Rebel Reader asked Roderick Gordon:

Hello, I am the proud owner of copy number 10 of Summerhouse Land. It quickly became one of my favorite books because of its intake of what happens after. So my question is, what sparked the initial idea and how did you give form to this place that is far from the traditional concept of heaven or hell? Thank you very much for answering. Kind regards. Alexandra.

Roderick Gordon Hi Alexandra, and thank you so much for getting in touch. Your question goes right to the crux of why I felt I had to write SHL. The idea for the book was knocking around in my head for a long time - not just because of the friend who died when I was ten, but others I've lost close to me. My mother, who was always there through the years to read each draft of anything I've written, back in 2012 began not to be able to concentrate on the chapters I'd print out for her - that was very sad for me as I'd always valued her opinions so highly. She was still there, but little by little I knew I was losing her and all those memories we shared. And knowing how it was going to turn out, I was thinking about how wonderful it would be if there really was some sort of afterlife, but as much as I'd like to believe there is one, I can't. I always tell people I have a science degree and I don't see how those sort of beliefs can coexist. So SHL is my attempt to explain rationally (!) how there could be a form of heaven, somewhere where all illness and death has been banished and every day is sunny.

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