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Ask the Author: Ben H. Winters

“To celebrate being nominated for a Reader's Choice Award (and because Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ suggested I do it), I am becoming an Ask the Author kind of guy. Anything you want to know, ask away...â€� Ben H. Winters

Answered Questions (21)

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I have read and thoroughly enjoyed the Last Policeman Trilogy and Underground Airlines. Any idea as to what you'll write next? Do you want to do more speculative fiction/detective/mystery stories?
Ben H. Winters Thanks a lot. I'm writing a new book, as yet untitled, that definitely falls in the category.
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Will Underground Airlines have a sequel?
Ben H. Winters No plans for one
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I just finished the Last Policeman series and noted in my review that I thought the book would make an excellent Netflix mini series (much like Four Season in Havana). But I noticed in your Q&As that a series is already in the works! Any news on that?
Ben H. Winters thanks a lot. nothing new on TV side for now, but hopefully we'll get something kicking eventually...
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Ben H. Winters I wish I could blame Hank for that error, but it's totally mine. It's obviously ridiculous that the NG would be carrying AK-47s, even in an alternate universe, and you're not the first to point it out. Thanks for being a careful reader, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the series. -- B
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Have you considered writing a sequel or prequel to Underground Airlines? I really enjoyed the story line and characters and am interested in what becomes of them.
Ben H. Winters I appreciate your interest! No plans for a second book, not at present. Thanks so much.
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Was the apartment in Bedbugs based on a real place you've ben, or fully created in your imagination?
Ben H. Winters I did live in a Brooklyn brownstone for some years, although not in Brooklyn heights. And it did not have bedbugs, real or demonic.
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I saw the question about Culverson. I'm not normally a 'dickhead question asker' and so I hope this isn't coming out that way...but I can see how it would. That being said; did I misread the Palace trilogy? I mean, I see Culverson as a Lester Freamon type. A quiet professional. Not at all the protagonist. Why would the aforementioned question-asker think that Culverson, of all characters, would be your impetus?
Ben H. Winters I suspect the questioner meant the hero, Palace, not his mentor Detective Culverson. (Although I do have a special fondness for that character.)
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This has already been asked and answered, insofar as it's possible to be answered, but this is Ask The Author, so: will there be more of the Underground Airlines world? The glimpses of Hard Four "high society" were fascinating and thoroughly chilling, as was the implication that the United States' position in the world is so, well, grim. Then there's Texas, and Samson. Thanks for your terrific writing.
Ben H. Winters I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. I'm not planning on doing any more in the world of Airlines. The thing I'm working on now is very very different. Hopefully in a good way
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Nice work Ben. Your book appealed to my dad, who is a retired volcanologist who rarely reads anything but mystery, and to me, a pretty hard core science fiction/fantasy poetry reader. I'm looking forward to reading more your work in the future. My question: Was exploring Culverson, as a character, the catalyst that kept you writing more than one book, or were you planning a trilogy from the get go?
Ben H. Winters Thanks. The short answer is, I always planned it to be a trilogy -- even as I was working on the first book, I knew there was more to come. Which allowed me to think through the whole thing, the character arcs included. Glad you and your dad both dug the trilogy.
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I just finished Underground Airlines....just, masterful. The thought that you but into the DETAILS was captivating, insightful, and so realistic I am confused by one thing....I must be missing something key.......at the end of the book, you say: "I told her everything. I told her about you, darling. I told her the whole story"Who is "darling". What woman (I presume) is victor telling he told Martha everything?
Ben H. Winters
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By coincidence, the hold system at my local library served up "Underground Airline" almost exactly a month after Ta-Nehisi Coates' "Between the World and Me." I wish I could force every kid in America to read both of these books, in that exact order, with exactly the same spacing. Both books discuss the owning of one's body. How did you lock into this concept with such clarity? Have you ever spoken with Coates?
Ben H. Winters I have never spoken with Mr Coates and I bet I would be too star-struck to speak. His long article in the Atlantic on reparations was deeply influential on this book. I am so honored that you read and were moved by Underground Airlines my best, Ben Winters
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What do you do about readers like me who don't "review," but muse, and spend a few days gathering their thoughts? As for me, as a muser, I do hope you go back. I loved 'Underground Airlines," for all sorts of reasons I "edited" in later. I just hope you know people, me, that we edit. Best wishes and thank you.
Ben H. Winters Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect.
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do you have a swedish transalated version of your last policeman series?
Ben H. Winters I don't think so.
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Ben, I really enjoyed your policeman trilogy; and was curious how long do you typically spend writing a book? Do you just try and crank out a whole book over the course of several months or is it a stop and start process that is carried out over several years? I'm looking forward to Underground Airlines. Are there any authors you're super dedicated too? Thanks.
Ben H. Winters Hi -- thanks. Thus far it has taken me about a year or a year and a half to write each book. I don't really stop and come back to things years later; once I get going on a book that's the project I'm working I'm doing until it's finished . (There is one thing I started years ago and abandoned I still fantasize about finishing, but I sort of think it won't happen).

My favorite living author is Richard Price.

Thanks!
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Great series! I have read few novels as well done as these. It's my hope that you have many more ideas in the works. How did you come by the idea for this series? And,, any hint as to what will come next?
Ben H. Winters Hi thanks very much. I wish I knew precisely where the idea came from, although I guess I had always wanted to write a detective novel, and was hoping to do one that did something new and interesting with the genre.

My next book is called Underground Airlines, and it will be out in July of this year.
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Did you feel prescient, this week, as the asteroid/former comet nicknamed Spooky made a pass outside the moon's orbit (and another is predicted to pass by at about the same distance as the moon? I was reading Countdown City this week and that coincidence sharpened my reading experience.
Ben H. Winters It's weird, isn't it? I don't feel prescient, only because this kind of stuff is always zipping around the atmosphere. If one ever ends up on a collision course with Earth, I bet I'll get a lot of free publicity for my books...which won't do me much good when the world ends.
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If the world ends in six months time, how would you go on with your life? Would you react in the way similar to Detective Palace?
Ben H. Winters I wish I was as honorable as Hank.

Most likely would focus on my family, and read as much as I could. I feel like there are so many books I haven't gotten to yet.
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Do you feel that people should have the right to wear whichever color they want after Labor Day? Not a deal breaker either way, I guess. When is the t.v. series coming out?
Ben H. Winters Between Labor Day and New Year's, everyone should wear white tie and tails.

I will hopefully have news on the TV series in the next couple months.
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I just finished all three of the Last Policeman books and really enjoyed them. Is there any chance we will get to read more about Culverson, the samurai sword, and the missing kids?
Ben H. Winters Thanks a lot, Bradley. I'm glad you dug the series.

Interestingly, Quirk Books and I had brief discussions about releasing a short e-book between Countdown City and World of Trouble, and that's what I was working on: a short story or novella about Culverson tracking down those kids. It didn't happen, obviously, but trust me when I say that he found them.

Happy reading.

Ben
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