rheostat rather than a switch.
[15:36] <KK> ;-)
[15:36] <Shiral> <G>
[15:36] <the_Bee> or a Rhemuthstat
[15:36] * andi55 apparently needs "fan" lessons :)
[15:36] <Shiral> Unless Arilan had anything to do with it...
[15:37] * KK groans
[15:37] <jp> my turn to groan
[15:37] <KK> Actually, that's quite good, Bee.
[15:37] * andi55 seconds the groan...or thirds.....
[15:37] * Shiral fourths the groan
[15:37] <TheCatWhisperer> lol!
[15:37] <KK> I suspect that Arilan might have nudged things along.
[15:37] * Debbie-VB makes the groan unanimous
[15:37] <Shiral> He's quite good at the subtle nudge, by now
[15:38] <jp> nudged, pushed more like
[15:38] <KK> His main weapon, especially in the early days.
[15:38] <the_Bee> Didn't Azim do some nudging?
[15:38] <KK> He wouldn't have had much opportunity re picking a chaplain for
the queen.
[15:38] <Shiral> It's too bad he couldn't do more to straighten out Jehana
in the early days. But then, he couldn't afford to betray himself
[15:39] <jp> "nudge,nudge,wink,wink, say no more"
[15:39] <KK> Yes, and Morgan and Duncan both chastise him for that, once
they discover what he is.
[15:39] <the_Bee> How does Jehana's brother feel about being Deryni?
[15:39] <KK> We don't know.
[15:40] <Shiral> At least not yet.
[15:40] <the_Bee> I was disappointed we didn't meet Ryor in KKB
[15:40] <the_Bee> Ryol too
[15:40] <Debbie-VB> I doubt that anyone could have chastized Denis as much
as he chastized himself
[15:41] <TheCatWhisperer> Hear, hear!
[15:41] <Shiral> Might have made Brion's life a little easier if Jehana had
been less edgy
[15:41] <Shiral> Or a lot easier
[15:41] <KK> No, and he's had to live with himself all these years.
Couldn't even unburden himself in confession.
[15:42] <TheCatWhisperer> A redhead not be edgy! Surely you jest! :-)
[15:43] <KK> Aie, it's no reflection on the company, but I am being
innundated by waves of the sleepies. It's been a long day, guys.
[15:43] <Shiral> Tee, hee
[15:43] <Shiral> Before you go, how is Oswald doing, Katherine?
[15:43] <jp> I can relate to that
[15:43] <KK> So I'm going to have to wind down for the night.
[15:43] <the_Bee> tummyrubs to the kitties
[15:43] <Debbie-VB> in that case. go to bed!!!!!
[15:44] <KK> Oswald is doing just fine; goes back for x-rays on Friday, and
hopefully will be allowed a bit more activity. He's going stir-crazy.
[15:44] <jp> don't forget the imbibe creative juice before bed
[15:44] <KK> I'm working on it!
[15:44] <Shiral> Where can a person buy Creative Juice, JP? I want some!
[15:44] <Debbie-VB> Have a great week katherine, and sleep sweet
[15:44] <the_Bee> have a good week, KK
[15:44] <Shiral> I'm glad Oswald is on the mend
[15:44] <andi55> goodnight, KK. Nice to meet you :)
[15:44] <KK> Talk at ya next week.
[15:45] <TheCatWhisperer> Good night, KK
[15:45] <jp> Creative juice.com
[15:45] <Shiral> Have a good week in all respects, especially literary
respects =o)
[15:45] <KK> Take care, all. And send good woodgies to Susan Werner, who
has to have gall stones removed on Tuesday--laparoscopic, so it won't be
difficult, but still.
[15:45] * TheCatWhisperer sends healing woodgies to Oswald
[15:45] <Shiral> Well no wonder I wasn't having any luck at 7/11 then
[15:46] <KK> And extra woodgies for Sedina as well.
[15:46] <Debbie-VB> BTW, for the record, I've got a copy of the new codex
reserved
[15:46] <jp> or
[15:46] <Shiral> Oh, definitely
[15:46] * andi55 nods
[15:46] * KK steps onto her Portal, waves good night, and disappears in a
shower of green sparkles.
[15:46] * TheCatWhisperer sends woodgies to all in need of them
[15:46] <Shiral> Susan should hopefully be on the mend soon after her
surgery
[15:46] <Shiral> Bye, KK
[15:46] <jp> bye
[15:46] <andi55> bye
[15:46] <the_Bee> goodnight kk
[15:46] *** KK has quit IRC