Q&A with Gillian Anderson
Answers.com: October 7, 2014
You delighted us for years as the skeptical Agent Scully on "The X-Files," and now you're returning to the genre that made you famous, this time as an author. Have you always had a passion for writing?
I have, but have never really put it out there. I think on some level I always thought that if I put too much attention into it that my other career would slip away- which of course is nonsense but having a co-writer certainly makes it more doable within the constraints of the schedule I've had the past couple of years.
What can you tell us about your new novel "A Vision of Fire"?
Though a complete story, the novel sets up a trilogy that delves into the origins of human culture in a way that we hope is fresh, action-filled, and enlightening. The characters go on an epic global journey that reaches through time and space and challenges them in dangerous, unexpected ways.
How would you describe "A Vision of Fire" in 3 words?
Secret Of Life.
"A Vision of Fire" is the first novel of your thrilling new science fiction trilogy. When can we expect the second novel?
The outline for the new novel is already in place and we have begun the first stages of the first chapter.
What was it like collaborating with New York Times bestselling author Jeff Rovin on the novel?
Jeff is what one might call a brainiac. He seems to know a bit of everything about everything and he is a darned good writer in his own right. Attempting such an ambitious project with anyone else would have been terrifying and superfluous. Jeff and his internal encyclopedia (and Clare his assistant) made singularly it possible.
Is "A Vision of Fire" aimed to entertain audiences of all ages?
I would hope that there is something for everyone in this trilogy. I would say that 9 and up would enjoy it as ambitious as that sounds. I am sure that Simon & Schuster can provide a target demographic but I think there are enough elements in this to entertain children and adults, males and females alike.
If you like ____ and ____, then you'll like "A Vision of Fire." How would you fill in the blanks?
If you like The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson, then you'll like "A Vision of Fire".
Any plans to adapt "A Vision of Fire" to the big screen?
Since that is the world I come from, my engagement in this project initially was to create a character that was translatable to film and a world and events that were filmic. It is a very big story we tell and contemporary cinema is chock full of super themes and super heroes. We needed to provide a viable competitor. (wink)
What is your process when writing a book?
Jeff works in NY. I seem to work on planes! After the outline Jeff sets up each chapter as discussed and then I dive in. I imagine based on how my schedule is looking for the new year, that that is how number two will go.
What will most excite readers about "A Vision of Fire"?
I hope the readers are as excited as I am about the global reach of the series. We are in Haiti and Iran and India and the Antarctic and New York in the story. I believe that we come to care about the characters we meet. This is a story about unity and a vision of the world working together from the dawn of civilization which may have started further back than we think.
How did your experience on "The X-Files" shape you as an actress?
The series gave me 201 episodes to figure out how to act. That's the equivalent of 100 films. Yikes.
Where is your acting career taking you next?
I just finished doing a stage production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" in London which was filmed for NT Live and they are doing screenings of it in 42 countries, so check it out! I have a film coming out called "Robot Overlords"- and no I don't just do science fiction!- but yes it is- a family film about robots taking over the earth. And the second season of a British series called "The Fall," which you can catch on Netflix (including the first season now!) and of course starting up on "Hannibal" again soon.
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