Don’t Ask – Michael Grant
As part of the celebration for the publication of Light, the final novel in the Gone series, we’ve got the Michael Grant himself writing about what questions you should never ever ask him in an interview. Take note!
I have two least favorite questions. The first is, “Will there be a movie or TV show for GONE?”
Here’s why I don’t like this question: because we tried. Various Hollywood folks and I gave it our best shot. There were many conference calls. There were many trips to Hollywood to meet with people. There were a whole bunch of follow-up calls. I sat down face to face with a Very Big Deal at Sony/Columbia. In that meeting I had a Very Big Deal from The Hunger Games 
sitting beside me. But nope. It just didn’t work out.
I’m frustrated by it all, frankly. It wasted a lot of my time and some of my money and I understand why fans ask about it, but it’s a bit like being asked to discuss your greatest frustration again and again and again.
I did however get a movie deal for BZRK with Sam Raimi and the aforementioned VBD from Sony/Columbia. Which does not mean there will be a movie. It just means a guy will write the screenplay, and then we’ll see.
My second least favorite question is the “Inspiration” question. It irritates me because it’s part of the tendency to aggrandize writers. I don’t in any way blame the people who ask the question, it’s the existence of the question that bugs me. The question tyakes as its predicate the assumption that writers are a special sort of creature — just ever so much better than regular folk who are never asked what their inspiration is for going to work every day.
What’s your inspiration for working at Tesco? What’s your inspiration for selling real estate? What’s your inspiration for installing cable? No one ever asks that. The inspiration question is only for special people: actors, singers, writers. That creates a dichotomy I don’t accept. Work has value. All work. If you work hard at your job and do your best then you and I are equals.
Writing is my job. I do it to the best of my ability. I enjoy it. But angels do not dictate to me, and dead authors do not whisper plot lines. I make up stories and write them down. Because why? Because it’s my job.
You can now play the new Gone Game online at http://www.goneonlinegame.com/
