r/books • u/rickgekoski AMA Author • Aug 21 '18
ama 3pm Hello. I’m Rick Gekoski. I was born and educated in America, but have spent my entire life in England, where most of my books have been published. I’m now a dual citizen, and feel equally ill at ease in both countries. AMA
You probably don’t know much (anything?) about me. Last year, at the age of 72, I published my first novel, entitled Darke. (See Amazon books). Then this year a new novel, A Long Island Story, which is set in Huntington, Long Island in the summer of 1953. Basically a memoir in the form of a novel. The Times said it was “impeccably acute about people.” Other critics disagreed. Literary reviews and reviewers are like that. Best not to take too much notice, and get on with the next thing. Am now halfway through another novel.
Here’s a few useful links:
Wikipedia: Rick Gekoski www.gekoski.com
For a long interview about Darke, see:
http://www.powells.com/post/qa/powells-qa-rick-gekoski-author-of-darke For four years I wrote an online column in The Guardian, entitled Finger on the Page, about reading, writing, and bookselling. It’s rather fun, you might like to check it out. https://www.theguardian.com/books/series/rick-gekoski-finger-on-the-page I very much this sort of format, and will be answering form my home in Salisbury, England (where those poor Russians were poisoned).
Ask anything.
Proof: /img/8i58iw345wf11.jpg
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Aug 21 '18
How do you manage writers block? It’s definitely something I need to work on :)
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Aug 21 '18
Should the Mets trade DeGrom for prospects to restock their farm system?
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Aug 21 '18
Which of the many careers and jobs you've had did you enjoy most?
How did it feel waiting for the reviews on your novel given your working history?
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Aug 21 '18 edited Aug 21 '18
Hi Rick, thanks for doing this!
How was it that you came to be selected as a Man Booker prize judge (application, invitation, etc.) and how did you not pick Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go? Was it because he’d already won one before?
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Aug 21 '18
I see you taught in Warwick. What do you think of the animatronic figures and piped in character voices at the otherwise magnificent Warwick Castle? It's blech for me.
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Aug 21 '18
Hi Rick, thanks for doing an AMA with us!
I'm curious why you published your first book at 72? Also, what is something you once thought you knew, but later found out you were wrong about?
Thanks!
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u/[deleted] Aug 21 '18
How much time do you spend on rewriting and editing something? Even in writing this message, I spent 5 minutes erasing and editing. Do you just go for it and write, or are you also plagued with editing anything and everything you write?