Darkness Concealed (under a fedora): A chat with debut dark fantasy author D. Emery Bunn
D. Emery Bunn
D. Emery Bunn has a hell of a name, and a hell of a hat to go with it. I’ll admit it: I trust anyone who wears a magnificent fedora nearly every time he leaves the house, so I’m pretty certain his debut apocalyptic fantasy, Darkness Concealed, will be worth checking out. It’s releasing in just a few days (September 23!). I caught up with him for a pre-release interview, and he shared some thoughts on his writing process, his inspirations, and what makes Darkness Concealed a fresh addition to its genre.
First, here’s the blurb:
50 years ago, the dawn did not come. Again. Everyone in Telthan knew it would happen. Monsters roamed the land, killing virtually everyone in their path, laying waste to anything in their way. Only a precious few survived to rebuild the wreckage of civilization, just like last time. No one questions the Darkening. Not even the children.
That is, until four strangers set off in search of answers, braving a forbidden city, a forgotten library, and foreboding mountains for the truth that has to exist. But the past does not give up its secrets easily, and the truth is far darker than the blackest night.
Hey, D. Emery! Thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with some specific questions about your debut: What makes Darkness Concealed stand out among similar books in its genre?
At first glance, Darkness Concealed is just like a lot of other stories, just based on some keywords: apocalypse, forgotten history, and fantasy.
Apocalypse: Yes, the book has an apocalypse. The twist is that the apocalypse keeps on happening, with no explanation why. It just simply is. “Fortunately”, it only happens one day every 149 years.
Forgotten History: Yes, the book talks about a world that has a forgotten history. The twist is that because of that recurring apocalypse the history isn’t being deliberately forgotten. It’s being actively destroyed by civilization being brought to ruin by that apocalypse.
Fantasy: Yes, I use tons of stock aspects of fantasy stories like magic, good vs. evil, and characters being heroes. But magic is a lost art alongside history, what counts as “good” gets smaller and smaller as the story develops, and the characters aren’t looking to be heroes. For the most part, they’re merely curious.
I like that idea—protagonists driven mainly by an itch to know the truth rather than a stubborn heroic streak. So let me ask: what kind of experience will readers have when they pick up your book? Is there humor? Philosophy? Action? Romance? Suspense?
All of the above except romance.
Humor: There are plenty of funny situations and witty banter throughout the book. Philosophy: There is a lot of both explicit and implicit philosophy that stems from what the characters know at the start of the book, and what they discover as the story moves forward. Action: There is action, but not as much physical as it is emotional and mental. How the characters react carries the story, but they do their fair share of acting as well. Suspense: You don’t know whether they’re going to live or die, figure out the mystery or not. The entire book proceeds with an amount of uncertainty that never goes away, not even on the last page.
Sounds like a good combination, and I think it’s refreshing that you didn’t feature a romance—I mean, I know that’s weird for a romance writer to say, but if it didn’t fit naturally, I’m glad you didn’t shoehorn one in.
Here’s a question: Name a book you wish you wrote.
I don’t have one. I have loved certain books and thought a lot of the authors who wrote those books, but I never thought “man, if only I had thought of that.” Their ideas are theirs, and I don’t want to say that I could’ve done it better if only I’d been quicker.
A very healthy attitude. Can I borrow your brain? 🙂
So let’s talk process. What types of scenes do you love writing best, and which ones are hardest?
I love dialogue scenes, especially when I have a good grasp on the characters. It’s easy for me to rack up several hundred words in quick succession if they’re in the middle of a tense conversation.
Conversely, my hardest scenes are inner dialogue ones. Darkness Concealed relies on a lot of internal reaction and decision-making, and making it read fluidly and still come off as a thought was difficult. I tend to over-describe those scenes and have to cut drastically when I revise.
I started out writing plays, so I totally get your dialogue love—it’s definitely fastest for me too, and sometimes I’ll write all the dialogue for a chapter first and then fill in description here and there.
Tell me about a few authors you love whose work helped you become the writer you are today.
J. R. R. Tolkien, because Middle Earth as a whole setting (not just LotR) is awe-inspiring and an example I look up to.
Isaac Asimov, because the world of Foundation reads like a full-scale movement of people, times, and locations. Everything is moving all at once, and only certain people are able to keep track of the flow of it all.
Frank Herbert, because he draws worldbuilding and world movement together, and lathers on a ton of philosophy over top.
When writing/editing this book, did you make any “wrong turns” in the process that you learned from? Anything you want to share?
The entire first draft was scrapped. It was an unsalvageable mess that I’m so glad I had the willingness to throw away.
In the second draft, I would often write a scene, or a part of one, and realize it wasn’t working. I’d delete it back to the point of it feeling “off” and rewrite. There was one chapter opener that I wrote 3 times before I finally said “okay, this is all wrong. I have to do this thing instead.”
Cringing in sympathy over your scrapped first draft! Man, have I been there. So now that your book’s in a good place, which character in Darkness Concealed is your favorite?
Depends on what aspect I’m looking at.
Dialogue: Liz. What she says and how she acts is priceless.
Depth of character: Alexandra. Her entire motivation throughout the story is driven by survivor’s guilt.
Depth of conviction: Ivan. He believes heart, mind, and soul that the answers exist, that knowledge is just a book or observation away, even when it isn’t.
Growth: Caleb. He starts as a stuttering, emotionally-traumatized mess. And he grows. I’ll leave it at that.
Which character was the toughest to write?
Alexandra. She had a massive tonal shift in the third draft as that depth of character forced itself into her thoughts, actions, and words where it hadn’t been before.
Okay—a couple silly little questions to wrap up. Do you write with your feet on or off the ground?
Depends on my mood. I’ve written in almost any position except on my stomach. Right now I have my legs crossed, so one’s on the ground and one isn’t.
Can you listen to music when you write?
Yes, and it doesn’t matter what I’m listening to, really. Just listening to something.
What’s your favorite thing to snack on while writing?
Can be generally anything. I actually “snack” on water most consistently, but when I do snack it’s baby carrots, a cucumber, or whatever Naturebox sent me this month.
GOOD LORD YOU ARE SO HEALTHY. I’m going to think of you next time I start making a chocolate mug cake at midnight, and hopefully it’ll shame me straight into the vegetable drawer. Maybe I’ll just tape a fedora picture to my fridge to remind me.
And finally—you knew it was coming—what’s with the hat?
I’ve always loved fedoras, and when I saw a hat shop last November that was selling one, I had to buy it. Then I started wearing it for the sake of wearing it, and got endlessly complimented. Now I wear it almost every time I go out.
Add me to the chorus of compliments. I love a confident hat-wearer.
Thanks to D. Emery Bunn for taking the time to answer my questions! Darkness Concealed is out on September 23. It’ll be available on Amazon, Google Books, and Kobo, and you can add it on Goodreads right now. If you’re a dark fantasy fan, check it out!
Follow D. Emery on Twitter
Check out his awesome author blog for thoughtful writing posts and inside information on Darkness Concealed