Notes

What are Things that Taste Like?

Alex: You have also contributed to the free Marketplace map for Summer's base.



Max Brooks: Yes! When you open the map, it's after Summer and Guy have left and the mountain you're seeing is not exactly as it was in the book. Minecraft In reality, it was a big challenge. I was two-thirds of the way through writing The Mountain and I got up to play the game and realized that the whole Nether had changed, all the way down! Instead of being upset I realized that this was the most important lesson in my life! When the world changes, you gotta change along with it.



Alex: Much like The Island, the book is extremely thorough.



Max Brooks: Research is very important to me in all that I do. Because I spend a lot of time doing research I don't have enough time to write as many books. With something like Minecraft, I live under the fear of someone saying, "That would never happen!" So I played thousands of hours playing Minecraft to make sure the game's mechanics are reflected in the book. Additionally, there are some things that just happen in Minecraft that you can't think of on your own. My character from The Island shoots his last shot at a creeper and then hits a bat that happens by. It happened to me when I was playing Minecraft!




Alex A lot of the enjoyment of these books lies in the way they feel real.




Max Brooks :Yeah. And, with all that I write, I want to build trust and establish rapport with the reader. They need to be confident that they can trust me to lead them on a trip through a country I knowabout, and that I serve as their tour guide.




Alex I really enjoyed your insight into the smell of Minecraft smells like. That was an excellent insight Netherrack.




Max Brooks: I'm fortunate to have such a wonderful editor, Sarah Peed. On the first book she pushed me to the limit, asking what the Island feels like. What does it taste like? What do you feel the breeze feels like on your face? What does the grass feel like under your feet? I wanted the book to feel enveloping and engrossing, so I thought of netherrack must smell sulfurous. It must smell like farts. That's right! Night Vision should taste like carrot soda. It should be bubbly, tangy, and have a little bite on the tongue. I wanted people to feel as if they were there.


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