Michael J. Sullivan
The tricky part of answering this question is figuring out which is intended to be "my most recent book"? Hollow World is the most recent book I published, but I've written three manuscript drafts since then. In reality it doesn't matter.
I don't get "an idea" for any novel. For me novels are too complex to be based on a single idea. Book are more of a container where a lot of ideas are thrown and left to grow into something interesting. Most books I write are the result of years and often decades of ideas that I have played with in my head.
Hollow World was filled with all sorts of ideas, as anyone reading it can easily tell. The series I am presently in the middle of, is an idea I began formulating in 2004 as part of the ancient history of the Riyria Revelations, and I'm still throwing ideas into it.
I know that all sounds like I am sidestepping your question. So here's the real answer...a guy named Bob.
I don't get "an idea" for any novel. For me novels are too complex to be based on a single idea. Book are more of a container where a lot of ideas are thrown and left to grow into something interesting. Most books I write are the result of years and often decades of ideas that I have played with in my head.
Hollow World was filled with all sorts of ideas, as anyone reading it can easily tell. The series I am presently in the middle of, is an idea I began formulating in 2004 as part of the ancient history of the Riyria Revelations, and I'm still throwing ideas into it.
I know that all sounds like I am sidestepping your question. So here's the real answer...a guy named Bob.
More Answered Questions
Eon Windrunner
asked
Michael J. Sullivan:
Hi Michael I have noticed that many authors who are published with well established publishing houses are releasing new series via the self published route (Amazon's CreateSpace mostly). Would love to hear your thoughts on why an author might do this, especially as it seems that the end product is priced higher and the book sizing is also very different to the usual sizes?
FrenzieMcKenzie
asked
Michael J. Sullivan:
Hi Michael, when you introduce a character into one of your stories do you know they are going to die? What makes you decide to kill them? I recently read The Riyria Revelations which was awesome. I really noticed that there were a lot of people dying and I started to get suspicious how far any new character I met would make it. So I was wondering what goes on with character death from your perspective as a writer.
Kyle Butler
asked
Michael J. Sullivan:
Hi Mike! I have a question about Revelations, as compared to Chronicles. Reading the Riyria Revelations, I found myself liking Arista a lot more than Alric. However, when I read the Riyria Chronicles, I felt the opposite. Was it your intention to create this difference in the characters likability between the two series?
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more