I feel like there is a small list of questions I’d have for authors, and they are generally pretty standard. But there are one or two I’d ask of specific authors, so here they are.
Neil Gaiman
My favourite book of all time is Good Omens written by yourself and Terry Pratchett. I want to know how that partnership worked. Did you divide the story up? Did one person write the plot and the other come in and pepper in jokes and awesome absurdity?
Tom Robbins
Bit of an obvious one here, but what kind of drugs were you on when you came up with the ideas for Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Skinny Legs and All?
Shelley Harris
Was Vigilante based on your own life?
Joanna Cannon
On The Trouble with Goats and Sheep: WHERE WAS SHE????
Shirley Jackson
After having read her two memoirs of family life: Did you think about divorce often?
Harper Lee
Why just the one? Did you secretly write and burn ten other novels? Did you feel like you only had the one story in you, and when it was done you didn’t need to write again? Did the success of the first book psych you out? Did you hate the attention and just want to avoid any more? If so, why not write books to be published posthumously?
Mark Lukach
I’ve always wondered what the conversations were like between you and your wife about you publishing a book that discusses her mental health struggles in excruciating detail. I get the impression from the book that you two are very open and honest, and therefore assume she was completely in favour of you sharing, but did she have any concerns? Was she part of writing or editing the book?
Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt
Not so much a question as a request: Can you write more books, please?
J.K. Rowling
I really want to believe the best of you. I want to believe that you hadn’t done adequate research when you talked about the risk to women in public bathrooms from Trans women without addressing the risk to Trans people of both genders being forced to use the bathroom assigned to their birth gender. I want to believe that you would change your messaging if you spent some time talking to Trans people about their experiences and the harm denying their right to be called the gender they identify with does to their mental health and navigation of the world, or really looked into the stats of violence perpetrated against Trans people vs. violence perpetrated by them. So I guess my question is, did you do your research? Did you talk to Trans people to find out what their lives are like? What they’ve been through? Did you use your fame and privilege to access these communities who I’m sure would have opened their doors and lives to you before publicly denying their right to choose the appropriate gender for who they are? Did you consider how publicly stating anti-Trans opinions would kill the enjoyment of your beautiful and wonderful books for adults who read them as children? Have you thought about the results of someone with your reach and following making statements of this nature, whether you intend harm or not?
Okay, that’s it for this week. As you can see I’m struggling with Rowling at the moment. Possibly not the best place to put that, but it felt necessary to include her here, because those are the most vital questions I have for an author, even though they’re not about her work. It had to be said.
How about you guys? Which authors would you like to talk to? Would you ask them questions about their writing process? What happened to characters after the book ended? What they’re going to write next? Did you choose any of the same authors as I chose?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
Great Questions!
Here is my TTT.
https://dmhoisington.wordpress.com/2020/08/25/top-ten-tuesday-10/comment-page-1/#comment-413
Thank you!
Well, Harper Lee did make a good living from that book, plus she wrote lots of articles for magazines.
I love how specific you got with your questions. Those are the best kinds of interviews–the ones that are tailored for that specific author.
Most of these are questions I’ve been carrying around in my head for years, so I’ve had a lot of time to really think about it! Too bad I can’t magically get any answers!
Great choices this week. I’d especially like to know the answer to the question you’ve put to Neil Gaiman.
Lauren @ Always Me
Right? Too bad he is unlikely to stop by and enlighten us!
As I was reading your questions, I was going to comment on the Harper Lee question. It’s something I’ve always been curious about. Then I got to your JK Rowling question and have to say, I feel you. My oldest son and I read these books together. From me reading to him when the first book was published to us reading the last book at the same time so we could discuss. He grew up with her stories. Now he’s 26 and has Trans friends who were effected by her comments. It breaks my heart and we both struggle with the fact that the magic we shared through her words is now tarnished by her attitude toward the Trans community. I didn’t realize how much I needed to see these questions today. I’m glad you brought them up.
Yeah, I don’t think Lee ever really addressed it. I choose to believe that she was slightly eccentric and didn’t expect the attention or want it. I think she chose to withdraw and live a quieter life, and to leave her literary career behind. (Kind of like Marilyn Waring’s political career – she was a New Zealand politician at a very young age who quit to stand up for an issue that was important to her and retired to the countryside to raise sheep. She said that politics should never be seen as a long term career because in order to stay in it, one must make unacceptable compromises to one’s beliefs. So much respect.)
I am heartbroken over Rowling. I have been looking forward to reading her books with my daughter since before she was born, and I have returned to read them countless times when life has become too much for me to bear. Her world is a place where I feel safe and welcomed, where I see good in people and the potential for a future that is better than the past. This is something sorely missing from today’s world, and I don’t want to lose that. I too have seen the effects of her words on people I love, and am so angry about it. And I am angry that she has provided fuel to prejudice and hate. The Trans community is arguably the most vulnerable in many parts of the world, and the struggles they face are huge. They do not need a heavier burden, and she has added to that load.
I have decided to separate her work from her personal views in my mind, because I don’t want to allow her to ruin something that was good and beautiful. I still want to read them with my daughter, and I still think that there is a lot that is wonderful in her work. I’ve decided to voice my dissent with her views, to choose not to support her new work by purchasing or reviewing it, and to mention the issues with her views whenever I talk about her books to make it very clear that she is problematic. But I will still love the Harry Potter books and will continue to read them. The books aren’t the author, and I don’t feel like me not letting myself enjoy them anymore accomplishes anything positive, whereas continuing to enjoy them and revisit them will still make me feel hope and love. And isn’t that the best way to combat the damage her views have done? To keep looking for ways to love and support people who are in need of it? To look for a way to see the good in the world? I don’t know if this is the right choice, but it’s one that feels right to me, though it isn’t going to be simple or easy. I hope that in time you will still feel that you can treasure those precious memories in spite of the author. You and your son both deserve that, and she shouldn’t be allowed to take away that joy!
I think many, many people are curious about the answers to your questions for JK Rowling. Nice list!
My TTT
Yes, pretty much everyone, I’m sure!
I can’t blame you for asking those questions to Rowling. I’m sure tons of us are wondering the same thing. However, I love your questions for Harper Lee!! There was a ‘sequel’ to To Kill a Mockingbird, but I haven’t read it.
Here’s my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Yeah, I think the book world is still collectively stunned and traumatized. Yeah, Go Set A Watchman. I believe it wasn’t a sequel so much as the original draft pre-editing that wasn’t as good and portrayed some of the characters very differently. I haven’t read it, largely because based on everything I’ve heard and read about it, there’s some doubt as to Lee’s mental state when it was published and concerns that she never meant for it to be seen. It’s also not supposed to be as good, and changes so much that was wonderful about Mockingbird. I’ll probably read it one day when I’m re-reading the original, but it’s not one I’m in a hurry for!
I always wonder how co-writing books works, I’ve never written with anyone else, so it’s something I’ve always been curious about.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/08/25/top-ten-tuesday-278/
I remember reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green and finding that fascinating. It’s written so the chapters alternate between two characters in the first person, and I believe each author wrote a character. So it works perfectly and you can feel the different voices. But Good Omens is one cohesive voice, so I can’t figure out who contributed what. And I loved it so much more than either author’s individual work, too!
I have the same questions about how Good Omens was written.
My post .
It’s driving me crazy that I can’t actually find out!!!
I hope Tracy Thorn and Ben Watt do write more books soon. 🙂
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I have one book by each I am trying not to read until they write more, because I can’t stand the thought of having nothing to look forward to! I was blown away by what wonderful writers they both are, and found so much to relate to in their work. Here’s hoping!
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have nice conversations with people? I have no doubt that, had you and J.K. had a long talk, this whole mess could have been avoided. We don’t have enough good conversations with others.
Wouldn’t that be nice? I kept trying to see where she was coming from, to understand where her views originated and how she came to her conclusions. But the more I read, the less I understood. I wanted so much for her to redeem herself, but she just kept digging in deeper, and at this point I don’t think there’s any coming back. It’s hugely disappointing because she created such a wonderful world full of hope for those who don’t belong, who aren’t accepted, and who don’t have families to support them. I feel like trans people are more likely to find themselves in a similar situation, and so it’s really distressing that the creator of that wonderful fantasy world is voicing such damaging views.
This is a really good list of questions! There’s nothing wrong with putting the struggle with Rowling here! I’m sure those questions are exactly what a lot of readers are thinking right now and sometimes its good to just order your thoughts, whether you receive an answer or not.
I’m really with you on Good Omens and when authors collaborate too. I always wonder how it works, how much of one author goes into it and whether they just take turns in writing!
I don’t think it’s possible to avoid the Rowling dilemma. I don’t think the questions will ever be answered, because there’s no answer that can make it less disturbing and upsetting. I keep wanting to sit her down and tell her that I’m very disappointed in her, and send her to bed with no supper to think about what she’s done.
This collaboration is so seamless that I feel like it must have been done more in tandem than by turns – there are no changes in tone or feel throughout. I have no idea how they pulled it off, but man do I wish they’d done more work together! So brilliant.
She probably even knows these questions are being asked and that she has disappointed so many fans. We can only hope that she regrets her actions and that they were a product of ignorance – not that ignorance makes it any better – and that she can use this experience to learn and grow as a person.
Great questions! I’d love to know more about how exactly authors co-write and why authors decide to only publish one book. Those really made me think. Also I feel you on the struggles with J.K. Rowling. I’ve felt really reluctant to even mention Harry Potter on my blog, which is difficult because it’s become such a comfort read for me. But it just doesn’t feel right talking about it so positively all the time.
Yes! Those two questions are ones I never hear answered, and drive me nuts! I’d be particularly interested in learning about how the writing experience worked for Gaiman and Pratchett because it turned out so brilliantly! I’m struggling with Rowling as well. Part of me wants to not engage, not signal boost her message, not give her any space. Another part of me wants to discuss it for anyone who hasn’t heard what has been going on, because I think it’s important for us to be aware of. Another part of me feels that I don’t want to be robbed of my love for the world she created by her prejudice and behaviour. I don’t plan to support her by purchasing any more of her work, but I’ve decided that I can be vehemently opposed to her viewpoints and choices but still love Harry Potter. It came from her but it isn’t her – it is out in the world and has a life of its own now. It has created fandoms, communities, friendships, and helped countless people feel less alone in the world. That has tremendous value, with or without an author who lives up to that world. So I refuse to let that be ruined for me. It’s a tricky one, for sure.
All insightful questions even though I’ve only heard of Harper Lee and J.K. Rowling from this list- and I love the questions you asked them both! My TTT: https://theactivebookworm.wordpress.com/2020/08/24/top-ten-tuesday-10-questions-i-would-ask-my-favorite-authors/
I tried to pick the ones that have stuck with me the most, so some of them are older books I read in my teens! I figured better to ask the questions I’ve been wondering for years than trying to come up with some half-assed ones on the spot!