Contemporary fiction with a speculative element
Date Published: May 14, 2020
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
No one knew it at the time, but April 19, 2011, was the most important day in the history of the world.
After his only friend and colleague, John Manta, disappears without a word, Dave Randall further entrenches himself in the humdrum life of an unenthusiastic lawyer. But once he begins to understand what happened, he embarks on a journey to uncover the deeper meanings and implications of John's fate.
Accompanied by Peaches the cat, Dave uproots his life and reinvents himself in the midst of his search. Along the way, he is haunted by his piecemeal understanding of John's fate and what it means for his existence. Little does Dave know, his journey of self-discovery will have ramifications that extend far beyond the borders of his own little life.
Interview
Is There a Message in Your Novel That You
Want Readers to Grasp?
The main theme I wanted to tackle in this
book was simply the power of empathy, which is reflected in the title - Questions of Perspective. The notion that other people are struggling
with their own issues on a daily basis is not groundbreaking, but it just seems
so easy to forget as we live our daily lives (as is demonstrated if you dive
into the comments section of just about anything on the internet!)
Another
big theme this novel addresses is simply the question of the meaning of life. I’ve
been guilty of living my life on autopilot, taking the path of least
resistance, without ever stopping to ask why I was on that particular path. I don’t know if
there is a nice clean answer to ‘what is the meaning of life?’, but I believe
there is much to be gained from simply reflecting on that question. That is a
struggle that the narrator of this novel undertakes fairly early on in the
story.
Is there anything you find particularly
challenging in your writing?
There were two things that were a bit
challenging in writing this book.
First, I wanted to write a story about “God” that
was not religious in nature. I did not want to use the story to denigrate any
particular religion, and I wanted a story that even atheists could jump into.
That was a very fine line to walk, but I think I ultimately managed to pull
that off.
Second, there are parts of the story that
explore what it means to be “God.” I did not want to portray a watered down
version of God - I wanted God to be an all-knowing, all-powerful being existing
outside of our definition of “time.” That was not an easy state to capture in
writing, and I spent a long time fine-tuning those sections of the novel.
How many books have you written and which
is your favorite?
Questions of Perspective
is my first, so of
course it is my favorite! Given that this book was largely autobiographical
(and quite therapeutic in that regard), it might easily remain my favorite even
after I get a few other books out there.
If You had the chance to cast your main
character from Hollywood today, who would you pick and why?
This is tough. A fair amount of the “action” in
this book takes place in the head of the main character, Dave, as he works
through his existential crisis. I would need an actor who could convey the
turning of those gears. Lin Manuel Miranda would be a strong choice - I always
find him engaging to watch, even when he’s just silently ruminating on
something. I tend to associate Lin Manuel with “loud” characters, and Dave is a
bit of a “still waters run deep” kind of guy, so it would be a different kind
of role for him - but I’m confident he could pull it off.
When did you begin writing?
I
started writing “for fun” in high school - silly little scripts I would work on
with a friend. I had also written a few children’s stories for my wife, just to
gift her on her birthday or a holiday. It wasn’t until mid-2015 that I started
writing this story with the intention of throwing it out into the world for
strangers to (hopefully) enjoy.
How long did it take to complete your
first book?
As I said, I started
this story in mid-2015. Something very close to a finished product was ready
nearly two years later. In fact, my first son was born in December 2017, and I
knew that I would not have much time to write once he was born. So I got a
great deal of writing accomplished in the months leading to his birth, knowing
it might be my last chance to do so for some time. After that, a fair amount of
time was spent querying this story to various publishers and agents. I signed
with Black Rose Writing in mid-2019, which led to another intense round of
revisions, fine-tuning, etc. Long story
short: although it was a five year journey from writing the first words to the
publication date, there were only about two years of intensive writing.
Did you have an author who inspired you to
become a writer?
Pat Conroy was a huge influence (to the point
where my son Patrick was named, at least in part, after him). I love his
ability to tell stories that will have you laughing out loud one chapter, and
then punch you in the stomach with something heartbreaking in the next, only to
ultimately end on a hopeful note. I feel that stories should largely reflect
life: sometimes life is a comedy, other times it is a tragedy. Questions of Perspective has
a few distinct tonal shifts, which were all a direct influence of growing up on
Pat Conroy’s books.
What is your favorite part of the writing
process?
When I am in the midst of writing, or working
on something creative, my mental health just seems to be in a much better
place. If I’m stuck in traffic, for example, my mind will wander to the story I’m
working on: When should I introduce this character? How
would this character react to finding out they were betrayed? And so forth. Absent a creative outlet like that, my thought
process in downtimes goes much darker: it tends to find things that will drive
me to be anxious or depressed. I guess you could say that writing for me isn’t
just about getting words on paper; it is a practice that allows me to elevate
my entire thought process into something positive.
Describe your latest book in 4 words.
A brush with Godhood.
Can you share a little bit about your
current work or what is in the future for your writing?
I am currently working on a screenplay with
an old friend of mine (who will eventually be directing the movie as well),
which is a murder mystery/comedy. I think we will have a script ready within
the next few months, although I have no idea when filming will start in light
of the pandemic.
I am also at work on my second novel, which
focuses on the concept of family. Questions of Perspective was more introspective in nature with one narrator; this next
one features a variety of different characters, with one primary female
protagonist. It’s been a joy to write so far, and it’s been a rewarding
challenge trying to write from the perspective of characters with substantially
different backgrounds than my own. Like Questions
of Perspective, this next book will
deal with some relatively heavy themes via a narrative infused with humor. I
can’t imagine ever writing a story that doesn’t at least try to be funny at times.
About the Author
When he is not writing, Daniel Maunz works as in-house counsel for a major insurance company. He currently lives in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, with his wife Lynne, their son Patrick, and their two cats: Admiral Meowy McWhiskers and Captain Cutie (or "Admiral" and "Captain" for short). Questions of Perspective is his first novel.
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