Goodreads Choice Awards Finalists 2025

Ask the Author: Matt Bille

“Reader questions are always welcome. Authors must write to please themselves, but they also seek to transport readers into history, into alternate universes, or into the unknown. How am I doing?” Matt Bille

Answered Questions (9)

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What mystery in your own life could be a plot for a book?
Matt Bille Ancestry. The trail goes back to Scandinavia, to a Danish royal family, and then vanishes in the mists of time.
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...and a second question about The Dolmen - how did you go about creating a plausible scientific basis for the mythical creatures?
Matt Bille Matt, once I had in mind that these would be korrigans (there are many definitions of korrigans, but I developed the short primate-like predator idea) I had to think about what would make them scary and how the scary traits (diet, sense of smell, ability to stay in a larva-like state, etc. etc.) might have evolved with a real creature.There are plenty of example of unique traits in the animal kingdom, so I picked the ones that suited me and melded them until I had a believable creature (I hope!)
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Hi Matt. I love the way The Dolmen takes the road less travelled when it comes to writing fiction based on ancient myth. Vampires, dragons, hell, even selkies seem done to death these days. What gave you the idea to write a novel based around ancient burial mounds and the creatures that might lurk within?
Matt Bille Matt, I knew that dolmens are supposedly haunted by all kinds of creatures, so I picked the one that most interested me. I wanted a "monster" no one else had ever used.
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How do you deal with writer’s block?
Matt Bille Keep writing. Write crud that you know you will throw away. Write on another project entirely and come back to this one later. But KEEP WRITING.
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What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Matt Bille You can explore situations, cultures, and worlds through characters that you could never explore in real life. The bonus is if you inspire readers to come on the journey with you.
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What are you currently working on?
Matt Bille The next book up is nonfiction, Seas, Sharks, and Serpents, about the discoveries and legends of marine life. You'll love it!
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How do you get inspired to write?
Matt Bille I don't know how to answer this. After so long, it's like breathing. You HAVE to do it.
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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Matt Bille Write. Write anything. Even if it's poor and you never show it to anyone, write it, set it aside, then reread it and think about what would make it better. Make sure your grammar, punctuation, and so on are good - you will lose a lot of readers who will think, "This person is not a professional." Oh, and read a book by Dean Koontz called How to Write Best Selling Fiction. It'll teach you a lot. I still go back and re-read it years later.
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Matt Bille I always wondered what police would do in real life if faced with a murder that could not have been committed by a human being. I put that together with my interest in ancient cultures and folklore, and out popped The Dolmen.
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Matt Bille
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