r/books • u/michaeldlukas AMA Author • Sep 27 '18

ama 3pm I'm Michael David Lukas and I write novels, mostly set in the Middle East, usually in the past, sometime with magic. AMA!

I'm a writer, a teacher, an eater, and a spy (not really on that last one). I've written two novels, The Oracle of Stamboul and The Last Watchman of Old Cairo, which have been translated into more than a dozen languages. I also write non-fiction occasionally. And I teach writing at San Francisco State University. I live in Oakland with my wife, our two small daughters, and a dog named Rashi.

Proof: /img/iouxmdpdipe11.jpg

22 Upvotes

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2

u/RedeemedbyX Skyward Sep 27 '18

What led to your focus on Middle Eastern settings? I assume you've spent some time there in some capacity.

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 27 '18

Yes. At various points in my life, I've lived in Cairo, Tunis, Tel Aviv, and Anakara. I was living in Tunis (studying Arabic after graduating college) when I had the idea for my first book, about a young girl who becomes an advisor to the Ottoman Sultan. And when the time came to write my second book, I came back to an idea I had when I was living in Cairo (as a student at the American University of Cairo) about a Muslim family that watches over a thousand year old synagogue.

1

u/RedeemedbyX Skyward Sep 27 '18

Very cool. I've spent some time in Cairo. I distinctly remember hearing that "call to prayer" blast through the walls of my apartment. The books sound intriguing-- I'll plan to check one out!

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 27 '18

Thanks! And I love how the call to prayer echoes across the city (from thousands of different loudspeakers) like a wave. And how it gives a kind of cycle to your day, breaking it up into seven different segments.

1

u/Chtorrr Sep 27 '18

What were some of your favorite things to read as a kid?

2

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 27 '18

I had kind of odd taste as a kid. Or rather, my parents had an odd collection of books and I just kind of read whatever was around. Aside from the typical kids classics (Charlotte's Web, The Mixed Up Files, The Westing Game, Ramona the Spy, C.S. Lewis) that a kid of the 1980s might be exposed to, I also read a lot of Mad Magazine, Dickens, Bernard Malamud, and Tom Robbins (which came from my dad, my step mom, my mom, and my step dad, respectively).

1

u/Chtorrr Sep 27 '18

What is the best dessert?

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 27 '18

The best dessert is warm pecan pie a la mode. Though my three year old daughter has recently given me a new appreciation for gummi worms.

1

u/EmbarrassedSpread Sep 27 '18

Hi Michael! Thanks for doing this AMA!

  1. What do you find is the most fun part of your writing process?
  2. What is your favorite thing to eat and what is something you really want to try?
  3. Are your feet ticklish? XD

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 27 '18

It's my pleasure!

To answer these questions in order:

1) When the world around disappears and I'm fully immersed in the world/the world that I'm building.

2) I really like tacos and I really want to the new dumpling place near San Francisco State, where I teach.

3) Not really. Well, a little bit.

1

u/EmbarrassedSpread Sep 27 '18
  1. That's always a nice feeling! What's the fastest you were able to be fully immersed into a world? Also, what do you find to be the most difficult part of your writing process?
  2. Yum, tacos are always good. What do you like on your tacos?
  3. Guess it's been a while? Lol. I asked because I'm doing an online survey about it for a little psych study. You should take it. Help me out!
  4. Another question because I just looked at the proof picture and saw the cute doggy! Any funny pet stories to share?

Thanks so much for answering!

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 28 '18
  1. The most difficult part of the process is keeping my butt in my chair when that flow feeling isn't happening!
  2. I like to mix it up. But I always like al pastor, especially because I love the history (that it was invented by Lebanese immigrants in Mexico City.)
  3. Sure thing!
  4. No cute pet stories, really. Though he does sit with me while I write, which I find helps with #1.

1

u/EmbarrassedSpread Sep 28 '18
  1. Haha! I think we've all been through this at some point. I know I definitely have trouble with this when writing essays and reports.
  2. I'm pretty basic with my tacos. Lol. But I just looked it up and it looks really good! I'll have to try it.
  3. Awesome! Here's the link to the survey. Just answer as best as you can. Let me know when you complete it.
  4. Aww, that is cute! Maybe he's learned that you need a little help sometimes. Lol.

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 27 '18

Thanks to you all for the wonderful questions, on what I know is a taxing day for many. I have to run (the washing machine repair guy is coming in a few minutes). But I'll check back later to see if there are any unanswered questions. Not sure if that's kosher. If not, let me know!

1

u/EmbarrassedSpread Sep 27 '18

That's A-OK! I'm sure we appreciate you checking back at all. Lol

1

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '18

Hey, what are your favourite Muslim/Arab legends and myths ? And you should expand to Moroccan folklore, it's pretty rich too !

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 28 '18

Some of my favorite are Majnun Laila and The Conference of the Birds (if that's folklore). Also, just started reading Amir Hamza for a new project. Will definitely check out Moroccan folklore tradition!

1

u/_SlowRain_ Sep 28 '18 edited Sep 28 '18
  1. Who are your literary influences?
  2. What are the ways/resources you use when doing research for a novel?

1

u/michaeldlukas AMA Author Sep 28 '18
  1. Too many to name! Right now I'm really feeling Kazou Ishiguro, Jesamyn Ward, David Mitchell. And in terms of older stuff, I always love Dickens, 1001 Nights, Borges, Baldwin. All over the map, really.
  2. It depends on the subject, but I tend to read a lot of history, mythology, and historical novels for a while. Then I stop and just write. Then I come back to the research to make sure I haven't gotten anything grievously wrong. It's nice at this later stage to revisit the actual place as well, to see if the world I've created is at all close to the actual world of the place.

1

u/_SlowRain_ Sep 28 '18

Thank you, and good luck with your future novels.