Ask the Author: L.E. Howel
Answered Questions (11)
L.E. Howel
Oh yes, personal is always best. I can read a plot outline for a novel anywhere. What is much more interesting is how it impacts us as readers. The Picture of Dorian Gray has very important, interesting themes (very much like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). I’m glad you found it so impactful.
L.E. Howel
Hi Michael, you’re quite welcome. 1984 certainly has a lot to say to us all. I suspect that every society is susceptible to the belief that Orwell’s warning was written for others, while engaging in our own form of required ‘goodthink’. Just try deviating from the accepted orthodoxy of today’s America and see what happens. ‘Thoughtcrime’ is still not tolerated. Orwellian indeed.
Yes, writing reviews is certainly a good way to keep sharp. Of course reading itself is another important component of good writing. I find reading contrasting genres, styles, and viewpoints very refreshing. It keeps things flowing for me.
Best of luck in your future writing.
Yes, writing reviews is certainly a good way to keep sharp. Of course reading itself is another important component of good writing. I find reading contrasting genres, styles, and viewpoints very refreshing. It keeps things flowing for me.
Best of luck in your future writing.
L.E. Howel
Hi Stella,
Thanks for your good question. My writing career certainly hasn’t been straightforward. In my early years I had quite a few problems with the simple basics of both reading and writing. I was diagnosed as dyslexic and some of my teachers thought I would never learn, but I am very thankful that over time I was able to deal with that.
I suppose my start came from a love of reading and then, around my early teen years, I became obsessed with Choose Your Own Adventure stories and wrote my own feeble versions that I inflicted upon many of my school friends. They seemed to enjoy them, and I’ve been writing ever since.
My first novel, Planetfall, was started when I was only 18, but it wasn’t truly finished for many, many years. My second novel, Fallback, was a much swifter affair, but it still took me over two years to finish. Perhaps one day I’ll have the time to churn out books at a more acceptable rate!
I suppose as a writer getting our work noticed is the hardest thing. Thankfully self-publishing has allowed many writers (such as Andy Weir, author of The Martian) the opportunity to break through and I’ve been happy with the results myself. Of course the challenges continue, but I am hopeful that I am on the right track.
Many thanks again for your thoughtful question,
L.E. Howel
Thanks for your good question. My writing career certainly hasn’t been straightforward. In my early years I had quite a few problems with the simple basics of both reading and writing. I was diagnosed as dyslexic and some of my teachers thought I would never learn, but I am very thankful that over time I was able to deal with that.
I suppose my start came from a love of reading and then, around my early teen years, I became obsessed with Choose Your Own Adventure stories and wrote my own feeble versions that I inflicted upon many of my school friends. They seemed to enjoy them, and I’ve been writing ever since.
My first novel, Planetfall, was started when I was only 18, but it wasn’t truly finished for many, many years. My second novel, Fallback, was a much swifter affair, but it still took me over two years to finish. Perhaps one day I’ll have the time to churn out books at a more acceptable rate!
I suppose as a writer getting our work noticed is the hardest thing. Thankfully self-publishing has allowed many writers (such as Andy Weir, author of The Martian) the opportunity to break through and I’ve been happy with the results myself. Of course the challenges continue, but I am hopeful that I am on the right track.
Many thanks again for your thoughtful question,
L.E. Howel
L.E. Howel
Hi Stella,
Thanks for your question. The only book by Markus Zusak that I have read so far is The Book Thief. I have to say from this example that I love the humanity of his writing. I especially liked the fact that he looked at World War II from the perspective of the Germans, traditionally the ‘bad guys’, and showed the harsh effects on their civilian population. Interestingly this theme of seeing the humanity in unlikely places even crossed over to the worst ‘bad guy’ of them all, Death. Even he was seen looking down on the tragedy of war with what can be perhaps described as a remote sense of sadness. I loved it! In that sense this book is a masterpiece, so yes, I do like Markus Zusak very much.
Thanks for your question. The only book by Markus Zusak that I have read so far is The Book Thief. I have to say from this example that I love the humanity of his writing. I especially liked the fact that he looked at World War II from the perspective of the Germans, traditionally the ‘bad guys’, and showed the harsh effects on their civilian population. Interestingly this theme of seeing the humanity in unlikely places even crossed over to the worst ‘bad guy’ of them all, Death. Even he was seen looking down on the tragedy of war with what can be perhaps described as a remote sense of sadness. I loved it! In that sense this book is a masterpiece, so yes, I do like Markus Zusak very much.
L.E. Howel
Hi Johnny,
Thanks for your question. I’ve been asked that before and I can understand how there could be some confusion over it. The answer lies in a couple of later passages-
-At the end of chapter seven Birch walked through a door that mysteriously appeared in the jungle. Then, at the beginning of chapter eight, he has a strange out-of-body experience and saw himself on an operating table while doctors worked on him. This was an indication that what he had experienced in the previous chapter wasn’t real. When he walked through the door at the end of chapter seven he had passed from an illusion into reality.
-All of this was confirmed in chapter nine when Area Commander Gibbs explained to Birch that he and his crew had been placed in envirodomes during the first stage of their quarantine, but because of his adverse reaction to it they had all been removed. “Some of you… aren’t ready for paradise,” Gibbs commented, pointing out a subtle theme that Birch can’t even enjoy a good thing when he has it. He always saw the worst, and in the free environment of the envirodome those fears became reality and turned his paradise into a nightmare.
Nothing in the envirodome was real. It was supposed to be a beautiful illusion that gave you everything you wanted but really gave you nothing at all. It was an empty existence where nothing really happened. In Birch’s mind that world darkened to match his thoughts, but the horrors there were just as unreal as the pleasures would have been. Thus physical things, such as a broken leg, would never transfer into the real world. They were part of a false reality created in the envirodome. The only danger Birch really faced there was from his own mental breakdown as he imagined ever greater horrors. This danger was why the door was opened and he was permitted to leave. As Gibbs said, “we saved you from yourself”.
I hope that clears it up for you. There are a few other hints to the same theme much later in the book again, but I don’t really want to go into that here. I wouldn’t want to give out too many spoilers!
L.E. Howel
Thanks for your question. I’ve been asked that before and I can understand how there could be some confusion over it. The answer lies in a couple of later passages-
-At the end of chapter seven Birch walked through a door that mysteriously appeared in the jungle. Then, at the beginning of chapter eight, he has a strange out-of-body experience and saw himself on an operating table while doctors worked on him. This was an indication that what he had experienced in the previous chapter wasn’t real. When he walked through the door at the end of chapter seven he had passed from an illusion into reality.
-All of this was confirmed in chapter nine when Area Commander Gibbs explained to Birch that he and his crew had been placed in envirodomes during the first stage of their quarantine, but because of his adverse reaction to it they had all been removed. “Some of you… aren’t ready for paradise,” Gibbs commented, pointing out a subtle theme that Birch can’t even enjoy a good thing when he has it. He always saw the worst, and in the free environment of the envirodome those fears became reality and turned his paradise into a nightmare.
Nothing in the envirodome was real. It was supposed to be a beautiful illusion that gave you everything you wanted but really gave you nothing at all. It was an empty existence where nothing really happened. In Birch’s mind that world darkened to match his thoughts, but the horrors there were just as unreal as the pleasures would have been. Thus physical things, such as a broken leg, would never transfer into the real world. They were part of a false reality created in the envirodome. The only danger Birch really faced there was from his own mental breakdown as he imagined ever greater horrors. This danger was why the door was opened and he was permitted to leave. As Gibbs said, “we saved you from yourself”.
I hope that clears it up for you. There are a few other hints to the same theme much later in the book again, but I don’t really want to go into that here. I wouldn’t want to give out too many spoilers!
L.E. Howel
L.E. Howel
Thanks for the question, Kaavia, it’s a good one. There isn’t one simple answer to it. It really depends. Sometimes my mind wanders, I see things in the world today and I wonder how they might change us in the future. Everything has intended and unintended consequences and things are constantly changing. It’s interesting to consider where those changes will take us.
At other times I see events in history and I consider how we would react to them in modern times. Our lives are very different from the people of the past, but we are all human. I think history has a lot more to teach us than just a list of dates and events. We can see a lot of who were are by understanding who we have been.
The story develops as I go along. I know exactly where the story is going, but sometimes I’m surprised by how we get there. The characters have a lot to do with that. I have a very clear idea of each of their personalities and their (sometimes secret) motivations. There are times when I have gone into a scene intending one thing, only to find the characters won’t cooperate. That sounds a little crazy, but if the characters are strong enough to argue with the writer then something good has happened.
I suppose I could talk for hours on this subject, but hopefully that gives you some idea of how things work for me.
Regards,
LEH
At other times I see events in history and I consider how we would react to them in modern times. Our lives are very different from the people of the past, but we are all human. I think history has a lot more to teach us than just a list of dates and events. We can see a lot of who were are by understanding who we have been.
The story develops as I go along. I know exactly where the story is going, but sometimes I’m surprised by how we get there. The characters have a lot to do with that. I have a very clear idea of each of their personalities and their (sometimes secret) motivations. There are times when I have gone into a scene intending one thing, only to find the characters won’t cooperate. That sounds a little crazy, but if the characters are strong enough to argue with the writer then something good has happened.
I suppose I could talk for hours on this subject, but hopefully that gives you some idea of how things work for me.
Regards,
LEH
L.E. Howel
Hi Matthew, that’s an interesting question and I think there are a few possible answers. One approach you could try is thinking about people you know and incorporating some of their characteristics into your character. I think it’s a little like my experience of art. The only way I can draw anything is to see it. I find it much easier making something realistic if it is based on reality. Of course it’s always best to avoid directly lifting all you mother-in-law’s personality traits entirely into one single character. Life gets hard. It’s pretty common for writers to take some aspects of different people they know and mix them together to make their own unique person. It still has that basis in reality, but it won’t get you hurt!
Another idea I use is having a clear idea of the person’s back story. If I know what they have been through before this point in the story I usually have a good idea of how they will react later on. A person’s character is shaped by their experiences. I imagine what it would feel like to be that person, to have been in their life, and then let that shape how they act now. At times the characters can come to life so effectively that they wrestle the scene away from the writer, doing what they want rather than what we imagine. I love it when that happens. It becomes more like watching a movie in your mind than writing a story you have come up with. This is very much the basis of my MC in Planetfall. I know some people find Major Birch’s character a little strong (with all his anger issues) but he has his own motivations and that will gradually be explained as the series of books progresses. I certainly wouldn’t attempt a character like his without a clear understanding of his experiences and a real “feel” for what it is that makes him tick.
I hope this helps. It’s what works for me anyway.
Happy writing!
Another idea I use is having a clear idea of the person’s back story. If I know what they have been through before this point in the story I usually have a good idea of how they will react later on. A person’s character is shaped by their experiences. I imagine what it would feel like to be that person, to have been in their life, and then let that shape how they act now. At times the characters can come to life so effectively that they wrestle the scene away from the writer, doing what they want rather than what we imagine. I love it when that happens. It becomes more like watching a movie in your mind than writing a story you have come up with. This is very much the basis of my MC in Planetfall. I know some people find Major Birch’s character a little strong (with all his anger issues) but he has his own motivations and that will gradually be explained as the series of books progresses. I certainly wouldn’t attempt a character like his without a clear understanding of his experiences and a real “feel” for what it is that makes him tick.
I hope this helps. It’s what works for me anyway.
Happy writing!
L.E. Howel
When I was a kid people thought I lived in a world of my own. Now I do.
L.E. Howel
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your question. Fallback: Planetfall Book II is due to come out in 2016. I can’t be more specific than that right now, but I’ll be sure to post more information on here as things get closer.
Fallback sees Thomas Birch lead his dysfunctional crew back into space. Expect a lot more answers to what brought the Hypnos III back to Earth, as they form a final desperate plan to save their lives.
The past continues to haunt Birch as he struggles to survive in an unwelcoming future, and, as usual, he is left wondering if the only thing worse than what he is running from is what he is running to.
Regards,
L.E.H.
Thanks for your question. Fallback: Planetfall Book II is due to come out in 2016. I can’t be more specific than that right now, but I’ll be sure to post more information on here as things get closer.
Fallback sees Thomas Birch lead his dysfunctional crew back into space. Expect a lot more answers to what brought the Hypnos III back to Earth, as they form a final desperate plan to save their lives.
The past continues to haunt Birch as he struggles to survive in an unwelcoming future, and, as usual, he is left wondering if the only thing worse than what he is running from is what he is running to.
Regards,
L.E.H.
L.E. Howel
Well, I guess it doesn’t take much to call myself a writer. Scratch a few scribblings on a page and I’m a ‘writer’. Getting anybody else to notice is something else. All any aspiring author can do is write, try to promote our work, and then write some more.
L.E. Howel
Write for yourself. Try as you might, you will never please everyone, so please yourself. Then you know at least one person will be happy.
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