Goodreads asked Alon Shalev:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Alon Shalev When you write a series, you discover threads and offshoots from the previous books that need to be developed and help you think ahead. What sparks a new book for me is imagining the opening scene.

Without wanting to offer spoilers, the teacher and lover of one of my characters dies in the previous book. I imagined a very emotional scene where my character is mourning and the book just took off from there.

Hint: Keep a notebook or your phone near so that you can jot down as much detail as possible. When the inspiration hits you, it might not stay with you.

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