The reality behind "Reality Optional"

"Writing fiction is exactly like running a game for the worst bunch of players imaginable." On his Milkyfish blog, Reality Optional author Gareth Hanrahan reports to the confession booth with the backstory of his first novel:

The first outline let to the second outline led to the third outline led to an endless death march. Allen and I would send each other mails starting off "I've got the homicidal thoughts under control now, so…" The book wandered in the desert for rather more than 40 nights.

My legal team and I are pleased to report that the endless death march did, in fact, pay off in the end, and therefore there's no need to smother anyone with a giant pile of old outlines. Once the final outline came together, the book flowed like The Computer's own Bouncy Bubble Beverage. It was fun to write. That's fun in a genuine way, not in an Alpha Complex reactor-shielding-is-fun way.

"The Reality of Reality Optional"