Ask the Author: Johan Twiss
Answered Questions (7)
Johan Twiss
Hi Grace,
I apologize it took me so long to answer your question. I didn't see it on Goodreads until today.
Thank you for reading Mind Palace and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Yes, the Disneyland scene is one of my favorites as well. A lot of emotions in that chapter.
I've had a few folks ask about a sequel to this story, but I'm not sure where it would go, and I worry it wouldn't live up to book one. But you never know when inspiration will strike.
I write a bit about the inspiration to this story in the author notes at the end of the book.
We had a family friend who was struggling with dementia and would think I was his buddy from the fifties during some of our conversations.
At the same time, I saw a news story on TV about a man with this same type of meningitis who had locked-in syndrome for 14 years. They weren't aware he could hear and understand everything around him. The man created an imaginary world to stay sane, and eventually came out of it. He learned to walk again, talk, and even married.
These two things collided in my mind and the story of Aaron and Solomon came to be.
Thanks again for reading! If you're ever near one of my upcoming events, stop by and say hi.
https://johantwiss.com/pages/events
All the best,
Johan
I apologize it took me so long to answer your question. I didn't see it on Goodreads until today.
Thank you for reading Mind Palace and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. Yes, the Disneyland scene is one of my favorites as well. A lot of emotions in that chapter.
I've had a few folks ask about a sequel to this story, but I'm not sure where it would go, and I worry it wouldn't live up to book one. But you never know when inspiration will strike.
I write a bit about the inspiration to this story in the author notes at the end of the book.
We had a family friend who was struggling with dementia and would think I was his buddy from the fifties during some of our conversations.
At the same time, I saw a news story on TV about a man with this same type of meningitis who had locked-in syndrome for 14 years. They weren't aware he could hear and understand everything around him. The man created an imaginary world to stay sane, and eventually came out of it. He learned to walk again, talk, and even married.
These two things collided in my mind and the story of Aaron and Solomon came to be.
Thanks again for reading! If you're ever near one of my upcoming events, stop by and say hi.
https://johantwiss.com/pages/events
All the best,
Johan
Johan Twiss
Feb 2017. It's currently undergoing final edits and the final cover last designed.
Johan Twiss
My dreams. I'm always writing down the wild dreams I have during the night. They often become the baseline for a lot of my stories.
Luckily, my wife isn't too sick of me saying, "So I had this crazy dream last night. Want to hear my book idea for it?"
Then again, maybe her eye rolling isn't a weird morning ritual and she is sick of my book ideas. I'm not sure yet.
Luckily, my wife isn't too sick of me saying, "So I had this crazy dream last night. Want to hear my book idea for it?"
Then again, maybe her eye rolling isn't a weird morning ritual and she is sick of my book ideas. I'm not sure yet.
Johan Twiss
As Dory from Finding Nemo says, "Just keep swimming," but for authors, "Just keep writing."
Johan Twiss
The endorphin release that comes with discovery.
Writing is an addiction for me, and it's one that I wholeheartedly feed. I love the discovery process creating a story from scratch. I’m always surprised and fascinated by the ideas that pop into my mind and exploring where those take the characters and plot. It gives me goosebumps. It’s the drug that keeps me writing.
Writing is an addiction for me, and it's one that I wholeheartedly feed. I love the discovery process creating a story from scratch. I’m always surprised and fascinated by the ideas that pop into my mind and exploring where those take the characters and plot. It gives me goosebumps. It’s the drug that keeps me writing.
Johan Twiss
Honestly, I have not experienced writer's block yet. I'm sure I will at some point, but for now I have dozens of ideas for books and exciting scenes I want to write in my current works in progress.
Right now I wonder if I will ever be able to write all the stories I want to tell.
Right now I wonder if I will ever be able to write all the stories I want to tell.
Johan Twiss
I'm currently working on a mini novella series titled 4 YEARS TRAPPED IN MY MIND PALACE. I'm about 3/4 through the first draft and have a release date of May 2016.
You can download the first 5 chapter sampler (remember it's a first draft) at my website http://iamsleepless.weebly.com/4-year...
BOOK SUMMARY:
Diagnosed with a rare form of meningitis, eleven-year-old Aaron Greenburg is paralyzed from head-to-toe. He can't move a muscle or any part of his body, including his eyes or his eyelids to blink. Although he is alive, his doctors believe he is brain dead and unaware of his surroundings. But Aaron is not brain dead. He is very much aware of everything, trapped in his own mind with no way to communicate with anyone, including his parents.
Placed in a rest home for full-time care, Aaron retreats into his mind to cope with his imprisonment. But after one year alone, Aaron receives a roommate in the form of an outspoken, old, Jewish jazz musician named Solomon. With the blanket diagnosis of dementia, everyone thinks Solomon is crazy, especially Aaron. But when Aaron talks to Solomon in his mind, carrying on the normal one-way conversations he has with all of his visitors, something strange and unexpected occurs.
You can download the first 5 chapter sampler (remember it's a first draft) at my website http://iamsleepless.weebly.com/4-year...
BOOK SUMMARY:
Diagnosed with a rare form of meningitis, eleven-year-old Aaron Greenburg is paralyzed from head-to-toe. He can't move a muscle or any part of his body, including his eyes or his eyelids to blink. Although he is alive, his doctors believe he is brain dead and unaware of his surroundings. But Aaron is not brain dead. He is very much aware of everything, trapped in his own mind with no way to communicate with anyone, including his parents.
Placed in a rest home for full-time care, Aaron retreats into his mind to cope with his imprisonment. But after one year alone, Aaron receives a roommate in the form of an outspoken, old, Jewish jazz musician named Solomon. With the blanket diagnosis of dementia, everyone thinks Solomon is crazy, especially Aaron. But when Aaron talks to Solomon in his mind, carrying on the normal one-way conversations he has with all of his visitors, something strange and unexpected occurs.
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