Daniel Haight is a long-time author of numerous published short stories and now a new novel “Flotilla.” Since 2007, Dan Haight has been published by many fiction sites and is known for his blend of dark humor and crackling narrative. As a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dan first fell in love with science-fiction watching Star Wars and Star Trekbefore moving onto the other classics of the genre. He lives with his family and when he isn’t writing, he works as a lowly IT guy in a large computer company.
Do you plan everything or just let the story flow?
I would say 50/50 - I have a general idea about where the story should go but sometimes the story decides to flow in its own direction.
Do your characters ever want to take over the story?
Absolutely. I put my characters together in a scene in my head, watch what they do and say and then write it down. People find it creepy. :)
What is your favourite food?
All-time favourite? Fish & Chips at the Anchor in London. Hands down.
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Morning person - I was a paperboy growing up - it stuck with me.
Where do you dream of travelling to and why?
I loved England and France when I first visited. Am looking forward to returning and exploring the rest of Europe. The family is from there from way back ... it's like coming home.
Do distant places feature in your books?
Definitely - my book takes place offshore, hundreds of miles from land.
Do you listen to music while writing?
Sure do - lots of angry punk rock. :)
Could you tell us a bit about your latest release?
Flotilla is a crossover apocalyptic science-fiction in which a young man is thrown into an ocean, literally and figuratively, to find himself both a survivor and a hero who rescues his family from disaster. This is a whirlwind adventure over two summers that paints a vivid picture of adventure and hardship. It is also a deeply moving look at the impact of sustainable technology on some hilariously dysfunctional, flawed characters. Additionally, Flotilla is stirring coming-of-age tale that brings together fathers and sons and conquers loss through courage and inner strength.
What have you learned about writing and publishing since you first started?
That - in this day and age, nobody really knows what's going on. You can kill yourself trying every idea everyone suggests - it's a mixture of doing it yourself, asking for help, getting people to care about your story and plain old luck.
Is there anything you would do differently?
Only everything ... :) I try not to focus on it - Hindsight is 20/20
Who, or what, if anything has influenced your writing?
Sure - a ton of people: Authors like Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird and Hunter S Thompson. Filmmakers like Steven Spielberg and Guy Ritchie and all-around good human beings like Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Anything you would say to those just starting out in the craft?
Just do it. Stop trying and do it. You're a writer after you publish your first novel. Anything else, you're just negotiating your salary. James Cameron said something like that and it always stuck with me.
What are three words that describe you?
Inventive, imaginative and passionate.
What's your favourite book or who is your favourite writer?
My favorite novel would have to be the aforementioned 'To Kill a Mockingbird' but my favorite writer, consistently, is Hunter S Thompson. He's just too kinetic and thoughtful.
Flotilla is a crossover apocalyptic science-fiction in which a young man is thrown into an ocean, literally and figuratively, to find himself both a survivor and a hero who rescues his family from disaster. This is a whirlwind adventure over two summers that paints a vivid picture of adventure and hardship. It is also a deeply moving look at the impact of sustainable technology on some hilariously dysfunctional, flawed characters. Additionally, Flotilla is stirring coming-of-age tale that brings together fathers and sons and conquers loss through courage and inner strength.
Jim Westfield is a 15-year-old male teenager living in near-future, suburban Los Angeles. Jim is forced into rehab by his mother and step-father and then kicked out of the house to live with his father, Rick, on a floating community that raises fish commercially using a process called 'mariculture.' Although Jim shows that he can act responsibly, he is also capable of self-destructive episodes that leave him exposed to wicked revenges imposed by other community citizens. As the events of Flotilla progress, Jim forces himself to survive his personal failings and be the hero he needs to be in order to save himself and his sister.
List of previous books if any:
Flotilla is my first novel-length project but I'm releasing a collection of my previously-published short stories.
Any websites/places readers can find you on the web:
You can find me at http://www.flotillaonline.com and http://www.northern71st.com
You can read the first five chapters of Flotialla below:
Flotilla Sample Chapters
And you can buy the ebook from amazon and the 2nd edition paperback is due out on the 23 November.
really nice.
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