A Goodreads user
asked
Jonathan Maas:
Hi Jonathan, I'm a huge fan of disaster and post apocalyptic books, so I was just wondering what gave you the idea, to write a book on this particular subject, and what was the source of your information? Thanks:)
Jonathan Maas
Deidre(Dee):
Great question, and I believe you are talking about 'Flare.' 'Spanners: The Fountain of Youth' deals with the dark themes of immortality, and 'City of Gods: Hellenica' has the Four Horsemen as teenagers, so all have some apocalyptic elements. But I believe you are talking about 'Flare.'
'Flare' concerns a world where, without warning, the sun shines so brightly that it makes life during the day impossible. The sun blinds and burns instantly, and kills within minutes. The nights are dark and dangerous too because the sun has destroyed the earth’s circuitry. 90% of the population has been killed and …
You get the idea. Not exactly the next 'Nanny Diaries.' So let’s get to the question:
> what gave you the idea, to write a book on this particular subject?
Too many sources to mention here, but I’ll give it a shot. First of all, a filmmaker friend, David C. Keith and I were (and still are) hoping to make this into a film.
I also spent two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia, Africa. I’m not the most melanin-endowed guy, and the power of the sun was quite evident there. It got me thinking about how the source of our existence could also destroy us, and it got me thinking about how fragile life was.
> Source of your information?
Again, too many sources to mention, but in addition to reading a lot of books, I interviewed ~15 experts in various fields, asking them questions from the basics of setting up tents to solar dynamics.
I started out the work hoping to stay with the style of Cormac McCarthy in ‘The Road,’ but the style of the work ended being along the lines of another one of my favorites, Larry McMurtry. There are too many inspiring authors to mention here though, more than just Mr. McMurtry!
That’s it, thanks Deidre(Dee), and I hope this answered your questions!
Oh and yes, I liked the Nanny Diaries too. Fun tale!
Great question, and I believe you are talking about 'Flare.' 'Spanners: The Fountain of Youth' deals with the dark themes of immortality, and 'City of Gods: Hellenica' has the Four Horsemen as teenagers, so all have some apocalyptic elements. But I believe you are talking about 'Flare.'
'Flare' concerns a world where, without warning, the sun shines so brightly that it makes life during the day impossible. The sun blinds and burns instantly, and kills within minutes. The nights are dark and dangerous too because the sun has destroyed the earth’s circuitry. 90% of the population has been killed and …
You get the idea. Not exactly the next 'Nanny Diaries.' So let’s get to the question:
> what gave you the idea, to write a book on this particular subject?
Too many sources to mention here, but I’ll give it a shot. First of all, a filmmaker friend, David C. Keith and I were (and still are) hoping to make this into a film.
I also spent two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Namibia, Africa. I’m not the most melanin-endowed guy, and the power of the sun was quite evident there. It got me thinking about how the source of our existence could also destroy us, and it got me thinking about how fragile life was.
> Source of your information?
Again, too many sources to mention, but in addition to reading a lot of books, I interviewed ~15 experts in various fields, asking them questions from the basics of setting up tents to solar dynamics.
I started out the work hoping to stay with the style of Cormac McCarthy in ‘The Road,’ but the style of the work ended being along the lines of another one of my favorites, Larry McMurtry. There are too many inspiring authors to mention here though, more than just Mr. McMurtry!
That’s it, thanks Deidre(Dee), and I hope this answered your questions!
Oh and yes, I liked the Nanny Diaries too. Fun tale!
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