Kevin's Watch

John: Steve,

Now that you have finished the first draft of "Against All Things Ending" - and I know you have a handful of revisions on this particular book, let alone the last one to write - how do you feel about it? Not asking for spoilers here. Has anything about it surprised you? And I know you have said something to the effect that you don't sit back and think about your books/series as you write them (my words here, can't remember yours and I'm too lazy to look it up). But you must feel something, right? I mean, only one more book - a short 4 or so years out of your life - and Covenant is over; over for good.

One other thing... do you still have the "apartment" you write in, and if so do you ever invite anyone there? Family, friends, agent, readers, etc... (not that I am looking for an invite if you still have the place!).

Oh, and thanks for answering all of our questions, mine in particular!







In the very short time that I spent between finishing the first draft and starting the second, I had two reactions, neither exactly typical. The first was that I spent 2-3 weeks wondering where I had misplaced my millstone. Even though I was already rewriting, I felt like Sisyphus on an inconceivable holiday. The second was/is mind-numbing terror. "Against All Things Ending" was by a considerable margin the most difficult writing I've ever done--and "The Last Dark" will be FAR MORE difficult. In retrospect, I feel like I've spent the past 25+ years trying desperately *not* to arrive where I am now.

Fortunately rewriting AATE turns out to be an extraordinary challenge. Thanks to that distraction, I don't have to start actual gibbering about TLD yet.

I do still have an extremely private apartment/studio where I work. It's something of a "sacred" space: no one else ever comes in here, expect people doing repairs--and I try to do as many of those as I possibly can myself.

(04/27/2009)

Orlion wrote:Fair enough, but I'm of the opinion that if the story or its mechinics do not suffice, the emotion will be lost (I remember The Giver, a lot of good ideas and concepts, but what I remember most was how mad I was at the ending, kinda like with King's Dark Tower).

High Lord Tolkien wrote:What's going to be awesome and powerful is the Fathers and Sons aspect of the books.

Orlion wrote:Here's an interesting addition to the GI:

John: Steve,

Now that you have finished the first draft of "Against All Things Ending" - and I know you have a handful of revisions on this particular book, let alone the last one to write - how do you feel about it? Not asking for spoilers here. Has anything about it surprised you? And I know you have said something to the effect that you don't sit back and think about your books/series as you write them (my words here, can't remember yours and I'm too lazy to look it up). But you must feel something, right? I mean, only one more book - a short 4 or so years out of your life - and Covenant is over; over for good.

One other thing... do you still have the "apartment" you write in, and if so do you ever invite anyone there? Family, friends, agent, readers, etc... (not that I am looking for an invite if you still have the place!).

Oh, and thanks for answering all of our questions, mine in particular!







In the very short time that I spent between finishing the first draft and starting the second, I had two reactions, neither exactly typical. The first was that I spent 2-3 weeks wondering where I had misplaced my millstone. Even though I was already rewriting, I felt like Sisyphus on an inconceivable holiday. The second was/is mind-numbing terror. "Against All Things Ending" was by a considerable margin the most difficult writing I've ever done--and "The Last Dark" will be FAR MORE difficult. In retrospect, I feel like I've spent the past 25+ years trying desperately *not* to arrive where I am now.

Fortunately rewriting AATE turns out to be an extraordinary challenge. Thanks to that distraction, I don't have to start actual gibbering about TLD yet.

I do still have an extremely private apartment/studio where I work. It's something of a "sacred" space: no one else ever comes in here, expect people doing repairs--and I try to do as many of those as I possibly can myself.

(04/27/2009)

(Bold face added)

I don't know about you, but I am insanely excited about AATE now (more so than before). I wonder what it is about the Last Chronicles (particularly the last two books) that makes it difficult writing. I'm theorizing that it has something to do with time travel (since time travel is hard to write well anyway), but what does he intend to do with it?

Vraith wrote:

Orlion wrote:Fair enough, but I'm of the opinion that if the story or its mechinics do not suffice, the emotion will be lost (I remember The Giver, a lot of good ideas and concepts, but what I remember most was how mad I was at the ending, kinda like with King's Dark Tower).

hah...I'm with you here, I hated the King cop-out, too...

High Lord Tolkien wrote:Time travel with still be used.
It's what the whole last chronicles are about.
What's going to be awesome and powerful is the Fathers and Sons aspect of the books.
The potential emotional depth there is staggering.

lucimay wrote:sorry to digress from topic here but i MUST address these comments!!

if you thought the ending of TDT was a "cop-out" that means (to me) that you didn't see it coming a mile away. if you didn't see it coming, i allege that you didn't pick up on the many many clues throughout the series that just such an ending was the only possible way it COULD end.

what exactly did you think was gonna be on the top floor of that tower?

deer of the dawn wrote:Gaahh!! I haven't read that series yet, please no spoilers!!!!

spoonchicken wrote:I believe it will be very emotional, and THOOLAH members will be thoroughly disgusted. Good! I sincerely hope so! I think THOOLAH sucks! They are the feeble-minded, treasonous "Raver-Servants-of-Despite" of our "Land" in here at The Watch. Sorry folks, I hate to be a s***=disturber, but that's the way I feel about it.