Gail

Gail asked T. Coraghessan Boyle:

I love your books, from World's End to San Miguel, and I am wondering how you find your characters? Do you construct their attributes and motivations before starting to write or do they evolve as you work through the narrative? Forgive me for asking, but you don't seem to like many of your characters, and I am wondering if they evolve in a way that surprises you?

T. Coraghessan Boyle Thanks, Gail. Great question. The characters, like the plot and language, evolve as the story reveals itself to me. I do like my characters--even Adam, the schizophrenic killer of The Harder They Come--but I tend to shy away from writing saintly characters. Who bore me.

More Answered Questions

David Liebe

David Liebe asked T. Coraghessan Boyle:

I've always admired how you have a character in some sort of torment convince them-self they should do "A", then in the next paragraph pull a 180 and just as convincingly argue for "B." It makes me think that's how you go through life. Am I wrong?

Julia

Julia asked T. Coraghessan Boyle:

I loved Water Music the best, do you think you will tackle any other historical pieces? Oh wait, I also LOVED when the Killings done.

Jaimeoka

Jaimeoka asked T. Coraghessan Boyle:

I thought I was never going to find similar short stories as the ones by Cortázar in my lifetime: I just read them hoping to forget them immediately after so that I can read them all over again. Thanks for proving me wrong. Your short stories are amazing (your novels as well). Are you able to read Cortázar in spanish?

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T. Coraghessan Boyle

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