David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! discussion
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Mike Mullin
Author Q&A
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Mike Mullin (Author of the Ashfall trilogy) Q&A Event--Jan 13-19th
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You. Are. The. Man.
Are you into sports, either playing or watching or both? Obviously you've got the martial arts which I'm sure keep you busy and fit, but any others?
So firstly thank you for a brilliant series!I have read all but Sunrise and loved it all! The detail is fantastic and it's scarily realistic too.Now to my question,What can we expect after Sunrise? More of the same genre?, totally different?
Hi Mike! I LOVED Ashfall and Ashen Winter. I have made it required reading for all my friends since we live in Iowa. After reading Ashfall my friends and I all have plans for what to do if the super volcano erupts. My question is, do you have survival plans sketched out after writing Ashfall?
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I agree! Mike is totally the man!
Hi Mike! I'm thrilled to be here asking you questions :)I love Darla! <3
- It seemed like bad luck after bad luck was happening to both Alex & Darla, and mostly caused by Alex. Was it intentional that Darla (in my opinion) is the stronger of the two?
- Since you mentioned, road trip, do you travel a lot during your writing process? What countries have you traveled to and which one is the best so far?
- If you had to choose a post-apocalyptic dinner that you will have to eat every day, what would it be?
Mike, I love your series and can't wait for Sunrise. apocalyptic and post apocalyptic genre is my favorite, with or without zombies. It is interesting to see how people react and make do when in survival mode constantly. It brings out the real person, good or bad, and all seem to have to bend their idea of morality to survive. As for cannibalism, it makes you think about what people would to when hunger is the driving force. Some will go hunting and foraging. Others will go the easy route and capture and kill other people, although for me this would be the more difficult of the two options. - How do you get yourself into the mindset of the evil, the ones who captured Darla, for instance? Do you stow yourself away from family and go dark or what?
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What's your favourite type of apple?
Hi Mike,Someone asked you to describe a typical day and you mentioned having 500-word goals (and rewards!). Do you push ahead to hit those quotas even if it's not going the way you want? I guess what I'm curious about is whether your objective it is to always keep moving along and make sure you're producing something, even if you suspect/know that you might jettison it the next day, week, year, first revision, etc.
Thanks!
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I am not sure if I have ever posted (more of a lurker) but I couldn't pass up a chance to ask you a question! I just finished Ashfall and can't wait to read the next two! My question is about the animals that had to be killed and then their meat and skin/fur removed. Did you already know how to do this before writing Ashfall? If not, how did you go about researching and learning it? Thanks!
I'm not dead! Spent last night and all day finishing up the SUNRISE page proofs. Man, I am tired! I'll catch up with your questions after I've slept.
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Jenny wrote: "Is there any due dates for all of your books like how much times you get to write before your publisher wants it"One of the things I LOVE about being published by Tanglewood Press is their attitude toward deadlines. They (like so many of you) would have liked to have released SUNRISE a year after ASHEN WINTER. But SUNRISE was easily the toughest book yet for me to plan and write. I realized early on that I was going to need more than a year. I told my editor, Peggy Tierney. Her response? "Take as much time as you need to write the best book you possibly can." How cool is that? Imagine if Scholastic had taken that position with Suzanne Collins? While I love her work, Mockingjay could have been so much better. If I'd been forced to turn SUNRISE in after a year of work, it would have sucked. Really sucked. As it is, early reviews seem to be very positive, thank goodness!
Jen wrote: "One more question: who would have gotten incinerated? How far from Yellowstone would you have to live to avoid the immediate stuff from the blast, i.e. the pyroclastic flow? Pyroclastic flows in a really big eruption, like the one 2.1 million years ago that I used as my model for the eruption in ASHFALL, would travel at most something like 300 miles, and then only in low-lying areas.
Which is not to say that you'd be safe 300 miles off. Some areas that close would get 10+ feet of ash. I figured 900 miles was a good distance for Alex to start from. Far enough from Yellowstone to make survival plausible, close enough to make it difficult.
Natalie (Never trust a duck) wrote: "So, I feel really bad. Your book has been sitting on my To-read shelf collecting dust because as important as school is, it leaves little time to reading. Anywho, I plan to read your book soon because I've only heard good things about it. This may be rather badly worded, but how do you come up with scenes in your books to put in between the main, important scenes? I guess you could call them the filler scenes that give the reader a break of the intensity of your book and just get to know the characters a bit better. Sorry if it makes no sense XD
"
Don't feel bad. I had to move a bigger table into my office to hold my burgeoning TBR pile.
I pay attention to the inner and the outer story as I'm planning and writing. In ASHFALL, the outer story is Alex's quest to survive and find his family. The inner story is his maturation and incipient romance with Darla. I try to alternate those stories--if I've got too many outer story chapters in a row, I break them up with one that's predominantly inner story. The best chapters do a little of both, I think. If a chapter is just stitching two other chapters together, I try my best to cut it and replace it with a paragraph or two. My goal is to cut all the boring parts, the parts you might skim.
Karen wrote: "the cannibalism stuff WAS gruesome. How were you able to write those types of scenes? Did you give yourself nightmares? What kind of research did that entail?! "On the advice of my legal counsel, I cannot answer that question on the grounds that I may violate my fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. *maniacal cackle* *rubs hands together and licks lips*
Seriously, I studied the question. I read Alive, Collapse, and two epidemiological studies of the Donner party. That gave me enough info that I'm fairly confident I did justice to cannibalism in my books. I think I wrote a long blog post about this--let me see if I can find it. Here it is: http://glindaharrison.com/2013/03/06/...
David wrote: "Are you into sports, either playing or watching or both? Obviously you've got the martial arts which I'm sure keep you busy and fit, but any others? "
I'm an Indiana Pacers fan. I bought an 11 game package this year--the first year my wife and I have really been able to afford any kind of season tickets. I'll spring for the playoff games, too.
Honestly, I'm not as fit as I'd like to be. I've missed a lot of taekwondo classes due to my travel schedule promoting my books. Losing a little more weight and improving my aerobic fitness are both goals I'm working toward.
I don't really play any team sports, other than an occasional backyard football or basketball game. I do love hiking, bicycling, and canoeing.
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On the advice of my ..."
HAHAHA!! Cracking up over here!
Karen wrote: "Did you eat a lot of kale while researching the Ashfall series? Or dandelion salads? ;) "I'll take a stab at this (yes, I'm related - wife). He made me go all over the city with him to find duck eggs, side pork (or whatever the unsmoked pork that bacon starts as), and kale. We've served the ASHFALL brunch at our home several times! He also occasionally picks a piece off random trees & plants and says, "Here, try this." He hasn't poisoned me yet. :)
Elisa wrote: "Hi Mike! I LOVED Ashfall and Ashen Winter. I have made it required reading for all my friends since we live in Iowa. After reading Ashfall my friends and I all have plans for what to do if the sup..."I've been to lots of his school/library presentations & heard him answer this one. It's a very complicated answer & it doesn't involve lots of prepping..."DIE." I'll let him give you the details of why. :) Have at it Mike!
Sandra "Jeanz" wrote: "So firstly thank you for a brilliant series!I have read all but Sunrise and loved it all! The detail is fantastic and it's scarily realistic too.Now to my question,What can we expect after Sunrise..."
I want to be known for exciting young adult fiction. So I'm writing a thriller now, and I may write more science fiction, fantasy, or realistic fiction, but my basic promise to readers is that if you pick up one of my books, you're going to be well-entertained for a few hours.
Karen wrote: "Did you eat a lot of kale while researching the Ashfall series? Or dandelion salads? ;) "Yep and yep. I don't put any chemicals on my back yard, so I eat dandelion greens and tiger lily buds from it. (Margaret doesn't like me to eat the tiger lily buds, she prefers the flowers, but fie on her. They're delicious!) I buy my kale or get it from my mother, mother-in-law, or brother.
Christian wrote: "What's your favourite type of apple?"Red Delicious if it's right off the tree. I'm not a huge fan of supermarket apples--I tend to eat more oranges, bananas and strawberries. In season, though, there's nothing better than visiting one of our many area orchards.
Jody wrote: "Hi Mike,Someone asked you to describe a typical day and you mentioned having 500-word goals (and rewards!). Do you push ahead to hit those quotas even if it's not going the way you want? I guess w..."
Yes, I do push ahead, and sometimes delete all or part of the writing the next day. More commonly, the writing gets deleted later in my process--the whole final third of ASHEN WINTER got axed at one point, for example.
I try to approach writing like a job as well as something I love to do. That means I write even when it's tough, even when I really don't want to. I have days when I fail, like anyone, but I try to forgive myself and pick it up the next day.
David wrote: "Wow, Tanglewood and your editor sound awesome, just the type of publisher I'd love to have some day!"They're awesome. I really have nothing but praise for Tanglewood Press.
Kelly wrote: "I am not sure if I have ever posted (more of a lurker) but I couldn't pass up a chance to ask you a question! I just finished Ashfall and can't wait to read the next two! My question is about the..."Yep, I've skinned rabbits and birds. I've never butchered a pig, so I used Youtube to get that part right. There are HUNDREDS of videos of pig butchering on YouTube. Go figure.
Margaret wrote: "I'll take a stab at this I'm afraid. I'm very afraid.
Margaret wrote: "He also occasionally picks a piece off random trees & plants and says, "Here, try this." He hasn't poisoned me yet. :)"What does Hemlock look like again? Mwahahaha!
Elisa wrote: "Hi Mike! I LOVED Ashfall and Ashen Winter. I have made it required reading for all my friends since we live in Iowa. After reading Ashfall my friends and I all have plans for what to do if the sup..."I'm fairly well prepared for a short emergency. I think it's a good idea to be ready to survive something like Katrina or Sandy--having 3-4 weeks worth of water on hand, for example.
If the world as we know it ends, I have no real desire to survive. Plus it's unrealistic to assume that any level of preparation would keep me alive. The people who survive famine situations tend to be women between the ages of 6 and 35. I'm both older and male, and therefore superfluous to the survival of the species.
Dnicole wrote: "- How do you get yourself into the mindset of the evil, the ones who captured Darla, for instance? Do you stow yourself away from family and go dark or what? "I find this to be really easy. This is not good, not good at all. The horrible moment in SUNRISE where most people put down the book and shout my name with unprintable adjectives attached just sort of came to me as I was writing. I just thought about what I would do if I were a psychopathic, knife-crazed, post-apocalyptic leader. I probably need to spend more on therapy.
With the Ashfall series drawing to a close, did you feel any added pressure from readers to provide somewhat of a typical happily ever after? How much influence, if any, do fans have in which direction you may have decided to take the series?
Mike wrote: "On the advice of my legal counsel, I cannot answer that question on the grounds that I may violate my fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. *maniacal cackle* *rubs hands together and licks lips*..."Perhaps I should rethink that launch party in Indy.
Or not. (heh heh heh!)
Margaret, I'm with you, I'd just as soon die. Also I seem to live with Mr. Pacers Fan and Mr. IU Rocks / Mr. Everybody Hates Notre Dame - so I have to ask if you're Colts fans and are looking wistfully at the Broncos? With apologies to Andrew Luck?
I have to also say that all these books you read for the research are fantastic. I may even pick up Paradise Built in Hell; it looks really interesting and a serious departure from all the YA I read. Thanks for the rec!
Jen wrote: "Mike wrote: "On the advice of my legal counsel, I cannot answer that question on the grounds that I may violate my fifth amendment right against self-incrimination. *maniacal cackle* *rubs hands to..."GO SEAHAWKS!!
Sorry, couldn't resist!
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I'll take a stab at this (yes, I'm related - wife). He made me go all over the city with ..."
Margaret, you are priceless!!! We love you!!!
Dre wrote: "It seemed like bad luck after bad luck was happening to both Alex & Darla, and mostly caused by Alex. Was it intentional that Darla (in my opinion) is the stronger of the two?"I certainly think a lot about stereotypes and try to write against them. So Darla is more likely to rescue Alex than vice-versa, for example.
I don't really think about which character is stronger, I just try to write each character's own strengths and weaknesses in a consistent and realistic way. Alex is better at close-quarters fighting than Darla, he's more empathetic, and more resilient. But he gets into a lot of trouble because he's way too impulsive.
Darla has more common sense and toughness, but she doesn't make connections the same way Alex does, or inspire people to want to follow her the same way he can because of his deep humanity and empathy. She's obviously way better with guns and mechanical things than Alex. She's better equipped at the beginning of the apocalypse because of her upbringing on the farm, but she needs Alex just as much as he needs her over the long term.
Dre wrote: "Since you mentioned, road trip, do you travel a lot during your writing process? What countries have you traveled to and which one is the best so far?"I've been to Iowa and NW Illinois to research the ASHFALL trilogy five times in the last three years. I also traveled to Portland and Mt. St Helens.
As far as countries, I've traveled to Brazil, Mexico,Canada, Italy, and Switzerland. I lived in Brazil for a year when I was 17 on a youth exchange program. I loved that experience, and really want to go back at some point.
Dre wrote: "If you had to choose a post-apocalyptic dinner that you will have to eat every day, what would it be?"From a practical standpoint, rice and beans. They store great and provide reasonably balanced nutrition.
My favorite meal is Brazilian-style churrasco, where they bring large cuts of meat to you and carve them table-size. Here's my favorite restaurant in Indianapolis, where Margaret and I have celebrated every time I sell a new book: http://www.fogodechao.com/index.php?i... That's not practical post-apocalypse food, though.
Kelly (Diva Booknerd) wrote: "With the Ashfall series drawing to a close, did you feel any added pressure from readers to provide somewhat of a typical happily ever after? How much influence, if any, do fans have in which direc..."I do want my fans to be happy with my work. But I really try to write the kind of books I love to read--realistic, surprising, but ultimately hopeful. That's not to say I won't ever write, say, a horror novel where everyone dies, but that was never my vision for the ASHFALL trilogy. That said, bad things do happen in SUNRISE, and not everyone lives. I'm not writing fantasy here, and even if I did, it would be closer to GRRM fantasy than fluffy rainbow fantasy.
Jen wrote: "I have to ask if you're Colts fans and are looking wistfully at the Broncos? With apologies to Andrew Luck?"I like the Colts, and I admire Peyton Manning, but I'm trying to wean myself off football. I used to be a huge fan, but with all the news about the long term effects of concussions and head injuries, I'd rather support sports that allow players to have healthy retirements.
Jen wrote: "I may even pick up Paradise Built in Hell"It's excellent. The kind of non-fiction I like to read best is well written but created by experts from serious research. Rebecca Solnit is a sociologist, her book is based on serious, peer-reviewed research, but its not written in academese.
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Damn, David stole my question *shakes fist in threatening manner* Can I add onto his?Which natural disaster would terrify you most to be in the midst of the chaos? Bushfires, tsunami, volcanic eruption, earthquake etc
David wrote: " Have you ever been in the midst of a natural disaster? "No, thank goodness. I've seen tornadoes touch down twice, but I wasn't close enough to be in any real danger. I was also in a real school lockdown recently--I wrote about it here: http://mikemullin.blogspot.com/2013/0...
Kelly (Diva Booknerd) wrote: "Which natural disaster would terrify you most to be in the midst of the chaos? Bushfires, tsunami, volcanic eruption, earthquake etc "Nuclear war/accidents. I don't have any good way to monitor radiation, and it's so insidious. You can feel fine even while you're receiving a lethal dose, and only start to get sick hours later. My house would be virtually impossible to seal up (it's an 1895 Victorian) so I have no good way to survive radioactive fallout. Maybe I should stockpile some iodine tablets.
Mike wrote: "Nuclear war/accidents. I don't have any good way to monitor radiation, and it's so insidious. You can feel fine even while you're receiving a lethal dose, and only start to get sick hours later. My house would be virtually impossible to seal up (it's an 1895 Victorian) so I have no good way to survive radioactive fallout. Maybe I should stockpile some iodine tablets"Do you draw on that type of 'what if' scenario to create your character reactions to the volcanic eruption? Just personally, that's part of the major lure of the series, it's realistic and most of us have probably thought about those 'what if' situations quite often.
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David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite!
Books mentioned in this topic
Trickster's Choice (other topics)Trickster's Queen (other topics)
Way of the Pilgrim (other topics)
Donner Dinner Party (other topics)
A Short History of Nearly Everything (other topics)
More...
If you can make it to Indianapolis on 3/15, we'd love to have you, too. (Although that might come off the wrong way from a guy who writes about cannibalism, ha!)
Oh geez...! How'd I end up with the cannibalism joke?? Hahahah... If I'm anywhere near your neck of the woods in March, I'll be there! :-) (I'm in the Phoenix area.)
On a serious note, the cannibalism stuff WAS gruesome. How were you able to write those types of scenes? Did you give yourself nightmares? What kind of research did that entail?!