Belinda Lewis
asked
Scott Hawkins:
Mostly I just want to say that I read it twice in a row. It was that good. So thank you. Also thanks for the Afrikaans, that doesn't happen often. So that I have a question: Do you have a particular interest in languages? (Over and above obviously being an author). Choice of carolyn's category + the language of the hunt + invented language + being a programmer seems to indicate that's a possibility.
Scott Hawkins
Hi Belinda,
Thanks! Glad you liked it, and I'm doubly glad you read it twice. I tend to read stuff 2-3x myself, so I tried to write some of the the dialogue in such a way that you could hear it slightly differently when you knew what was really going on.
As far as languages -- I do indeed! Waaay back in the day (1991-93) I did graduate work in natural language processing. I spent a lot of time navel-gazing and thinking about the nature of thought, and what language is. I suspect that the field has moved on since then (he said dryly) but I still love that stuff.
Also, do you speak Afrikaans? If so, how'd I do? I'll confess that I got most of the foreign language stuff off google translate. (The Japanese was mine, my copy editor corrected my French, and a buddy from work translated the Chinese for me.)
Scott
Thanks! Glad you liked it, and I'm doubly glad you read it twice. I tend to read stuff 2-3x myself, so I tried to write some of the the dialogue in such a way that you could hear it slightly differently when you knew what was really going on.
As far as languages -- I do indeed! Waaay back in the day (1991-93) I did graduate work in natural language processing. I spent a lot of time navel-gazing and thinking about the nature of thought, and what language is. I suspect that the field has moved on since then (he said dryly) but I still love that stuff.
Also, do you speak Afrikaans? If so, how'd I do? I'll confess that I got most of the foreign language stuff off google translate. (The Japanese was mine, my copy editor corrected my French, and a buddy from work translated the Chinese for me.)
Scott
More Answered Questions
Isaac Sherman
asked
Scott Hawkins:
Hi! My wife got me into the Library at Mount Char and while I'm only about halfway through, I know I'm going to need more. I don't see a lot of recent activity from your blog and was wondering if (hoping!) the sequel was still in the works or if that's not likely? Sorry if this has already been answered, but I'm new to Goodreads and haven't found a good way of searching through the questions.
Lindsey
asked
Scott Hawkins:
Okay so I need to ask - where the heck did LAMC come from? You've written programming manuals, more programming manuals, and then BOOM an amazing, unique, well-done, riveting novel, seemingly from nowhere. Where did the inspiration come from? Did you write other fiction before but it was just never published?
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