Interview With Keith Knapp
1) Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I don't know what's interesting about me and what's downright boring, but I'll give it a shot. I grew up partially in Illinois and partially in Hawai'i. My mother was in the Army, and we ended up moving back and forth between the two states. So I kind of had two childhoods, which probably really messed me up. Actually, I loved both places and wouldn't change a thing. Anyway, I discovered my love for writing while in Hawai'i, and that love followed me for the rest of my life back to Illinois, Missouri and California. I tend to like to keep to myself, but I imagine most writers are like that. If I could just sit in a locked room all day writing, I think I'd be fine with that.
2) Can you tell us a little about your books?
Certainly. My first novel, "Moonlight," came out a whopping twelve years ago, which just makes me feel old. It's your basic power-goes-out-zombies-arrive-disaster-structured novel. I'm a huge fan of disaster movies from the 1970s, and a lot of my writing mirrors that; multiple characters in different situations while all undergoing the same catastrophe, then eventually meeting up at some point. My latest novel, "Coda," follows that same structure for the first fourth of the book, then it collects all the characters together after they survive an earthquake (like I said, I like disaster movies) and find themselves in a strange place simply called The Town. It gets whacky after that.
3) When did you know you wanted to write a book?
Years, years, years ago I moved out to LA with the dream of being a highly paid and in demand screenwriter. That's why everyone moves to LA, right? Either that or to act or direct or to grip, I guess. But I wanted to write movies. I tried that for a number of years and never made much headway (again, like most people in LA). Over those years, more than one person asked me if I had ever thought of writing a novel, which I hadn't because that seemed like an awful lot of work. But as I started to wonder if I was wasting my time pitching ideas around Hollywood, I also started to wonder if I actually COULD write a novel. I was never going to stop writing, that's just wasn't an option. And I've always been an avid reader, my love of books had always surpassed my love of movies, so I figured "why not?" About a year later I had "Moonlight."
4) For a reader who hasn't read your books yet, which book do you suggest they start with?
I would suggest my latest, "Coda," simply because I think it's the better book. It's the most recent one and therefore I believe it's better. I tend to always think whatever my most recent work is is the best because you're always growing as a writer, and (hopefully) always improving as one. But a lot of people seemed to really like "Moonlight," and it IS the cheaper of the two out there right now, so if you're on a budget you can't really go too wrong with that one. Did I just evade this question? Kinda sorta maybe?
5) What is a usual writing day like for you, how is it structured?
I start writing first thing in the morning. My mind is fresh and still free of the struggles of life, and I find things tend to flow much more smoothly if I haven't had any time to mull over whatever depressing things are happening in the world or to me. I'm depressive by nature, so if I can skip around that for a few hours, I do. I'll write for 3-4 hours, and then the well seems to dry up until the after-dinner mark, where I have maybe another hour in me. There always comes a point where the well runs dry, but it's always full to the brim again the next day. It never fails. And I'm always petting a cat during my breaks. A good cat-petting session is part of the routine, too.
6) Do you have a favorite spot to write?
I do not. I mean, it's wherever my computer is. Right now it's on the kitchen table, so that's my favorite place to write. I don't have a lap-top (I hate the keyboards on those). I just need a place where I can be secluded if I want to be (I have the house to myself, so that's not too difficult a task).
7) If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?
This is an awesome question, and possibly the hardest one you've asked me. Flight would be really, really neat. It would save a ton on gas, you could get away from everyone if you wanted to, and you could probably go anywhere you wanted to. Spider-Man's spidey-sense would also be useful, I think. But now I'm wondering if teleportation, like Nightcrawler, would be the better power. You could really scare the crap out of people with that one, and it would also save on gas (as long as you knew exactly where you were going). And I've always been partial to Cyclops, as who hasn't dreamed of shooting lasers out of their eyes at some point? Not terribly useful in everyday life, but it'd be a pretty gnarly trick to have at your disposal.
8) What writing projects are you currently working on?
I currently find myself in a short-story phase while I diddle and daddle with my next novel. I'm polishing a short which should be out in maybe a week (I never give myself deadlines, as it's done when it's done) and after that I plan to turn my attention back to my third novel. I have about three books in progress at the moment, and I'm waiting for one to call to me, seeing which one wants to be finished first. It's a great form of procrastination, which is why I'm on a short story kick right now, I think.
Book Information:
Coda
THERE ARE NIGHTMARES HERE
After a devastating earthquake hits Los Angeles, a group of survivors find themselves whisked away to a place known only as The Town. It is there that they will face their inner-most demons and relics of the past as they try to find a way out and back to reality.
But an evil presence awaits them there. It knows their fears, their sins and their lies and will do anything to keep them right where they are.
Moonlight
It began with a power outage. A power outage that went beyond lights and
televisions. Clocks stopped telling time. Cell phones no longer
received signals. Cars became dead relics that wouldn't start.
As the world around them becomes darker, so do the inhabitants of the small town of Westmont, Illinois. A mysterious and evil presence has taken a hold over the village, making the once peaceful town a place of violence and despair.
A small group of individuals, untouched by this presence, must uncover the mystery of why they remain normal and discover what (or who) is taking control of their town, one soul at a time.
Because the Man in the Dark Coat is out there. Hunting them.
And not everyone can remain untouched forever.
As the world around them becomes darker, so do the inhabitants of the small town of Westmont, Illinois. A mysterious and evil presence has taken a hold over the village, making the once peaceful town a place of violence and despair.
A small group of individuals, untouched by this presence, must uncover the mystery of why they remain normal and discover what (or who) is taking control of their town, one soul at a time.
Because the Man in the Dark Coat is out there. Hunting them.
And not everyone can remain untouched forever.
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