Author interview with "The Labyrinth's" Dorian Zari

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Movies & Manuscripts (Question) - “The Labryrinth” seemed to have quite a few moving pieces throughout the story.  How did you keep track of everything and make sure that all loose ends were tied up?

Dorian - Think of your favorite show. The characters, the plot over the seasons. You remember it as if you were a part of it. That's how it was with the Labyrinth. After living in it for a while, I knew all the moving pieces by heart. Rewrites also helped. 



Movies & Manuscripts (Question) - The guardian isn't a real nice guy.  Where in the world did the inspiration come from for his character?

Dorian - I guess I wanted to make a unique monster. A utilitarian monster in the sense that every detail about him/it or whatever, was meticulously constructed. From his sunglasses, to how he looks and acts. The main quality of any antagonist - especially a monstrous one -  is mystery, but the challenge is, when the curtain is drawn (if the author has the courage to explain their monster) for the bad guy to be even more interesting.
I guess I can say Pennywise the Clown from Stephen King's IT inspired me a bit, because I loved (and was scared to death) by the idea that the monster was masquerading as a clown because it used that disguise as bait for children. The reveal at the end though... Damn it Stephen!



Movies & Manuscripts (Question) - Which character in the book did you find yourself becoming “best friends” with?  Which one is most like you?

Dorian - I have parts of each of them I guess. For instance I can do a mean pole dance, I played the cello in a previous life (that means years ago, not an actual previous life), I have a lewd sense of humor like Zack but mostly I guess I know Dan's isolation the best. And that's enough of that.

(Movies & Manuscripts was intrigued by the "mean pole dance" response, but was too afraid to ask.  LOL)


Movies & Manuscripts (Question) - What authors do you read and did their work have any influence on your writing?

Dorian - Dead ones. One of the perks of growing up in communist Romania was the literature. I read them all, and then read them again. Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov all the way to Balzac, Proust and finally, Asimove, Lovecraft, Poe and Tolkien when I got my first library card. One of the biggest drawbacks to communism though, was no modern literature. So my favorite authors are mostly 6 feet under. But I'm trying to catch up on modern literature.



Movies & Manuscripts (Question) - Do you plan on writing other books in this genre?

Dorion - Yes, definitely.


Movies & Manuscripts (Question) - What would you do differently now that you had this experience if you could go back and give yourself some advice.

Dorian - One thing that I'm trying to learn is "Know when to stop." Anything you make can be made better. And then better. And then better until you lose track of whether you're improving or ruining it. It's a great feeling being passionate about your work until you veer off into obsession.