Rhemuth Castle - The Official Site of Katherine Kurtz

1. David Sanderson says: About a year ago I sent an e-mail to your American publisher (Ace or Del Rey—don't remember which) about the possibility of doing audio books for the Deryni series. I got back a very positive response. .. I would happily listen to them all again and again as each new book came out. So, is there any chance the Deryni books could be turned into audio? If so, I'd recommend a woman reader—that just feels right to me.

Katherine says: Neither House has said anything to me about audio books, but I'd certainly support such a move. I’ve recently learned that most of the Deryni titles (all but two of the Camber books, apparently) are already available as Books for the Blind—this from a delightful fan I met by chance in a shuttle between my mother’s condo and San Francisco Airport. It was welcome news to me—and is, no doubt, for my visually impaired readers.

2. Linda Stuckenschneider-Epstein says: In one of the series Ms. Kurtz refers to a series as if it will be released shortly called the "Childe Morgan Trilogy"—yet I have heard nothing more about it. Also, is there any way to get a schedule for upcoming Deryni Publications—7 years is a bit long to wait between novels.

Katherine says: The contract for the Childe Morgan Trilogy has just been agreed and signed—and the advance paid!—which is why you hadn't heard any updates. These things do take time. I'll be starting the first book at about the time you're reading this reply. The new contract calls for these books to be delivered at yearly intervals, starting in September of 2001—which means they'll be coming out in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

But there will be some other Deryni projects coming out before that—an anthology of Deryni stories toward the end of 2001, mostly pulled from the best of the old Deryni Archives Magazine but with my introductions to these stories and a new story I'll write: possibly the account of Morgan and Richenda's wedding, since that seems to be one that most of you are dying to read. And there are two other Kurtz novels coming out early in 2001: St. Patrick's Gargoyle in February/March, and The Temple and the Crown in April/May. No, they aren't Deryni; but after King Kelson's Bride, it will take a little while for me to get back into the Deryni saga again.

3. Shai Kane says: In Death of an Adept, KK has Ximena singing a song in Spanish in her apartment in SF. Is that a real song, and, if so, is there a cd with name and artist available?

Katherine says: Yes! I asked Debby about this, since she was the one to inject this intriguing bit of background, and she said that Ximena’s song is number 4 on the following CD:

4. Jerry Maher and Linda Cheshire-Whitson both have questions about Bishop Cardiel. Jerry simply comments that "in the book High Deryni, it mentions that Bishop Cardiel was Richenda's mother's uncle. Wouldn't this make Richenda a half, maybe three quarters, breed like Morgan and Duncan?"

Linda says, "One of my favorite Human characters in the Deryni novels is Bishop Thomas Cardiel. His courage & faith under all circumstances make him a good example for any devout person. Plus, his sense of wonder (not to mention ineptness at skin-diving!) makes him a delight. So how is this very human prelate related to Richenda? In High Deryni she tells Kelson & Alaric that he is her mother's uncle (when she is trying to talk Kelson into letting her go along on campaign to try and persuade Bran Coris to mend his treasonous ways)."

Katherine answers: There's a very simple explanation for this. Cardiel is not a blood relative in any way, shape, or form. He's actually a great-uncle by marriage. Tracing back from Richenda herself: Richenda is the daughter of Richard of Rheljan and Michendra of Andelon, who is the younger sister of Sofiana. (These sisters are, quite unmistakably, full Deryni, as we've seen in KKB.) Michendra and Sofiana are the daughters of Mikhail of Andelon and his first wife, Ysabeau of Jaca. But Ysabeau died in childbirth with Michendra, so Mikhail married secondly Alinor Cardiel, a human, whose much younger brother was Thomas Cardiel, later to become a priest and bishop.

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