Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in London with my wife and two daughters. The Pages of Time is my first book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Pages of Time is a time travel thriller. It follows the adventures of Sam Rayner, a teenager who, after suffering a traumatic brain injury, develops seizures during which he slips into the body of a past or future self.
I first had the idea for the book after watching a documentary featuring the physicist Julian Barbour. He argues that each individual moment of time exists as complete and whole in its own right – “nows” – and that what we experience as the passage of time is, in fact, an illusion: the linking together of these distinct nows by their similarity to one another. This led me to wonder what would happen if someone suffered a disorder which affected the way they link nows together, jumbling their experience of the passage of time, which gave rise to the idea of Sam’s brain injury.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Having a new baby in the house means my sleeping habits are pretty unusual. The early morning is often my most productive time.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I had to read The Chrysalids by John Wyndham for my GCSE English Literature class, and I think that book, along with The Day of the Triffids by the same author, sparked my love of Science Fiction. Shortly after I read the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov, which totally blew my mind.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on Ripples of the Past, the sequel to The Pages of Time. It continues to follow the present-day adventures of Sam and his friends, while delving more deeply into the backstory of Pages.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m a big fan of Goodreads, both as a promotional tool and as way of interacting with readers and other authors.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Try to get as many pairs of eyeballs as possible on your work before you publish, including those of a professional editor if you can, and take on board criticism when it’s constructive. Remember you can’t please everyone, and if you disagree with something, ignore it and move on.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
In On Writing, Stephen King mentions a rejection slip he once received, which said something along the lines of:
2nd Draft = 1st Draft – 10%.
I think that’s sound advice, and something I try to follow. Even if you don’t cut the full ten percent, what you do shave off will tighten the story.
What are you reading now?
The Farm by Tom Rob Smith (author of Child 44). I’m near the beginning, but it’s already hard to put down.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Ripples of the Past is coming together, but is still a little way from ready. After that, I’m planning a third book in the series.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Foundation by Isaac Asimov, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, Oryx and Crake by Margret Atwood and Under the Dome by Stephen King.
Author Websites and Profiles
Damian Knight Website
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