An interview with Dan Levinson, author of the sci-fi novel Fires of Man.
Hi!
Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about your background as an author?
Thanks, Mary! Happy to be here.
I’ve been writing fiction in various
forms since before I was in double digits. I’ve also dabbled in screenwriting.
However, when I was a teenager, I actually digressed into acting; I studied
drama at NYU from ’03 to ’07. I’d say my acting training really helps me put
myself into my characters’ shoes, channel their emotions onto the page.
What
got you into writing?
Final Fantasy II. True story. I was so
enamored with the game and its characters that when it ended, I needed there to
be more. So I wrote more. My very first fan fiction!
What was the first
idea you had for your book, and how did the story grow from there?
I first came up with the concept and
some of the characters when I was about 13. At that time, in addition to being
a voracious fantasy reader, I was a huge fan of Dragonball Z. I wanted to
capture the epic scope and intricate mythology of my favorite fantasy novels at
the time (Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time,
C.S. Friedman’s Coldfire Trilogy), as
well as the sheer “awesomeness” of characters hurling superpowered energy
attacks at each other a la DBZ.
I tried to execute the story in
multiple incarnations over the years. A previous novelization, a screenplay. It
wasn’t until I studied under the amazing Jacob Krueger that I found my
“character first” approach to fiction. I went back to basics—to a handful of
characters I’d fallen in love with from the start—and went from there.
Among
your characters, who's your favorite? Could you please describe him/her?
Tough question! I feel like it changes
from day to day, and I know I’ve given different answers to this question
before.
Today, I’ll say Katherine “Kay”
Barrett. On the surface, she’s tough as hell. Snarky, strong, a natural leader.
Yet that veneer of confidence hides the vulnerability within. She’s suffered
tragedy in her life, loss, and it’s left her damaged, with a fear of intimacy,
and an inability to fully understand her own emotions, the reasons she does
what she does. I believe in having flawed, multifaceted characters, and Kay exemplifies
this principle.
What's your favorite scene from your
novel? Could you please describe it?
Hmm, another tough one. Again, I feel
like I might give a different answer depending on the day and my mood.
Without spoilers, I’ll just say it’s a
“break-up scene.” Takes place in a restaurant, and elucidates both the depth of
feeling two characters have for each other, and why they just don’t work at
this moment in their lives. It’s that timing thing, you know? They’re not on
the same page. And maybe they could be in the future. But right now there’s a
fundamental dichotomy in what they’re looking for from each other, and that
makes it impossible for them to come to terms, even though they both care
deeply for each other.
What's
your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing scenes? Dialogue?
Getting to the “big moments.” The ones
I’ve been writing toward for pages and pages, or even across entire books. One
of the greatest pieces of advice I’ve ever received is not to hold back. If
there’s some cool moment I’m moving toward, I try to go for it. I make sure
there are at least a few in every book when I’m writing a series. Those big
revelations or exciting, climactic “wow” moments; there’s no need to hold them
in reserve. It’s so exciting to build up to something, and then deliver.
How
long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a writing process, or do you
wing it?
I’d say about six months to a
well-revised draft. Not a final draft, perhaps, but one that’s most of the way
there. I write at least a thousand words a day, six days a week.
What is it about the
genre you chose that appeals to you?
The freedom! The ability to create a
different world, infuse it with these incredible powers and people. The chance
to craft something truly epic in scope.
Are
there any books or writers that have had particular influence on you?
Oh, so many. Foremost among them, these
days, is Stephen King. His On Writing
was simply the best dissertation on writing craft I’ve ever read. Rather than
doing what so many “writing gurus” have done—trying to distill the mystery of
writing down to “structure” and “techniques”—he focuses on its heart and soul.
To call King a simple “horror” writer,
I think, is to show him short shrift. The man is a master at crafting complex
characters. One of my favorite books is It.
Many might remember it from the miniseries with the incredible Tim Curry as the
title character. I’ve never seen it. To me, the novel is so profound that I
dare not watch, for fear I might dilute its impact on me. It’s a coming of age
story, I feel, far more than a horror story, and I shed more than a few tears
when the book came to a close.
Other writers who’ve influenced me over
the years include the aforementioned Robert Jordan and C.S. Friedman, as well
as David and Leigh Eddings, Terry Goodkind, George R.R. Martin, Brian Jacques,
and Jim Butcher, among many, many others.
Did you ever surprise
yourself when you were writing your book? Characters who took on lives of their
own? Plot elements that took unexpected turns?
Absolutely! I’m a big believer in
letting the characters lead the way. There have even been moments where I
wasn’t sure if certain characters would live or die, and it’s only by virtue of
their determinations and convictions that they lived to fight another day (or
didn’t).
Thanks for stopping
by!
Thank you very much for having me! It’s been a pleasure.
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