Ask the Author: Ben Tousey
Answered Questions (10)
Ben Tousey
I think I'd like to visit Hogwarts castle. It has always fascinated me. I would introduce myself to anyone, I would just like to explore and see what the castle had to offer, particularly those places that don't get a lot of traffic otherwise.
Ben Tousey
I've added a few books:
Thank you for Arguing: The art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs
The Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku
The Man who Wasn't there: Tales from the Edge of the Self by Anil Ananthaswam
Myths to Live By by Joseph Campbell
St. Paul: The Apostle we Love to Hate by Karen Armstrong
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (I'm working on a play that plays with that concept).
Thank you for Arguing: The art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs
The Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku
The Man who Wasn't there: Tales from the Edge of the Self by Anil Ananthaswam
Myths to Live By by Joseph Campbell
St. Paul: The Apostle we Love to Hate by Karen Armstrong
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (I'm working on a play that plays with that concept).
Ben Tousey
The question is, "What 'mystery' in life..." but to be honest, I would say that "life" is the mystery. This whole notion that "I" sit here, look around, notice things, and that they happen to ME. That before there was me I don't remember anything, and at some point I'm going to cease to be. Those in my life who were there and are now gone. Where did they go? Why? Is there a purpose to any of it?
I've often thought that it could make for great comedy (and great drama) to create a story about a guy (a very well-read skeptic) who is always trying to kill himself but in such a way so that he gets rescued every time in order to figure out what happens after he dies. It sets up a bizarre interaction between his family, those who love him, and those who are constantly being asked to revive him.
I've often thought that it could make for great comedy (and great drama) to create a story about a guy (a very well-read skeptic) who is always trying to kill himself but in such a way so that he gets rescued every time in order to figure out what happens after he dies. It sets up a bizarre interaction between his family, those who love him, and those who are constantly being asked to revive him.
Ben Tousey
That's a tough call. There are some really awesome couples out there. I would have to say that so far, I lean toward Brian Kinney and Justin Taylor. It was a messed up relationship, but they tried.
My favorite bromance couple is JD (John Dorian) and Christopher Turk on Scrubs. They were the coolest friends and had such a great chemistry.
My favorite bromance couple is JD (John Dorian) and Christopher Turk on Scrubs. They were the coolest friends and had such a great chemistry.
Ben Tousey
I had the idea for Eye of the Morning for quite some time, only it came to me in pieces. Jeff and Timothy were playing around in my head for months, but I didn't necessarily understand their relationship to each other.
Ogre was another story altogether. In this story he was a hideous guy that another guy found gorgeous, and because of that, he was drawn to this guy.
Both of these stories played in my head until I started writing the original idea between Tim and Jeff. It was at that moment that I knew that Ogre was going to have a strong role in this story, and that he would be the catalyst between Jeff and Tim. He would be what drove the story.
I had intended to write only the one book, but when I reached one-hundred thousand words, I wasn't done, and I knew it. Half way through the second book, I knew that there was going to be one more story. It was going to be a trilogy.
HOWEVER! As often happens, another story, a powerful story jumped in line ahead of the next story and I had to write that one. This one took me back to the beginning, to the moment that started it all for Tim and for Ogre. This book would precede my third book. That's why I joking refer to this series as my four-book trilogy. And yet, around these stories, more stories are starting to show up... so I have no idea how far this is going to go.
Ogre was another story altogether. In this story he was a hideous guy that another guy found gorgeous, and because of that, he was drawn to this guy.
Both of these stories played in my head until I started writing the original idea between Tim and Jeff. It was at that moment that I knew that Ogre was going to have a strong role in this story, and that he would be the catalyst between Jeff and Tim. He would be what drove the story.
I had intended to write only the one book, but when I reached one-hundred thousand words, I wasn't done, and I knew it. Half way through the second book, I knew that there was going to be one more story. It was going to be a trilogy.
HOWEVER! As often happens, another story, a powerful story jumped in line ahead of the next story and I had to write that one. This one took me back to the beginning, to the moment that started it all for Tim and for Ogre. This book would precede my third book. That's why I joking refer to this series as my four-book trilogy. And yet, around these stories, more stories are starting to show up... so I have no idea how far this is going to go.
Ben Tousey
I always have ideas going on in my head... constantly. I have really awesome dreams that come in the form of stories.
I keep a dream journal, where I write out all of my dreams as scripts and I keep another journal where I write out all of my ideas and categorize them by type. I have ideas for plays, ideas for sketches, ideas for short stories, ideas for books, ideas for essays... ideas ideas ideas. I write them all down when I have them. If I'm in the car, I have a little digital recorder that I talk into.
The Muse is a fickle thing. She's there for you, but she's got a crazy sense of timing. Whatever idea she gives me, if it moves me, I write it down. I'm not compelled to act on it that moment, but it's there, a reminder.
We tend to think of inspiration as a blast from some unseen force that moves us so that our bodies are doing the work, but our 'soul' is someplace else. That does happen from time to time, but it's more often than not that I simply need to sit down and write. Occasionally I don't know what's going to happen, so I keep writing.
Most of my best work comes out of my third draft. By that point, I understand quite well what my muse was saying to me all along.
I keep a dream journal, where I write out all of my dreams as scripts and I keep another journal where I write out all of my ideas and categorize them by type. I have ideas for plays, ideas for sketches, ideas for short stories, ideas for books, ideas for essays... ideas ideas ideas. I write them all down when I have them. If I'm in the car, I have a little digital recorder that I talk into.
The Muse is a fickle thing. She's there for you, but she's got a crazy sense of timing. Whatever idea she gives me, if it moves me, I write it down. I'm not compelled to act on it that moment, but it's there, a reminder.
We tend to think of inspiration as a blast from some unseen force that moves us so that our bodies are doing the work, but our 'soul' is someplace else. That does happen from time to time, but it's more often than not that I simply need to sit down and write. Occasionally I don't know what's going to happen, so I keep writing.
Most of my best work comes out of my third draft. By that point, I understand quite well what my muse was saying to me all along.
Ben Tousey
Watch out for baby killers.
When I'm just starting out with a project, or when I have an idea for a project, I'm very very very careful about who I talk to about it. A new project for me is just like a new baby, and it must be handled very delicately. I talk about it only when I have to and I try to make that as rare as possible. And when I do talk about it, I speak only to those who realize that this is a very young project... and for the most part, all these people do is listen, and act as a sounding board. These people are gifts.
As the project grows, it takes on its own personality. It develops, it grows stronger, but it's still young, and still in need of protection.
Once I start a project, I finish it. If at any point I decide that it's just not working with, I do a formal burial, acknowledging its presence, its gift, and that it is finally time to say good-bye.
When the project is finally finished, it's time to introduce it to a wider audience. I choose my first audience based on their ability to provide needed, but productive input.
Once it's out on its own, it's now able to stand on its own. I still love it, but regardless of any comments now, it's able to stand.
But it never would have made it this far if I had let it near any baby killers: those people who, for whatever reason, feel compelled to say far more about the project than they should, and can sometimes be harsh and cold. Hence, Baby Killers.
When I'm just starting out with a project, or when I have an idea for a project, I'm very very very careful about who I talk to about it. A new project for me is just like a new baby, and it must be handled very delicately. I talk about it only when I have to and I try to make that as rare as possible. And when I do talk about it, I speak only to those who realize that this is a very young project... and for the most part, all these people do is listen, and act as a sounding board. These people are gifts.
As the project grows, it takes on its own personality. It develops, it grows stronger, but it's still young, and still in need of protection.
Once I start a project, I finish it. If at any point I decide that it's just not working with, I do a formal burial, acknowledging its presence, its gift, and that it is finally time to say good-bye.
When the project is finally finished, it's time to introduce it to a wider audience. I choose my first audience based on their ability to provide needed, but productive input.
Once it's out on its own, it's now able to stand on its own. I still love it, but regardless of any comments now, it's able to stand.
But it never would have made it this far if I had let it near any baby killers: those people who, for whatever reason, feel compelled to say far more about the project than they should, and can sometimes be harsh and cold. Hence, Baby Killers.
Ben Tousey
Book number four in the Eye of the Morning series. The story is taking some interesting twists, and I'm finding myself a bit surprised by some of those twists and turns.
Ben Tousey
The story. There's something freeing about watching characters face many of the things you face in everyday life, and yet they overcome them. It gives me a chance to use metaphor as a way of looking at life, and it makes the life I have much deeper. I love stories, and creating them is as personal to me as anything else I do.
Ben Tousey
Writer's block to me is an interesting dilemma, since I don't know that it's necessarily a "block," per se. Often times when I write I'm overcome with thoughts that tend to hinder me. Thoughts like: You're not that good of a writer; people are going to hate your book; god this book is going to be so long... It's a long list.
So I write through them. I acknowledge them: "Oh yah, that's how I feel at the moment," and then I keep writing.
When I'm not sure what to do with a story, I just keep writing. I don't mind writing a couple of directions just to see if one is better than the other and eventually, something comes together.
Ultimately, for my process, the story tells me, and so it's simply important that I listen to it, and I listen by writing.
So I write through them. I acknowledge them: "Oh yah, that's how I feel at the moment," and then I keep writing.
When I'm not sure what to do with a story, I just keep writing. I don't mind writing a couple of directions just to see if one is better than the other and eventually, something comes together.
Ultimately, for my process, the story tells me, and so it's simply important that I listen to it, and I listen by writing.
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