Dean Foster
Dean Foster
morning reading writing
I write early in the morning, usually after reading portions of at least half a dozen newspapers on the web.
real lying evil
Dawn was written well before 9/11. People speak a lot today about the banality of evil, but not all evil is banal. Some of it is carefully structured and well-thought-out. That's where the real danger lies.
writing trying trends
Don't try to write to the trend of the moment.
book character amusement
In one book, CACHALOT, just for my own amusement, every character is based directly on someone I have known.
stories research fantasy
How much research I have to do depends on the nature of the story. For fantasy, none at all.
diversity fields triumph
The overwhelming triumph of the international multimedia conglomerate has resulted in less diversity within the field and has made it much harder for newer writers not only to break in, but to make any kind of a living while doing so.
mean writing matter
There's certainly more new SF available than when I started writing. That means there's also more bad SF available. Whether there is also more good is a matter for future historians of the field.
challenges trying
I try to challenge myself as much as possible, as often as possible.
travel growing-up reading
Growing up, I never gave a thought to being a writer. All I ever wanted to be was a traveler and explorer. Science-fiction allowed me to go places that were otherwise inaccessible, which is why I started reading it.
book reading mean
I have a bad tendency to get rapidly bored with my own material, so rewriting is hard for me. I mean, I already know the story and would rather read something new.
giving-up sacrifice degrees
I see the Jedi mission as giving up a normal life in exchange for protecting the innocent. It's a life of sacrifice. There are rewards, but also a certain degree of sterility.
children revenge games
Getting inside the mind of a terrorist wasn't difficult at all. Even as children, human beings fabricate elaborate revenge fantasies. We're not a particular species. Check out popular video games.
storm six-months four
The storm hit with all the fury of a woman who’d been dieting for six months, only to discover she’d gained four pounds.
writing world funny-travel
Writing allows me the time to travel and see the world, which is what I always wanted to do. I'd really like to have been Sir Richard Francis Burton, but it's the wrong century.