Even though I conceived House of the Rising Sun long before, I didn’t start writing in earnest until 2016. The bulk of the first draft was written on early weekend mornings, or late at night, against a backdrop of constant media coverage of the U.S. Presidential election. It may seem impossible now, but for most of the year the idea of Donald Trump becoming president was considered absurd. His MAGA rallies seemed more like amusing sideshows than a serious bid to be chosen for the most powerful political office in the world. Because of this, the media covered Trump’s campaign much like the might cover a freeway pileup where all the cars were driven by clowns: It’s a serious story and people are getting hurt, but why would you ever turn the camera away?
I wrote many scenes in House of the Rising Sun with the idea that Donald Trump was President, even though I didn’t believe it would happen. A lot of those scenes have played out in some form or another since I wrote them. And sometimes you have to wonder which reality is the real one.
If you’ve made it to this page, there’s a good chance you’ve now finished House of the Rising Sun or at least read the last page. I’m curious what you thought about the novel and invite you to post any feedback in the comments below.
-RC, 7.27.2020
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