Ask the Author: Mark Aberdeen
Answered Questions (6)
Mark Aberdeen
I was writing a book and suddenly I thought, 'wouldn't it be great if there was a book between this one and the one before it?' That's about what happened in a nutshell. I wanted it to be a little novelette, but the story poured out and it wouldn't let up. I had a first draft in six weeks. It took two months of editing and that was before my editor got hold of it, told me I was an idiot and it nearly caused him a nervous breakdown, but we hammered it into a great story. I'm really proud of Knight and Dex. The story is relentless. It's going to take you for a ride.
Mark Aberdeen
I'm inspired all the time, sometimes the issue is to find time to fit it into my day. Writing is something I do on the side and it's my way of dealing with corporate stress, everyday minutia and to work out something that's bothering me. It's therapy for me. I mean what could be better than to base a character on someone who upset you and write about knocking them off them in a horrible way? It takes care of the problem and there's less jail time. The really cool part is when I write, I get to hang in amazing places with cool people doing incredible things. How can that not be inspiring?
Mark Aberdeen
I'm working on book three of the Dex Territory series, the book is called Dex Machina and it takes place about six months after the end of Knight and Dex. It may be the craziest thing I've ever written and that's saying something. I hope to have it out next year.
Mark Aberdeen
The secret to be being a writer is to write. Don't talk about writing, don't dream about writing, park your butt in a chair and start typing words, string them together in sentences and onward to paragraphs. Before you know it, you have chapters and eventually a story. Your story begins at the point of a change and ends when the change is complete, stop there. Also, people always tell you to 'write what you know.' Don't. Write what you don't know, you'll learn more.
Mark Aberdeen
It's the long hours, terrible pay and the alienation of family a friends. Just kidding! Or, am I? Writing is hard, hard work, but when you hold that book in your hands and you realize there's something new in the world and it has your name on the cover, it's the greatest feeling outside of mind-blowing sex with someone you truly love, or a hot pastrami sandwich on rye. Depends on the day.
Mark Aberdeen
When I get writer's block it usually means I'm down the wrong path in terms of story, but often because I had a character make a wrong choice. It could be that I made things too easy on them. What's the fun of having great character if you don't have them overcome great things? If I'm blocked, I forge ahead further into the story, sometimes the answer comes from backtracking from a future spot. Always forward!
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