FAQ

Q:  You often have very obscure titles to your episodes.  How do you come up with them?

A:  Some titles have a direct relation to what's going on in the episode, but other times the title has nothing to do with the episode.  I actually hate naming episodes, because I tend to put too much thought into it.  That's when I pick something that usually only makes sense to me, or something that makes no sense at all, I just like the sound of it.  

Q:  Does music influence the writing of The Blackthornes?  And what kind?

A: Yes, absolutely.  Season 1 was influenced by a lot of music from the 70's, some really obscure disco stuff and cocktail lounge-type music.  Season 2 was darker, so its infuence was a bit more melanchollic, like The Killers, Pet Shop Boys, and some real ambient electronica.  Season 3 carried over in that tone, with influences by The Mary Onettes (a great post new wave band from Sweden), New Order, and some more current stuff like Snow Patrol .

Q: You recently indicated that Season 3 marked the halfway point in the series.  Does this mean you have a planned ending already?

A:  Yes.  I think that after six seasons I'll have told all the stories I wanted to tell about these characters.  Keep in mind, I had a pretty extensive (yet very general) outline of the entire series when I started.  I feel grateful that the series has been well-received in 2007, and I wouldn't want it to drag on too long and get to the point where those readers were bored or things started to seem too predictable.

Q:  There are a lot of characters who come and go in your series.  The list of past characters is ever-growing.  Is this because you get bored with those characters?

A:  No.  I like to create "guest starring" rolls.  Characters who come in for a few episodes, stir up trouble, and then leave.  I think of The Blackthornes as not about a single family, but a lot of interacting characters.  Technically, it should probably have been named something different, as many characters are not Blackthornes at all.  But in essence, the family holds the story together.

Q:  Do you ever base stories on your life?

A:  I have an upcoming storyline involving Brett and Heather's baby that is based on events that happened to someone I know. It's a very sad story, but of course I'll put a different spin on it.  I don't think I could tell a real life story exactly the way it happened.  It is fiction, after all.  

Q:  Why did Alex, James and Renee go into the natural gas business?  It doesn't seem very "Hollywood".

A:  Blackthorne-Reynolds was only meant to be a minor subplot to tie the series to Moonshadows, a sister series I wrote. After shelving that project, it took a while to phase that business out of the story.  Season four will go back to dealing with Hollywood type stories.

Q:  Was The Blackthornes always called The Blackthornes?  Did you contemplate any other titles?

A:  At its inception, it was titled "Young Americans in Love".  It seemed a little too daytime-esque, so I changed it.  That former title later became the title of an episode in season one.

Q:   Is The Blackthornes a spinoff of Dynasty, or a sort of Dynasty fanfiction?

A:   No

Q:  Where have I heard the name Brooke Taylor before?

A:  The girl accused of killing her husband in Legally Blonde was named Brooke Taylor.  

Q:   How are you able to post episodes so consistently every week?

A:   When I started posting on line, I had two seasons already written, so I have the benefit of a huge overlapping.  That overlap is getting smaller and smaller, however, so at some point this season I'll go down to posting every other week!

Q:   Who is Ethan's real father?  How is Ethan related to James?

A:    Ethan's father was Will Thomerson, but James hid it from them both. Will seduced and dishonored James' sister Georgie back in their hometown of Windsor, Kansas.  She became pregnant and died after giving birth to Ethan. James' parents raised Ethan.  James vowed to never tell Ethan who his real father was.

Q:  What happened to the characters of Philip Whitacre and Eddie Distefano? Will they ever return?

A:   Philip is in jail for his role in Heather's porn debacle. There are no plans right now to bring him back.  Eddie was Stormy's partner in Good Times Records and hasn't been seen since it disbanded.  He'll return in season 3.  

Q:    How many children does Jordan have?  Where is his first wife?

A:    Jordan has 2 children.  Heather and Benji.  Benji has been disucssed but never seen.  He is currently in boarding school in Switzerland.  Jordan's wife was Suzanne Rogers, a semi-famous actress from the 80's, who disappeared over 10 years ago under mysterious circumstances.  Her story will possibly play out in the next couple of seasons.

Q:   Since your story takes place in Hollywood, why don't you ever mention real celebs, like Lindsay Lohan or Tom Cruise?

A:    We're in a fictional universe so I make up fictional actors and actresses. I do make mention every now and then of Angie Dickinson, who is Alex's arch rival for movie roles.

Check back again for more Q&A!!!