Mark Z. Danielewski
Friday, March 10 at 6:30 PM

First and Only Book Published (so far): House of Leaves. Took ten years to write.

Lives: In a cardboard box (complete with refrigerator) under a bridge in Los Angeles. Near a Kinko's. (Is planning to visit the Fremont Troll when he comes to Seattle. Feels they have a lot in common.)

Writing Rituals: Up early. Writes constantly, 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

Pre-Writing Exercises: Conducts research "in tandem" with writing. "Only a tiny percentage of all the research that was done appears in the book."

Last Book Read: Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife
Opinion? "Wonderful book." Next on his reading list is The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero by Robert Kaplan, Ellen Kaplan (Illustrator). Is interested in the zeitgeist behind the numerous books on this subject that happen to be coming out now.

Favorite Movie: Will Navidson's The Navidson Record

Three things currently in his refrigerator:

• half gallon organic non-fat milk in a glass bottle ("A real nostalgia trip.")
• can of horseradish
• 16mm and 8mm film of his sister's last tour ("That's where it is!")

Before becoming a successful writer: Worked as a plumber, in restaurants. Worked at an inn in Vermont doing odd jobs with the understanding that he could take 2 1/2 hours out of his day to write.

Next Project: Not talking about it...yet. Definitely has it on his agenda to move out from under the bridge.

Looking forward to: The release of his sister Poe's upcoming CD. "The CD and the book exist as two separate artistic projects. However, there's no doubt that the language in my book and the music in her songs communicate at a level other people will hear."

Danielewski says: "I heard from a friend in D.C. that an office mate came in to work all wound up after reading the serialized version of my book online. She admitted to my friend that she had been abused as a child and after that had dreamed about extra rooms and hallways in her house. I wasn't entirely surprised to hear that. I think I touched on an aspect of the 'architecture of denial' and am happy that it resonates."

© Luanne Brown