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Deborah Chester

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.deborahchester.com

Genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Member Since

January 2015

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The internationally published, award-winning author of 41 novels, Deborah Chester has written Regency romances, historical romances, young adult, science fiction, and fantasy. She is a tenured professor of professional writing in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma, where she teaches novel and short story writing.
She holds a B.A. with General Honors and an M.A. in Journalism; both degrees are from the University of Oklahoma, where she studied professional writing from author/teachers Jack M. Bickham, Robert L. Duncan, and Pulitzer-nominee Carolyn Hart. Chester has been writing professionally since 1978, and has used three pseudonyms – Jay D. Blakeney and Sean Dalton and C. Aubrey Hall for ...more

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Hi Deborah! Looking back at the "Spacehawks" series, is there anything in particular you wish you had done differently? For instance, what are your thoughts now, with all your accumulated writing experience, about your characterisation of 41, as you wrote it in the eighties and the nineties? Thanks!

Deborah Chester Sorry for this long overdue response. I would have changed some aspects of 41's character design. I like his enigmatic qualities, but he's not suffici…moreSorry for this long overdue response. I would have changed some aspects of 41's character design. I like his enigmatic qualities, but he's not sufficiently complex. None of the characters are. That was back when I was young and hungry. I had very tight deadlines for those books, and no time to think them through. I have considered reviving the series with the Salukan girls that 41 and Kelly adopted, but so far haven't found the time.(less)

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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Deborah Chester Figure out what type of story you want to write and then read as much as you can. Read fiction--not just in your selected genre but all types--and rea…moreFigure out what type of story you want to write and then read as much as you can. Read fiction--not just in your selected genre but all types--and read some nonfiction as well. Read daily. Strive to read at least one novel a week. Look at how stories are put together. How, for example, do writers introduce their characters into the stories? Which approaches grab your attention best? Or consider how writers conclude chapters. Do they always stop with a hook? Or do they close chapters with the viewpoint character falling asleep? Which method do you personally find more effective? Dig into some reference books on writing craft. Not the kind that discuss the author's means of finding inspiration, but the books that serve up real nuts-and-bolts information on putting scenes together and how viewpoint should be handled. Look at Jack Bickham, James Scott Bell, and Robert McKee. Good luck!(less)

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Deborah Chester’s books

Average rating: 3.84 · 8,580 ratings · 587 reviews · 50 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Sword (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, #1) 3.70 avg rating — 1,574 ratings — published 2000 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ring (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, #2) 3.77 avg rating — 1,001 ratings — published 2000 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Chalice (The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice, #3) 3.73 avg rating — 1,012 ratings — published 2001 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Fantasy Fiction Formula 4.45 avg rating — 824 ratings — published 2016 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Golden One (LucasFilm's Alien Chronicles, #1) 4.19 avg rating — 479 ratings — published 1997 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Reign of Shadows (The Ruby Throne Trilogy, #1) 3.73 avg rating — 501 ratings — published 1996 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Crimson Claw (LucasFilm's Alien Chronicles, #2) 4.26 avg rating — 392 ratings — published 1998 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Crystal Eye (LucasFilm's Alien Chronicles, #3) 4.18 avg rating — 352 ratings — published 1999 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shadow War (The Ruby Throne Trilogy, #2) 3.75 avg rating — 328 ratings — published 1997 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Realm of Light (The Ruby Throne Trilogy, #3) 3.75 avg rating — 298 ratings — published 1997 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Deborah Chester

The Stories of Nether and Mandria (7 books)
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Deborah Chester (Goodreads Author)

3.70 avg rating — 4,120 ratings

The Sword, the Ring, and the Chalice (3 books)
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Deborah Chester (Goodreads Author)

3.73 avg rating — 3,587 ratings

LucasFilm's Alien Chronicles (3 books)
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Deborah Chester (Goodreads Author)

4.21 avg rating — 1,223 ratings

The Ruby Throne Trilogy (3 books)
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Deborah Chester (Goodreads Author)

3.74 avg rating — 1,126 ratings

Pearls and the Crowns (2 books)
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Deborah Chester (Goodreads Author)

3.39 avg rating — 443 ratings

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Fantastic Fantasy...: Recommend a book or series for a group read	50	91	Apr 12, 2011 05:27PM
Building a SciFi/...: Favorite sci-fi written by women	83	568	May 17, 2013 01:56PM
Beyond Reality: Recently acquired books	1339	1026	Mar 26, 2021 08:18AM
Spells, Space & S...: Twilight Zone: 19 Original Stories on the 50th Anniversary (July 2022)	34	22	Aug 18, 2022 05:19AM

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Deborah Chester’s Followers (145)

Deborah’s Bookshelves

Deborah’s Friends (2)

Deborah Chester

Goodreads Author

Learn moreAsk the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine EditionsDeborah Chester’s books

0 postsDeborah Chester's Blog

Series by Deborah Chester

Topics Mentioning This Author

Deborah’s Friend Comments

Learn more
Ask the Author

Combine Editions
Deborah Chester’s books

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Deborah Chester's Blog