Paul Gardiner
asked
Elan Mastai:
Hi, Having read a ridiculous amount of time travel novels I would just like to say that I really enjoyed your novel and it brought something new to the genre or sub genre which isn't easy. Congratulations and I look forward to your next novel. So a question... I'm sure that you read a lot of time travel novels while researching, what are your top 3 or more if you like?
Elan Mastai
This is an extremely difficult question! My top 3 would have to be...
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Because it's the book that first introduced me to time travel as both genre plot and psychological metaphor. I reread it a few months ago and some aspects don't hold up 49 years later, but its influence is lasting.
The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Unlike this book, I took the science of time travel seriously in mine. But this book reminded me that what matters, ultimately, is what time travel does to the characters, emotionally. That's where the book's true impact on the reader happens. So even though I think our books are quite different, it influenced me a lot.
Version Control by Dexter Palmer. I read this book after mine was published, so it didn't influence the writing. But I loved it and its approach really resonated with me. I think if I'd made Victor and Rebecca (Tom's parents) the protagonists of All Our Wrong Todays, I would've ended up with a book a lot like this one.
What are your time travel favourites? Always looking for good recommendations?
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Because it's the book that first introduced me to time travel as both genre plot and psychological metaphor. I reread it a few months ago and some aspects don't hold up 49 years later, but its influence is lasting.
The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Unlike this book, I took the science of time travel seriously in mine. But this book reminded me that what matters, ultimately, is what time travel does to the characters, emotionally. That's where the book's true impact on the reader happens. So even though I think our books are quite different, it influenced me a lot.
Version Control by Dexter Palmer. I read this book after mine was published, so it didn't influence the writing. But I loved it and its approach really resonated with me. I think if I'd made Victor and Rebecca (Tom's parents) the protagonists of All Our Wrong Todays, I would've ended up with a book a lot like this one.
What are your time travel favourites? Always looking for good recommendations?
More Answered Questions
Dee
asked
Elan Mastai:
Simply a comment?: I love the pacing of your writing. Your ability to convey a scenario concisely without making a chapter bloated and overblown. PLEASE maintain your way of writing! Do not become one of those authors that thinks 1,000 bloated pages (which should have been condensed down to 400) is optimal because you are doing the equivalent of loving your own "voice". Love, love, love this book!
Anne Bartin
asked
Elan Mastai:
Elan, How do you as a writer get yourself into character to write as one of your protagonist or antagonists in your books? I have often wondered that about older adults who write for ages 13-18 year olds. Do you talk to many teenagers about their lives, hang out with them, etc.? I am a writer too and write Memoir and that is easy because I am writing what I know. I think it would be hard to write YA. Thanks, Anne
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Thanks for the reply, throwing the question back at me, that's awful! Share the pain of picking favourite novels.
I like your choices though ...more
Aug 30, 2018 10:31AM · flag