How I wrote my first novel
Things that inspired me to write Aubade
Where did Aubade get its beginning?
"The good not done, the love not given, time torn off unused" — Philip Larkin [Aubade]
Sometime before 2006 I was really into reading poetry, and came across a poem by Philip Larkin. It was called Aubade. And one line stood out and etched itself into my memory, like an earworm. Every now and then it would pop up in my mind, and generate a vague notion of something. I was trying to capture it and especially the “time torn off unused” part.
Someone had lost everything. The ability to do good, to love, and time itself. This is how Sara was created, the main character. I wanted to create a character who begins by losing everything she has in this life, and then slowly having to crawl back and gain foothold in a very new setting while trying to find out what the heck happened. I’ve always loved stories like that.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Movies. Then books. Everything I write is very visual, or at least that’s what I attempt to do for the reader. I want the reader to have a visual experience while reading my books. It’s how I read books myself. I see them.
One of the first stories I can remember that was like that was the Australian TV series Return to Eden, which I watched and loved way too young. It was set around a female character whose life is destroyed, literally, and her journey back to redemption and revenge. Juicy fun stuff!
The first time I watched The Terminator I was hooked for life. This was and is possibly one of the best movies I have ever seen. And that’s a bit weird to say, especially since I am a huge classic movie fan who rather watch Bette Davis and Clarke Gable movies than most (all?) modern movies! Science fiction has always been my favorite genre by far. Alien is of course my favorite “in space” movie. I have always loved the Ripley character, and Sara has inherited some of her traits. A lone fighter, stubborn, and perhaps not quite as decisive as Ripley. Sara manages to find herself where the action takes place, just like Ripley — and Sarah Connor.
But what about books? Which sci-fi authors have inspired you most and why?
Arthur C Clarke — 2001: a Space Odyssey was mind altering when I read it as a teenager. Having grown up on The Original Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek (The Next Generation), this was taking things more seriously. This was a somber, clinical space adventure. It was fascinating and unsettling and exciting.
Dan Simmons — Hyperion is among the most exotic (?) and abstract, in some ways, space adventure I have read. The enigmatic Shrike, and the characters were mesmerizing. I plan to re-read Hyperion soon again, because I’ve forgotten a lot, and mostly remember the ambiance of it. The mood of a book is important.
Jack Vance — Tales of the Dying Earth Well, we might as well just throw our pencils and keyboards in a bog and be done with it. Jack Vance wins. He is one of the most brilliant modern writers ever. I adore his character Cugel the Clever! I want to write like Jack Vance! Hey, that could be a song title for an emo band.
Walter M. Miller Jr. — A Canticle for Leibowitz This has just a little waft of The Time Machine — and if that doesn’t make sense to you, it’s OK. I recently read an article by someone (sadly I forgot who but I think it was here on Substack) who had analyzed this book, and I realized I need to read it again soon. There is so much to unearth in this book. I love the mystery, and the slow revelation of things. The world that is no longer recognizable to us readers, and the artifacts from eons ago are now mysterious to the people living in the far future.
You mentioned somewhere that Aubade is supposed to be the first book in a trilogy. Is this true?
How did you manage to dig up this info? Oh wait, I’m interviewing myself!
Well — here is the original plan, the way I wrote it down in 2006 when I outlined the whole thing. Looking back on it now it would/will require an immense amount of work, since the original story has made a few detours but who knows! If enough readers like Aubade, perhaps I can be convinced to write the next book. Here are the titles I came up with originally — I’ll leave it up to you and your imagination to figure out what happens in the two other books. For now!
Nocturne
Aurora
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Psst! Are you in the U.S. and would like a free Kindle copy of Aubade in exchange for leaving an Amazon review after reading my book? To the first 5 who DM me your email address, I will send you a Kindle copy! Unfortunately this only works in the U.S.
Want to know even more about how Aubade came into this world? Here’s the whole backstory.
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I read A Canticle for Leibowitz last summer and it genuinely blew my mind. Apparently, the creators of the original Fallout games (the isometric ones from the 90s) took inspiration from that book when creating the Brotherhood of Steel.
I bought Aubade yesterday! Looking forward to reading it.