Ask the Author: Jon Doust
Answered Questions (8)
Jon Doust
Castle Gormenghast, the horrible setting for Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast.
I would surviveand knowing I could survive that place, would give me confidence to survive many others.
I would surviveand knowing I could survive that place, would give me confidence to survive many others.
Jon Doust
Learn to cope with rejection.
Jon Doust
I get to deal, and cope, with an inner voice that torments me. The only way to ease the torment is to write it all down. I started as a letter writer at age 12, moved on to a diary, then journal, then short stories from about 20.
I feel for those who suffer similarly, yet are not blest with an art form.
I feel for those who suffer similarly, yet are not blest with an art form.
Jon Doust
By reading. Reading. Did I mention reading?
Jon Doust
Once, I talked about the current work, while working on it, read bits of it to people, groups.
No longer.
Now I work the work, uttering not a word, not until it is done, completed, contract signed.
My wife, my life partner, knows nothing.
No longer.
Now I work the work, uttering not a word, not until it is done, completed, contract signed.
My wife, my life partner, knows nothing.
Jon Doust
Read. Read. Wait. Read. Read. Wait. Read. Garden. Climb a tree. Surf. Run. Whatever. If you are a writer, your brain will click.
Jon Doust
Summer has left us here in the southern hemisphere, but I managed to get through this lot:
Judas - Amos Oz
Damascus - Christos Tsiolkas
The History of Islam - Ed Husain
My Name is Why - Lemn sissay
The Albanian - Donna Mazza
Zealot - Reza Aslan
The Edge of the World - Marcella Polain
How Democracy Ends - David Runciman
The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump - Bandy Lee
Moon Palace - Paul Auster
A Happy Death - Albert Camus
Lanny - Max Porter
Point Omega - Don Delillo
Bird - Adam Morris
State Highway One - Sam Coley
Judas - Amos Oz
Damascus - Christos Tsiolkas
The History of Islam - Ed Husain
My Name is Why - Lemn sissay
The Albanian - Donna Mazza
Zealot - Reza Aslan
The Edge of the World - Marcella Polain
How Democracy Ends - David Runciman
The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump - Bandy Lee
Moon Palace - Paul Auster
A Happy Death - Albert Camus
Lanny - Max Porter
Point Omega - Don Delillo
Bird - Adam Morris
State Highway One - Sam Coley
Jon Doust
I had spent four years writing a book that no one wanted, so I stopped writing, and read. And read. Waiting. And read. Then I read George Johnston's Clean Straw for Nothing. And it came to me, the structure, and the voice.
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