Albert Jaskula – Author Interview – A Quintillion Words

“You’ve set up a bloody slaughter there. What tempted you?”

“Revenge.“
The Fall – Albert Jaskula

After recently reading, The Fall, an intense and suspenseful thriller with action left, right and centre, I threw a selection of questions at author, Albert Jaskula to find out more about his writing processes, his favourite book and what’s coming next. Read on for more! You can also read my review for The Fall here.

1. Ariel has so much going on in his life, his past equally as traumatic. How did you come up with this character and his backstory?

Ariel was created from the term. I wanted to portray the “stereotypical” actual man. With a past that followed him like a shadow, how much we can bear, and how difficult it is to deal with things alone. When we scream for help, it is a silent scream.

2. Can we please talk about the Lavender Killer! Such a brilliant addition to the book (at the perfect point!) What do you think makes a great villain?

His history. Nobody is born with the ability to be wicked. He is a human being, just like the rest of us. However, traumatic experiences might lead to a mistaken view of reality. People who are wounded as a sort of self-defense frequently begin to hurt others. We must not forget about family, or the absence thereof. The absence of a father, and especially the loss of a male role model, sets off this downward spiral.

3. How long did it take you to write The Fall from start to finish, including edits?

Six months were spent writing and three months were spent editing. Fortunately, my publisher gave me a lot of leeway in writing, and I only had to cut a handful of jokes.

4. The emotional scenes hit me hard, especially close to the end of the book. Do any scenes like this affect you when you write them or can you write without getting too attached to your characters?

The world in the novel is made up. I have no trouble telling the difference between fiction and reality. BUT. To be able to write a book in this form, to convey what the main character is going through, I had to unlock a previously locked door to my mind. Old wounds reopened. I had to go through it myself before I could grasp what I was writing about. The smoking habit, the flavor of whiskey, and so forth.

5. Which character did you have the most fun creating in this book?

The answer is obvious. Ariel. Nightmare scenes, on the other hand, are my favorite type of scene. I could make up whatever I wanted, move between situations, and it was all fine since it was all a dream.

6. In your opinion, what is the best thing about being an author?

Creating something out of nothingness. You make the world the way you choose to see it. It’s known as the God complex.

7. What are some of your favourite books and which authors have been your biggest inspiration as a writer?

Men Who Hate Women, by Steig Larsson. But I get a lot of my inspiration from movies, comic books, and other media.

8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, so how can I predict what will happen in five years… I’m hoping I can find what I’m looking for.

9. What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a second book. I’m hoping The Fallen is on par with the first. That’s the bare minimum, but I’ll attempt to raise it. If you like Lavender Killer, you won’t want to miss meeting the Grim Reaper from York.

10. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to new authors?

I don’t believe I have the authority to give counsel. I can only speak to what aided me in writing the book. Persistence, perseverance, and the appropriate music. I listened to one song while writing the book. To be precise, 18,534 times.