Bellingham philosophy professor turns sci-fi writer

MICHELLE NOLAN - FOR THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Bellingham fantasy novelist Richard Purtill's eyes lit up when he was handed what amounted to a pulp paper "time machine."

When a visitor showed him a 1943 copy of "Startling Stories," he was 12 years old again for a few moments.

"That's it, the very first science fiction story I ever read," he said with a grin. "'Pirates of the Time Trail.'"

PHILIP A. DWYER | THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

The 77-year-old author began reading science fiction as a boy in Chicago, but he didn't start writing fantasy until he was nearly 50. That was in the middle of a 34-year career as philosophy professor at Western Washington University, where he retired in 1996.

He's making up for lost time, still writing novels. He's working on his 10th, fittingly entitled "The Philosopher's Stone." His most recent novel, "Letters to Nausicaa," appeared earlier this year.

Question: Tell me about your writing career.

Answer: I started by writing textbooks, with my first appearing in 1971. My first novel, "The Golden Gryphon Feather," was published in 1979 as a paperback original in the long-running DAW science-fiction series. I've also written three books about Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. I think I've done 10 textbooks and nine novels, making it 22 books in all. I've also published a few short stories.

Q: Is it true that you don't type?

A: I just never learned to type in high school. If I had known I would become an author, I would have taken typing. I've always been able to get help from people who can read my handwriting. I still write my novels that way - by hand.

Q: Why are your stories so influenced by Greek culture?

A: I've made 28 trips to Greece. I've just been fascinated by all things Greek. In my novels, the Greek gods really exist.

Q: In your novel "Murdercon" (1982), about murder at a science-fiction convention, the protagonist is a female version of yourself, right?

A: I've always been able to write from both the male and female points of view in my novels. My stories are about one-half archaeology and one-half fantasy.

Q: Since science-fiction was a relatively unrespected branch of fiction when you started reading it, how did you get involved?

A: My dad brought home that issue of "Startling Stories" because he thought I would like it. I couldn't afford the 15-cent or 25-cent prices, so from that point on I haunted the used-book stores in Chicago for science fiction magazines. I could get them for a nickel apiece.

Q: How did you get into teaching philosophy?

A: I'm interested in logic, ethics and metaphysics, really pretty much all aspects of philosophy. I would always be willing to teach courses that no one else wanted to.

Q: Where were you educated?

A: I obtained my bachelor's, master's and doctorate from the University of Chicago. I also spent a lot of time studying at UCLA. It was while I was there that I saw an ad for professors placed by James Jarret, who was then president of WWU. I came to Bellingham to teach in 1962, and I had never seen the town. But I've loved it ever since.

Michelle Nolan is a freelance writer.