Ali Shaw's new novel is The Trees. From his Q&A with Deborah Kalb:Q: How did you come up with the idea for The Trees, and for the world you describe in the novel?Learn more about the book and author at Ali Shaw's website and blog.
A: The idea struck in an unguarded instant, much like the trees do in the story. I can’t quite remember what I was doing at the time – walking to the corner shop, probably, or walking back – but I can remember that the idea arrived with a feeling of upward force.
At that stage it was just an image: a forest thundering up from the ground fully formed. From there I had to sit down and imagine what sort of forest it would be, and what sort of people I wanted to follow through it.
Q: How would you describe your main character, Adrien, and his view of the world, both before and after the trees take over?
A: He’s a struggler. He struggles with everything. He doesn’t like modernity or urban life but he doesn’t much like nature either. His anxieties have twisted him up into someone who’s become quite unbearable, although I hope he’s funny at times too.
After the forest arrives he’s even more...[read on]
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