Rikki Ducornet facts for kids

Rikki Ducornet (born Erica DeGre; April 19, 1943) is an American writer, poet, and artist. People describe her work as "linguistically explosive and socially relevant." They also praise it for being "astounding" and "beautiful."

About Rikki Ducornet

Rikki Ducornet was born in Canton, New York. Her father, Gerard DeGré, was a professor who taught about society. Her mother, Muriel, hosted shows on radio and TV. Rikki grew up in a family with different cultures. Her father was Cuban, and her mother was Russian-Jewish.

Rikki's father encouraged her to read books by authors like Albert Camus and Lao Tzu. He wanted her to explore knowledge. The book Alice in Wonderland was very important to her. It even inspired her 1993 novel The Jade Cabinet. In this book, Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice in Wonderland, is a main character.

When Rikki was ten, her father taught her the rumba dance. She also spent some of her childhood in Egypt. This country became the setting for her 2003 novel Gazelle. Her father was invited to teach at the University of Cairo. Later, in the mid-1960s, Rikki lived in Algeria for two years. This was after the Algerian War of Independence.

Rikki's Education and Career

Rikki Ducornet grew up near Bard College in New York. She earned a degree in Fine Arts there in 1964. At Bard, she met authors Robert Coover and Robert Kelly. They shared her interest in how things change, called metamorphosis. These authors helped her see how stories could show this idea.

In 1972, Rikki moved to the Loire Valley in France with her husband at the time, Guy Ducornet. She lived there for 18 years. As a young girl, Rikki wanted to be a visual artist. She only started thinking seriously about writing after moving to France. Being in Europe made her more aware of language. She also raised her son, Jean-Yves Ducornet, in France. He later became a well-known composer.

In 1988, Rikki received a special fellowship at Radcliffe. In 1989, she started teaching English at the University of Denver. In 2007, she became a Writer in Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Today, Rikki Ducornet lives in Port Townsend, Washington.

Inspiration for a Song

Rikki Ducornet is the subject of the Steely Dan song "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." The singer, Donald Fagen, met her at Bard College. Rikki said they met at a college party. Even though she was married, he gave her his phone number. Rikki was curious but decided not to call him. She later said that his "number" in the song was like a secret code for one's true self.

Rikki Ducornet's Writing Style

Rikki Ducornet's writing often features themes of nature and imagination. She also explores ideas about unfair power. Rikki writes the first drafts of her books by hand with a pen and ink. When she writes, she doesn't start with a fixed plot. Instead, her stories grow from the main ideas of her characters.

In her first book, The Butcher’s Tales, she explored how to understand right from wrong. She also wanted to challenge unfair power and show beauty. These ideas appear again in her later works.

Rikki as an Artist

Besides being a writer, Rikki Ducornet is also a painter and printmaker. She has created illustrations for books by many authors. These include Jorge Luis Borges, Robert Coover, and Anne Waldman.

A collection of Rikki Ducornet's papers, including her prints and drawings, is kept at the Ohio State University Library. More of her papers are at the University of California San Diego library. In 2017, Rikki worked with artist Margie McDonald on an art show. They displayed long painted scrolls by Rikki and wire sculptures by Margie. Rikki painted these scrolls during a month-long stay at the Vermont Studio Center. Her art has also been shown in an exhibit supporting refugees worldwide.

Themes in Her Books

Rikki Ducornet uses themes of nature and magic in many of her books. Her series called the "Tetralogy of Elements" was inspired by the ancient idea of the four elements: earth, fire, water, and air. Each of these elements is important in one of her books:

• The Stain (1984)
• Entering Fire (1986)
• The Fountains of Neptune (1989)
• The Jade Cabinet (1993)

Her book Phosphor In Dreamland is sometimes seen as adding a fifth element: light or dreams.

Influence of Surrealism

Rikki Ducornet was influenced by a movement called surrealism. This art movement explores dreams and imagination. She wrote the introduction for a book about surrealism called Surrealist Experiences. She also contributed to a large encyclopedia about surrealism. In it, she said that her writing process is shaped by memories, dreams, and intuition. She feels that surrealism is like the "country where I was born."

Awards and Recognition

Rikki Ducornet has received several awards for her writing:

• Arts and Letters Award in Literature, American Academy of Arts and Letters (2008)
• Lannan Literary Award for Fiction (2004)
• Charles Flint Kellogg Award in Arts and Letters (1998)
• Critics Choice Award (1995)
• Lannan Literary Award for Fiction (1993)