Ask the Author: U.L. Harper
Answered Questions (11)
U.L. Harper
Since I'm reading Abarat (again), I'd probably go there. See if I can't get an interview with Carion's mom. I'm sure she'd have a lot to say
U.L. Harper
No. Hopefully in the near future there will be short stories to expand and enrich the Arthur Lowe story but nothing stand alone or another novel connected in some way. Part of the reason certain characters--Quincy for example--don't have a more full story included is because those stories were meant to be told to the side as short stories. Another short story is going to be about a kid who, during a time when people are simply dropping dead, he encounters a man, (Arthur, obviously) who is bringing people to life. Final thought on it. I'd rather expand the story this way than come out with a book that's simply too long. I honestly would rather not read or write a 450 to 500 page book.
U.L. Harper
This is a really good question. I've actually never had to answer this one. But in this story, the only reason he's young is to be next to his son during Arthur's critical times. But it wasn't his idea, really. It was more the idea of Ms. Kimbrel. So he pops into Arthur's life in junior high (middle school). The problem is that he sees that since he's not around for Arthur like originally intended, Arthur has gone off the proverbial rails and is using his powers the wrong way, unintentionally, so he leaves to escape his son, really, but later meets his rendezvous with Kimbrel, who come to find out, has no plans for them to be together. The point is this: his powers were established before the book started. However, technically, Quincy was not part of the story at all. But that's an entirely other thing.
U.L. Harper
This is interesting. In a second I'll explain why. In the novel, he's described as a black kid with an afro. Later, school employees don't believe his mother is his mother because they look so different, because she's white. But his facial characteristics have little to do with his qualities. We know he feels powerless and different. We know that the more confident he gets the worse thing are for those around him. We know he's full of negative energy. We know he has a different connection to the world, and he's only been with one woman. He's orphaned, largely, and creates the sand deer to fit in with his family, essentially. He doesn't connect to his world. His acknowledges Arthur being left behind because he wanted Ms kimbrel. Arthur is the proverbial black kid abandoned by his father who was chasing skirts and his community feels the results. And Arthur IS based on myself. But so is Raheem and Glenda. But his adoptive father takes on characteristics of my father. But I generally don't write about faces, because I don't like reading about faces unless they're fantastical. Nobody, in my opinion, has an interesting or special face.
U.L. Harper
Arthur Lowe was supposed to be a comic book character. His powers were going to be that he could do anything but only once. So, in a way, his power is just a brainstorming exercise. It didn't come from any inspiration. To figure out the story, I lined up themes as well as an origin story. The themes take place in real time. The origin story takes place in the past. My challenge was to connect them at the right time.
The themes were family, trust, relationships, and abuse. Arthur's powers initiated the divide of his family and in turn opened the door for distrust. Every relationship in the story is effected by Arthur's powers, in some way. The outcome of the abuse happens very early on when Sandra kills herself. It's heavy-handed but that's why it's self-published. You take this story with a heavy heart or don't take it at all. I wasn't going to smooth it out for some reader I've never met.
The themes were family, trust, relationships, and abuse. Arthur's powers initiated the divide of his family and in turn opened the door for distrust. Every relationship in the story is effected by Arthur's powers, in some way. The outcome of the abuse happens very early on when Sandra kills herself. It's heavy-handed but that's why it's self-published. You take this story with a heavy heart or don't take it at all. I wasn't going to smooth it out for some reader I've never met.
U.L. Harper
I do not have a soundtrack in mind. As a matter of fact, I listen to very little music when writing. If I do throw on some tunes, it'll be old jazz like Coltrane or Miles Davis, something very slow and dragging. The rhythm of the music, for me, can be distracting. And to be honest, I'm a very distracted person. A lot of times when I'm writing, I'm in a coffee shop, because I like the noise. But when at home, I need subtlety.
U.L. Harper
I'm working on something about some dude, Arthur Lowe, who can do basically anything but only that one time. He can fly but only once. He can have super strength but only once. I was going to start writing a comic book with the character than I was like, man, too many limitations and I can't draw for anything, so... New novel here I come. And oh yeah, The Reinvention of Man will be out August 15. If you haven't purchased it yet, I have no idea what you're waiting for. Stop reading this interview and getting to buying my book. Or even preorder it.
U.L. Harper
I don't. It's like a headache. Generally, it just goes away. However, if I want to force the issue, reading something good puts me right there. Not as easy to do as it sounds, guys. Not every book out there is inspiring. You know what I mean.
U.L. Harper
The thing is that I write on a grand scale, so, honestly, just thinking about whatever I'm working on inspires me. After that it's the nuances of other people. I find myself, in my head, adding parts to their life that don't exist. I'm sniggering in a corner and some situation. People inspire me. All day.
U.L. Harper
Find your target audience and live there for a while. Writing is too hard to not really understand who is reading it, or for that matter, how you can earn a profit from it. For this you need a true target audience.
U.L. Harper
I'll tell you what. I write because I have to. I know people say that a lot but it's true. If I don't write I don't productively concentrate in a day. Writing enables me to focus on stuff that's not lame as hell. I'm not saying I don't want to focus at work. I'm saying focusing on crap for too long does something negative to you. There are other prose but that one is the best answer for me, possibly.
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