INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH O'NEILL - PART 2

(The second of a four-part interview.)

TEV: How do you develop your characters? And how often do they have real-life bases, and how much of that do you coral?

Joseph O'Neill: Well let's just talk about Netherland. I have completely forgotten how I wrote my first two novels.

TEV: (plaintive) But I did all my homework ...

Joseph O'Neill: I know you have. Sorry about that. It was a complete waste of time to do your homework.

Let's say we have a general idea of who the character is going to be. I ne