Ask the Author: Keith Deininger
Answered Questions (3)
Keith Deininger
I think the Scarlet Gospels stands alone. You can read it without having read any of Barker's other works, but I will say that I don't think it's his best. I'm a huge Barker fan and he has a lot of amazing stuff. Pick up the Books of Blood, which you should be able to find at the library, for a taste of some of his short fiction. If you'd like a little background before you read the Scarlet Gospels, however, Barker wrote a short novella called The Hellhound Heart, which is pretty easy to find. Barker than made a movie based on it called Hellraiser, which will also give you a little background. It's on Netflix. ;)
Keith Deininger
Oh, yeah. Big things are coming. I've been hard at work this past year putting some stuff together. The whole thing has become far more complex than I'd originally intended. I'm working on edits right now. Would you believe me if I told you the Machine is but a small part of a vast world? It gets crazy and I'm have tons of fun with it. The next installment will be Marrow's Legacy, which is about the Sol family living in the Machine and takes place immediately after the events of Marrow's Pit. Then comes The Walls of Meridian and then The Blood of Talos, all of which are written, but still need some re-writes and edits. If all goes well, these three titles will be released back to back late summer. It's been a tone of work, but I feel really good about what I have so far. If you're interested, I posted a short teaser for Marrow's Legacy on my website: http://www.keithdeininger.com/blog/ma...
Anyway, thanks for the question, Steve! I'll see you around the interwebs. ;)
Anyway, thanks for the question, Steve! I'll see you around the interwebs. ;)
Keith Deininger
Thanks for the question, Jason. I used to fear re-writes. I was afraid I'd mess something up, miss something, delete the wrong scenes or fail to put the write ones in. I somehow thought my first draft was sacred, the most artistic and that too much editing would ruin it. What I didn't understand is that once the first draft is completed, there is much work I still have left to do. But it's fun work, and it's less taxing than the initial creation. Once the first draft is complete, I have something to work with and can rearrange and insert scenes to make the narrative stronger. Also, because of the organic way I write, I've learned to cut and chop, to give the narrative movement and flow. I've learned what editing really is and it may be the most important part of the writing process. I feel with practice and dedication, I will learn and grow in all aspects of the creation process.
But that doesn't really answer your question... With all honesty, my least favorite part of the writing process is everything to do with the business side of things. I just want to create, but I'd also like people to read and possibly be moved by what I write, so... Thus enters the publishing world and all of the headaches so involved. Agents. Submitting to publishers. Marketing. Cover letters and synopsis. I could be writing. I could be improving my craft. The next one is already better than the last one, I think all of the time. I just want to work on the next one. My head is filled with plans, projects, and ideas. Writing has been like pushing a huge boulder up a hill, very difficult, but now that I have it rolling, I can't stop it. I can't help myself. I just want to write.
But that doesn't really answer your question... With all honesty, my least favorite part of the writing process is everything to do with the business side of things. I just want to create, but I'd also like people to read and possibly be moved by what I write, so... Thus enters the publishing world and all of the headaches so involved. Agents. Submitting to publishers. Marketing. Cover letters and synopsis. I could be writing. I could be improving my craft. The next one is already better than the last one, I think all of the time. I just want to work on the next one. My head is filled with plans, projects, and ideas. Writing has been like pushing a huge boulder up a hill, very difficult, but now that I have it rolling, I can't stop it. I can't help myself. I just want to write.
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