Twitterview With 'Zone One' Author Colson Whitehead
NPR's Steve Inskeep calls Colson Whitehead's new novel, Zone One, "comic but profound." In advance of on-air interview about Whitehead's literary take on a post-pandemic zombie outbreak, the host of NPR's Morning Edition conducts an online interview with the author via Twitter.
- NPR's Steve Inskeep calls Colson Whitehead's new novel "comic but profound." Set in Manhattan, Zone One takes place in the aftermath a pandemic outbreak that has turned much of the world's population into plague-ridden zombies.In advance of an upcoming on-air interview for Morning Edition, host Inskeep conducted an online interview with the author via Twitter. They discussed Whitehead's inspirations, his setting, working habits -- and even the fate of his characters. ("Yes," Whitehead tells Inskeep, "Zone One is also about porn stars discovering the heroes inside them. Wait -- that sounds bad!")The interview stretched over several days, mostly using #zoneone as a hashtag. Like many conversations on Twitter, the discussion settled into a comfortable rhythm after a staccato start (with one abrupt interruption for childcare duties on the first day). I took a few liberties with the timeline to make the conversation easier to follow. I also added comments from others when they became part of Inskeep and Whitehead's back-and-forth.
I'll add Inskeep's on-air interview below after it airs next week. 
While traveling, I've been reading #ZoneOne by @colsonwhitehead . He agreed to take my Q's about it on Twitter. Will start Thursday.- And let's not even talk about the bank in Trenton, as portrayed by @colsonwhitehead. Actually, we may well talk about it. #ZoneOne
- Taking 19hr flight before Twitter intervu w/ @colsonwhitehead on #ZoneOne starts Thu. Will put me in right frame of mind to talk zombies
Day One, Oct. 6: Inspirations, from films to family (with a brief interruption for childcare duties)
- I finished #ZoneOne on the plane. Like much of his writing it's comic but profound- so, @colsonwhitehead - what got you started on zombies?
@NPRinskeep @colsonwhitehead You guys should add a hashtag to the Q&A (#ZoneOneQ&A)? It will be easier to follow....- consider it done. “@colsonwhitehead: @NPRinskeep Let's go with #ZoneOne as a hashtag...”
.@NPRinskeep The only question I can think of about @colsonwhitehead's ZONE ONE is what sort of research he did into the weight of corpses?
- @colsonwhitehead Everyone wants a bite out of you! Like the zombies. Did you always think hell was other people? Pick up yr kid, reply later
- Safe to say she'd be lost without me, the little shnookums. @NPRinskeep: Pick up yr kid, reply later #ZoneOne
- We resume Twitter interview w/ @colsonwhitehead 9p ET, hashtag #ZoneOne You can folo while watching NYY, if they haven't turned into zombies
- So we're resuming w/ @colsonwhitehead - you said your fear of people caused you to turn most of them into flesh-eating zombies in #ZoneOne
- ... and you do this to most of the people of NYC. Did you, @colsonwhitehead, think of other apocalyptic stories/films as you wrote #ZoneOne?
- @NPRinskeep & you asked if I always felt that. Anyone w/older siblings knows that yr loved ones can turn into monsters at any sec #ZoneOne
- @colsonwhitehead Well is this the point where I ask if any particular zombie was based on any particular sibling? #ZoneOne
- @NPRinskeep Based on any sibling? Yes, this is my 2nd autobiographical novel in a row #zoneone
Note: Whitehead's last novel, Sag Harbor, was a coming-of-age story set in a small community of African Americans who spend their summers on the Hamptons.
Whitehead returns to Inskeep's question about "other apocalyptic stories/films" the novelist might have had in mind while working on his new book....
