NK Chats To… Owen Knight

Hello Owen, thank you for joining me today. Your book is called Another Life. Can you tell me about it and what inspired the story? 

I had an idea for a character who, despite trying to do the best for everyone he encounters, feels his life to be one of disappointment and failure. Eventually, we discover that his decisions and actions have had a profound, beneficial effect on the lives of others. You could say it’s a modern-day interpretation of the film ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’.

I am also intrigued by quests and the twilight world of things that may or may not be. I am a great admirer of David Lynch and his ability to suggest that things are not as they seem was influential.

As for the story, it’s set in a secretive, hidden corner of Middle England, combining folklore, legends and ancient beliefs with the contemporary issue of what it means to be human in an increasingly technological world.

Thirty years ago, Oliver Merryweather is intrigued by a woman who waves to him from the window of a house in a village he discovers by accident.

In the present day, Oliver believes his life to be a series of failures and regrets. When the same woman appears to him in a dream, Oliver embarks on an obsessive quest to find her. With the village inexplicably absent from all maps, all he has to go on is the unusual mark on her wrist.

Journeying back into his past, Oliver finds himself inextricably drawn into a decades-old mystery involving missing children, pagan beliefs and the Green Man of folklore, while coming face to face with the disappointments and tragedies of his own life. As the story draws towards its unexpected and uplifting conclusion, the line between reality, dreams and memory begins to blur and Oliver gains an insight into the true purpose of his existence.

What were the challenges you faced whilst writing Another Life? 

The bringing together of disparate ideas presented several difficulties. The biggest challenge was how to link my protagonist’s ordinary family life to the idea of the myths and legends associated with the Green Man.

The border between dreams and reality is a key theme in Another Life. This needed care, to avoid confusing the reader. There is the suggestion that something on the edge of the supernatural may be involved. It was essential to keep this as no more than a possibility in the mind of the reader. I’m not interested in writing pure fantasy – there has to be a grounding in reality, the possibility that the weirdest of events has a rational explanation. This was also important in creating a hidden community in Middle England, where the normal rules do not apply. I addressed this using a combination of geography and historical fact.

Finally, there was the challenge of the resolution: how to explain the mysteries and strange events encountered by the protagonist. Two-thirds of the way through the book the reader encounters a major change that makes sense of what comes before.

In summary, Another Life combines elements of family life, myths and legends, a quest and cutting-edge science. These elements are introduced in a natural, uncomplicated way, avoiding technical explanations, so as not to alienate the reader.

What’s your typical writing day like? Do you need things like coffee? Do you prefer to write in silence?

I’m an early morning person, whether it be writing and related activities, walking, running, photography. Writing comes first; it’s a passion that can never fully be satisfied.

A typical pattern is revision of the previous day’s work, followed by new words, including necessary research and then more research, finishing with a review of the current day’s progress.

I have to work in silence, other than birdsong. Music is too distracting. Any breaks have to be at a time of my choosing, usually ten minutes out of every hour. The exception is when I’m engaged in a long passage that’s going well. You have to take advantage of those occasions.

What’s your favourite word and why? 

Apricot. I like the falling rhythm of the three syllables with a pause between the first and second. It’s like a musical phrase, sensuous, as is the shape and texture of the fruit.

How do you approach a writing project from idea to final draft and how long does it typically take you to get from the beginning of the process to the end? 

A new book begins with a lot of thinking. A primordial soup of apparently unrelated ideas seeking to connect with the ideal partner. I write a few experimental passages, in isolation, to test whether they work, or at least have promise. Even at this early stage, I’m keen to ensure I can write engaging prose and believe in the idea. Much research follows until I’m happy that there is a story, a voyage embracing change. It is good to have an early idea for one or more endings. Much more important to let the characters lead you on a journey.

A new book takes me between nine and twelve months, including long periods of revision, particularly in the latter stages.

Which fictional world would you like to escape to for a while and why? 

As a writer of speculative fiction, I spend much of my time in worlds of my own creation. I am blessed with vivid dreams, which often reveal locations I have never visited, yet which I can envisage in great detail. Sometimes, in a state of half-sleep, I can conjure up rapid-fire images of new places, as if they were a series of postcard views. I wish I could control and remember dreams better; this would provide a valuable source of new material.

As regards the fictional worlds of literature, Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast would be a good choice, for its Gothic weirdness.

What songs would feature on a playlist for Another Life? 

I could choose so many. Here are just a few.

For the happy moments, Muse’s cover of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good. For the sadder sections, Elton John’s Song for Guy (Life Isn’t Everything). And then there is Truth Begins by the Dirty Pretty Things, for its catchy, bleak optimism. Plenty of Radiohead.

Some classical tracks too. In Paradisum from Faure’s Requiem is specifically mentioned in Another Life. Panufnik’s Lullaby I find weird, dream-like and a little menacing. The slow movement of Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major, D956 is intensively moving, in an other-worldly way; it is the ultimate deathbed music.

Which authors do you admire? 

Alain-Fournier. Le Grand Meaulnes is one of the greatest romantic quests. Alasdair Gray, J G Ballard and Mervyn Peake for their creative imagination. Scarlett Thomas for her ability to make difficult and controversial subjects humorous. Nicola Barker, for her innovative approach to form.

One of my favourite ‘new’ writers is Andrew Michael Hurley. Starve Acre should be on the Booker shortlist for its use of myth and building horror.

What are you currently working on? 

More speculative fiction, with hidden worlds, mysterious messages, hints of the unreal, what lies beneath…

Do you have any other writing advice for new writers? 

If you believe you have a good book, don’t be swayed from your belief. Don’t write for a current trend. It will have passed by the time your book is written, edited and published. Do be objective when considering whether what you write has a market.

If you hit a barrier, don’t give up. Set it aside. Allow time each day to consider options of how to take your book forward. Don’t give up when trying to find an agent or publisher. Approach agents first, starting with the major ones, before moving on to publishers. I spent a year going through this process, both with Another Life and my YA trilogy, The Invisible College. In the case of Another Life, I eventually received two offers on consecutive days: New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day!

About Owen Knight:

Owen W Knight is a writer of contemporary and speculative fiction.

His works include Another Life, described as ‘It’s a Wonderful Life for the 21st Century’ and The Invisible College Trilogy, an apocalyptic dystopian conspiracy tale for young adults, described as ‘1984 Meets the Book of Revelation’.
Owen was born in Southend-on-Sea at a time when children spent their days outdoors, creating imaginary worlds that formed the basis of their adventures and social interaction.

He has used this experience to create a world based on documented myths, with elements of dystopia, mystery and science fiction, highlighting the use and abuse of power and the conflicts associated with maintaining ethical values.

Owen lives in Essex, close to the countryside that inspired his trilogy.

Learn more about Owen and his books over at his website or say hello on Twitter.

My verdict on Another Life…

Imagine if we could combine dreams and reality in a world where we live forever. Oliver believes his life to be one of disappointment and failure.

Haunted by the memory of a mysterious woman he encountered thirty years ago, and obsessed with finding her, he embarks on a strange journey of grief, hope, myths and legends where dreams and truth merge.

Another Life focuses on Oliver. He is looking back on the life he has spent with his wife and children but he can’t forget a small town he once visited – a small town that no one seems to remember.

The plot goes from dreams to reality, to myth and it’s obvious that Owen Knight has put his all into this unique book. Oliver is an interesting yet frustrating character and in some ways, quite an unhappy guy who feels invisible and is wrapped in disappointment and grief.

This book blends real life and mythology really well and it’s got me wanting to know more about what is mentioned. It added a magical element that I loved. The combination appealed to me.

This novel really had me thinking and it intrigued me as I tried to figure out how it was all going to tie together. It was a mystery. This book is unique and even now, I am still thinking about it.

As usual, I am not going to give much else away but I think Another Life is certainly worth a read.

Thank you to the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Click to view Another Life on Amazon UK.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.