Ask the Author: Robert Jacoby
Answered Questions (6)
Robert Jacoby
It's not so much inspiration as it is work. I sit down at my writing desk every morning to work. When I am away from my writing desk, I carry with me a pen and notebook so that I can record any fragments of scenes, pieces of text, phrases, or words that I may want to incorporate into the novel.
Robert Jacoby
The process. Getting a thought in a word or phrase for a sentence or conversation or scene, and writing that down and working it out or letting it set there overnight and coming back to it the next day to work on it.
The work itself. The physical act of writing long hand with pen in hand--there's nothing like it in this world for me. I create as I write, as I work.
Writing a novel, creating that new world, inhabiting that world, then reporting back on the page what I've seen. There's no comparable artistic endeavor to writing a novel.
And finishing a novel. I've written three novels now (published two), and I'm working on my fourth one. It's interesting to me to sense my growth as a novelist. Novel #4 is flowing out of me like life. It's been a very natural process so far, and I hope that continues.
The work itself. The physical act of writing long hand with pen in hand--there's nothing like it in this world for me. I create as I write, as I work.
Writing a novel, creating that new world, inhabiting that world, then reporting back on the page what I've seen. There's no comparable artistic endeavor to writing a novel.
And finishing a novel. I've written three novels now (published two), and I'm working on my fourth one. It's interesting to me to sense my growth as a novelist. Novel #4 is flowing out of me like life. It's been a very natural process so far, and I hope that continues.
Robert Jacoby
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Robert Jacoby
Hi Richard,
Thank you for your interest in my new novel, "Dusk and Ember," and thank you for asking this important question.
The short answer is: It may be best to read the books in the order I wrote them. In that case, yes, read “There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes” (2012) before you read “Dusk and Ember” (2019).
My long explanation is (and without giving too much away—no spoiler alerts here—it’s safe to continue reading):
Most of the action in the new novel “Dusk and Ember” takes place about 6 months before the novel “Noah.” I say “most of the action” because I do make use of flashbacks to present back story, in both novels, and there is some overlap. How could there not be? It’s the same character. But as I started working on "Dusk and Ember" (the new novel), I did not return much to the old novel (“Noah”) to check on this or that detail of a memory. This was deliberate because I wanted to convey the sense of our fluid memories, of how we can have different takes on a past event from a different point in our future lives. I also very much intended for both novels to stand alone as their own separate works. In other words, for me, it’s not necessary to read them “in chronological order”; that is, “Dusk and Ember” first and “Noah” second. If someone does that and finds “errors” in the recollections, the memories, of the character, that’s on me. Chalk it up to human fallibility and our faulty memories, of me and the fictional character.
Will Richard ever reach 20? I like to think so.
Will I ever write about him again? I don’t think so. I never intended to make a series with the character Richard Issych and his world. But I can’t say for sure. If you’d like a little more on this, read my “Letter to My Editor,” which I wrote soon after completing work on Dusk and Ember, here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog....
Again, thank you for asking this important question. I’m sure I’ll need to refer to my response here as more people discover my books. :)
Thank you for your interest in my new novel, "Dusk and Ember," and thank you for asking this important question.
The short answer is: It may be best to read the books in the order I wrote them. In that case, yes, read “There Are Reasons Noah Packed No Clothes” (2012) before you read “Dusk and Ember” (2019).
My long explanation is (and without giving too much away—no spoiler alerts here—it’s safe to continue reading):
Most of the action in the new novel “Dusk and Ember” takes place about 6 months before the novel “Noah.” I say “most of the action” because I do make use of flashbacks to present back story, in both novels, and there is some overlap. How could there not be? It’s the same character. But as I started working on "Dusk and Ember" (the new novel), I did not return much to the old novel (“Noah”) to check on this or that detail of a memory. This was deliberate because I wanted to convey the sense of our fluid memories, of how we can have different takes on a past event from a different point in our future lives. I also very much intended for both novels to stand alone as their own separate works. In other words, for me, it’s not necessary to read them “in chronological order”; that is, “Dusk and Ember” first and “Noah” second. If someone does that and finds “errors” in the recollections, the memories, of the character, that’s on me. Chalk it up to human fallibility and our faulty memories, of me and the fictional character.
Will Richard ever reach 20? I like to think so.
Will I ever write about him again? I don’t think so. I never intended to make a series with the character Richard Issych and his world. But I can’t say for sure. If you’d like a little more on this, read my “Letter to My Editor,” which I wrote soon after completing work on Dusk and Ember, here: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog....
Again, thank you for asking this important question. I’m sure I’ll need to refer to my response here as more people discover my books. :)
Robert Jacoby
Many projects ongoing.
First up is my new (and second) novel, Dusk and Ember, scheduled for release in May. I've just finished up the page proofs, and the galleys should be available on NetGalley soon. So if you use that platform, be looking for it! I think I'll also be doing a pre-publication Goodreads giveway of the Kindle version.
Work on my third novel wrapped up in January, but as I began work on a fourth novel ... a few new ideas (tweaks) appeared for that third novel. So I'll have to revisit before its publication, which I hope is next year.
First up is my new (and second) novel, Dusk and Ember, scheduled for release in May. I've just finished up the page proofs, and the galleys should be available on NetGalley soon. So if you use that platform, be looking for it! I think I'll also be doing a pre-publication Goodreads giveway of the Kindle version.
Work on my third novel wrapped up in January, but as I began work on a fourth novel ... a few new ideas (tweaks) appeared for that third novel. So I'll have to revisit before its publication, which I hope is next year.
Robert Jacoby
I don't know what writer's block is.
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