Tuesday 15 May 2012

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - KFIR LUZZATTO




What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
My name is Kfir Luzzatto, I was born in Milan, Italy and as a teenager I moved to Israel where I live now.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
At different times in my life I wanted to be a photographer and a dozen other things, although I ended up an engineer. I always wanted to write, though, and I wrote my first (unreadable) story when I was 12 years old.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
It took me more than 100K words, several published short stories and a full-length novel before I dared thinking of myself in those terms.

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
I was actually very lucky with my first book, Crossing the Meadow. The first publisher to whom I submitted (Echelon Press) accepted it fairly quickly and overall it was a relatively painless process.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
I run a patent law firm that keeps me extremely busy. But that doesn’t stop me from finding the time to write.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest novel, a thriller, which was published in April 2012, is THE EVELYN PROJECT. The log line is: “A loving father's cry for help gets into the wrong hands, and a hundred years later things get out of control.” (Sorry that was 21 words.)

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
The first version of a book typically takes me three months. Polishing, editing, rewriting chapters and doing it all over again as many times as needed then takes me three to six additional months.

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?
The one I had great fun writing and almost no pain polishing is HAVE BOOK-WILL TRAVEL, a YA fantasy that I co-authored with my son Yonatan, which will be released in June of 2012.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
To me genre is a means, not an end, so it’s difficult to say, but I particularly enjoy writing thrillers and dark fantasy. Right now I have completed a contemporary novel that is completely different from anything I have written so far. I guess that, like my readers, I need variety to keep enjoying the time spent on a book.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
I am working on a techno-thriller and also on a historical novel. I am not partial to series, as a general rule, but I never say never…

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
I write about life, so my plots often come from real events, and particularly from researching topics that pique my interest.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
Nobody likes bad reviews, but reviewers are entitled to their own opinions and I wouldn’t dream of contacting a reviewer to request a change of any kind.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I need to have a title to start writing, but the title will almost always change before the book is finished.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
Just like the title, I always have a plot before I start working on a book, and it invariably evolves as I write so that in the end it looks nothing like my original plan. That’s part of the fun.

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?
Using people and events I know always helps to set the plot in motion, but I am careful to change them substantially so that the final character or event bears no relation to real ones.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?
Every author and every book I read leaves a seed of influence that may reflect in my writing. The authors I admire most, whose influence I can recognize in some of my work, are: Franz Kafka, P.G. Whodehouse, John Wyndham and Robert A. Heinlein.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)
I just started reading THE HUNGER GAMES and haven’t formed an opinion yet. I travel a lot so while I love actual paper books I have learned to enjoy reading ebooks on my iPad Kindle.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
God forbid! I think that we must learn to enjoy both formats.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?
I’ve been a bookworm since early childhood, and I experimented with writing fairly early in my life, but it was only some ten years ago that I felt mature enough to write something meaningful.

Do you have a favourite genre of book?
I read everything, from drama to chick lit (sparingly, though). My favorite book is a good book, regardless of genre.

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
Much as I tried, I couldn’t get past the first three chapters of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. Moreover, having barely managed to finish “The Alchemist” with much suffering, I know that I will never again read a book by Paulo Coelho.

What do you think about book trailers?
I was one of the very first authors to make a book trailer, in 2003 (http://youtu.be/ZlAgEFKredQ). Back then I thought it was an original idea but nowadays everybody does it so I have stopped doing it.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Write, write, write, and then write some more. And learn to grow a thick skin.

Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
Never. I don’t hide. I’m the one to praise or blame for my work.

If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
It would have to be done over the Ouija board, since they are all dead, so the idea sounds a bit creepy.

Where can readers follow you?

Your blog details?

Your web site?

Your facebook page?

Your Goodreads author page?

Your Twitter details?
@KfirLuzzatto

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