The Children of Darkness, book one of the dystopian trilogy, The Seekers by David Litwack "But what are we without dreams?" A thousand years ago the Darkness came--a time of violence and social collapse when technology ran rampant. But the vicars of the Temple of Light brought peace, ushering in an era of blessed simplicity. For ten centuries they have kept the madness at bay with "temple magic," eliminating forever the rush of progress that nearly caused the destruction of everything. Childhood friends, Orah and Nathaniel, have always lived in the tiny village of Little Pond, longing for more from life but unwilling to challenge the rigid status quo. When their friend Thomas returns from the Temple after his "teaching"—the secret coming-of-age ritual that binds the young to the Light—they barely recognize the broken and brooding man the boy has become. Then when Orah is summoned as well, Nathaniel follows in a foolhardy attempt to save her. In the prisons of Temple City, they discover a terrible secret that launches the three on a journey to find the forbidden keep, placing their lives in jeopardy. For hidden in the keep awaits a truth from the past that threatens the foundation of the Temple. If they reveal that truth, they might release the long-suppressed potential of their people, but they would also incur the Temple’s wrath as it is written: "If there comes among you a dreamer of dreams saying 'Let us return to the darkness,' you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light."
Praise for The Children of Darkness “A must-read page turner.” Kirkus Review “Litwack’s storytelling painted a world of both light and darkness–and the truth that would mix the two.” Fiction Fervor “The Children of Darkness is a dystopian novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.” C.P. Bialois “A fresh perspective on our own society...[an] enjoyable read that will make you wonder just how society will judge us in the future.” Lexie
Author David Litwack The urge to write first struck when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic. Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. After publishing two award winning novels, Along the Watchtower and The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky, he’s hard at work on the dystopian trilogy, The Seekers. David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.
Interview:
1.
When did you first
realize you wanted to be a writer?
The
urge to write first struck me at age sixteen when working on a newsletter at a
youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the wild
night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by the northern lights rippling
after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color
of the ocean. The next day, I had a column published under my byline, and I was
hooked.
2.
How long does it take
you to write a book?
About
a year. More if you count the time daydreaming about the story and taking notes
(which I try to do while working on the prior book). I try to finish the first
draft in about three months, then pound away, beating it into submission for
another six. Cycling the manuscript with editors takes another three, and
voila—instant novel.
3.
What is your work
schedule like when you're writing?
For
some reason, I write best first thing in the morning and in the evening after
dinner. If I want to write in the afternoon, I’ll need a nap first. The
exception is when I’m cycling drafts with an editor. I hate being on the
critical path, so I’ll edit for eight, ten or even twelve hours in a day.
That’s probably because I can sense the finish line and want to see the book
published.
4.
What would you say is
your interesting writing quirk?
I’m
generally disciplined about removing unnecessary words, but I do love my
leading conjunctions (and’s and but’s at the start of sentences). Some make
sense for proper emphasis, but thankfully, my editor makes me cut most of them
out.
5.
How do books get
published?
With
lots of hard work. Justice Louis Brandeis once said: “There are no great
writers, only great rewriters.” It’s important for a writer to assess every
word objectively and remove what’s not necessary. I have a favorite quote from Antoine
de Saint-Exupery (author of that gem of a novel, The Little Prince): “A designer knows he has achieved perfection
not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take
away.”
6.
Where do you get your
information or ideas for your books?
I
believe you don’t ‘get’ ideas, but rather that ideas are everywhere. Creativity
is less about finding ideas than it is about stitching them together into a
story. I wrote a blog post about where my ideas come from. You can check it out
here.
7.
When did you write your
first book and how old were you?
I
wrote my first novel in the year after college, when I was about twenty-two,
and followed it with a second. I still have them in a box somewhere and
periodically scan them to appreciate how far I’ve come. I read somewhere that
to be a good writer, you have to write for ten years and produce a million
words. I paid the majority of those dues in my twenties, in retrospect, a time
well spent, but I’m glad those days are past. If someone asked to read those
novels, I’d burn them first before letting anyone see them.
8.
What do you like to do
when you're not writing?
I
golf (badly), bike, go for long walks and enjoy visiting with friends and
family.
9.
What does your family
think of your writing?
Thankfully,
my wife has always been supportive, from the time we first met, through the
software years, and now with my return to writing. We raised our kids to have
open minds, so they think their author father is a bit odd but kind of cool.
10.
What was one of the most
surprising things you learned in creating your books?
I
make up characters in my head, and once the book is published, I read reviews
from strangers passionately discussing these characters as if they were real.
11.
How many books have you
written? Which is your favorite?
The Children of Darkness is my fourth. My grandmother had five children
and used to say they were like the fingers of her hand—she couldn’t choose a
favorite among them. Ask me the question again when I run out of fingers.
12.
Do you have any
suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
If
you love it, never give up. If not, find something easier to do. And if you
want to become a better writer, read lots and rewrite until each and every word
is the best you can do.
13.
Do you hear from your
readers much? What kinds of things do they say?
Yes,
and I read everything they say. It continually amazes me how novels touch
people in unexpected ways. A story is a partnership between author and reader,
with each bringing their own life experience to the table. I’ve had veterans
(or families of veterans) say how they related to Lt. Freddie Williams in Along the Watchtower. I’ve also had
readers of The Children of Darkness
compare that story to the events in the Middle East, especially the
restrictions on education.
14.
Do you like to create
books for adults?
I
write stories appropriate for thirteen year olds and up. I sometimes think that
younger readers are more open to imaginative tales than anyone, but my books
are mostly for adults. Along the
Watchtower may be the one not for younger folks—it’s the most intense of
the bunch.
15.
What do you think makes
a good story?
The
main characters have to desperately want something that seems beyond their
reach. Then, an event happens (the inciting incident) that gives them the
power/courage/motivation to leave their comfort zone and pursue their dreams.
16.
As a child, what did you
want to do when you grew up?
The
area where I spent most of my adult life was software, a profession that didn’t
exist when I was little. And I was sixteen before I wanted to become a writer.
So my childhood aspirations were all over the place, anything from being a
doctor to a baseball player to a mountain man (I read The Saga of Andy Burnett when I was eleven).
17.
What would you like my
readers to know?
I
write speculative literary fiction, a term I use to distinguish alternate world
stories, where the emphasis is not on whiz-bang technology, aliens, space
travel or the like, but more on deeper characters and universal themes, brought
to the fore by the unique difference in the imagined society or world. I
strive to write stories that are entertaining, but leave the reader thinking
long after they’ve finished the book.
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