Summary of Mark Frost's AMA on 11/7/16

[LonelySoul]

Mark Frost answered fan questions on /r/TwinPeaks yesterday: https://www.reddit.com/r/twinpeaks/comm ... win_peaks/

While he was not especially verbose, he did reveal some interesting tidbits that should put at least some speculation to rest.

When emailing back and forth, I had to help him on the fly with certain issues he was running into because he had never used Reddit before, and Reddit does have its quirks and a bit of a learning curve. We got through it fine and in the end Mark thanked me for helping coordinate and said he'd be willing to do this again in the future. Perhaps there will be another event like this after season three?


Regarding merchandise

Merchandise is on the way, announcements coming soon...

Unsure what we'll see, but we will definitely be getting something.

Regarding the postcard

[The postcard is] either a clue or a mistake.

Okay, nothing absolute here. Just more double talk.

Regarding Chris Isaak and Kiefer Sutherland and whether there were talks of having them return.

Yes.

Doesn't sound like this worked out, but at least there were discussions.

The greatest challenge in picking up this story again after 25 years?

Remembering what we wrote the last time! And tying everything together...

Could be something that sheds light on whether or not any inconsistencies are in fact inconsistencies in the book.

Regarding trailers

Trailers coming soon...

You all can stop speculating now! We will get trailers. What they'll be like, who knows? But we are getting more.

If the dossier is a puzzle, can the answers be found within its pages or will we have to wait until season 3 or the rumoured Secret Lives of Twin Peaks to get to the bottom of it all?)

Stay tuned..

Either we will get more information that ties back to the dossier in the new season or there really will be a new book. I think the latter is possible regardless.

Regarding Frank Truman's bookhouse boy book

Angle of Repose won the Pulitizer Prize in 1971, a truly great book about the opening of the West. Read it and it'll tell you a lot about Frank - before you even meet him!

We will most definitely see Frank Truman in the new show. Not sure if that was still an uncertain point. Sounds like reading this book could provide insight into the character ahead of time.

Regarding TP's reputation within the FBI

You'll find out.

TP will be in the new season.

Regarding when he started writing the book

I started the book after we finished writing season 3.

Not only are theories wrong that he was writing it at the same time as the show, but he's also referring to the new season as "season 3." Not a big deal, but nice to hear. Speaks volumes for continuity. Or maybe not...?

Regarding what his bookhouse boy book would be

My Bookhouse Book would be... the collected works of William Shakespeare...

Definitely wouldn't be my first choice, but here it is.


Some people seemed disappointed with his answers. I agree that some were less than satisfying. But I am glad he is receptive to fan events/questions and willing to take the time to do this kind of stuff. I love Lynch, but he never does this kind of stuff (with the possible exception of the Festival of Disruption?).

[laughingpinecone]

Disappointed? Oh dear, I found him wonderful as usual (I am greatly enjoying his exchanges with fans and general online presence) and he answered a lot of questions on a wide variety of Twin Peaks topics, it was a lovely event! Thank you so much for hosting it, and I hope it will happen again! Season 3! Book vol.2! Bring it on!

Personal favourites include:
- 'surprise and delight' at the strong millennial fanbase (bit too old for that myself, but I appreciate the sentiment)
- 'Albert's practice is deeply private' yes please tell me every little inconsequential detail about my fave. He shared it so it can't be relevant, but it sounds like a very Albert trait and I am delighted by all these little things the creators know about their characters (especially when they are my fave. But Norma's arthritis was also nice)
- Laura's diary became the basis for FWWM
- MLMT was plotted between seasons and written in early s2
- Johnny's delusions and The Arm's whooping sound probably weren't meant to be connected by he 'tends to agree' that they work well together
- the important thing about Josie's end is wood

[Agent Sam Stanley]

Some people seemed disappointed with his answers. I agree that some were less than satisfying..

Guys, he won't reveal anything major, give it up.

[LonelySoul]

Some people seemed disappointed with his answers. I agree that some were less than satisfying..

Guys, he won't reveal anything major, give it up.

I'm sorry - didn't mean to imply that. I'm just speaking generally. A lot of his answers were super brief, but that probably had to do with the barrage he was getting and the time frame. You may recall that I did explicitly state he would not be revealing anything about season three: https://www.reddit.com/r/twinpeaks/comm ... cocreator/

Obviously Mark will not reveal anything about the upcoming episodes. Let's not clutter up the AMA with these sorts of questions.

[Ghoul]

Some people seemed disappointed with his answers. I agree that some were less than satisfying..

Guys, he won't reveal anything major, give it up.

That's kinda the same thing I've been figuring myself. Since Frost remains stubbornly tight-lipped about any real, honest-to-God info, I wonder what's the point of all these Q & A sessions he's doing (or they have him doing) - it's not like he'll reveal anything juicy (better make that anything at all) regarding the next season so, frankly, these "conversations" and "interactions" with fandom really come down to just treading water and are as such pretty much a waste of fans' time and efforts. Sorry if it sounds harsh, but that's how I see things. He could've at least tried to be a bit more revealing about the whole creative process that went into the show's continuation, behind-the-scenes and casting stuff etc. As it is, we're forced to the level of "what's your favorite color" type of questions.

[Jerry Horne]

Some people seemed disappointed with his answers. I agree that some were less than satisfying..

Guys, he won't reveal anything major, give it up.

That's kinda the same thing I've been figuring myself. Since Frost remains stubbornly tight-lipped about any real, honest-to-God info, I wonder what's the point of all these Q & A sessions he's doing (or they have him doing)

To promote his book and the upcoming series. Nothing more and nothing less.

[hopesfall]

I knew he wouldn't be revealing anything regarding the new season, which is why my question pertained to the original series, and something that had been on my mind since a rewatch a couple of years ago (I asked the Johnny Horne question regarding the whooping/Native American connection.)

His answer was typically vague, but humbling that he thinks there may well be something there. In my mind, Johnny definitely had some interaction with the lodges, or one of its many inhabitants. They were even about to go out of their way to suggest something like that in a deleted scene, where it's revealed that Johnny's condition is down to "trauma" rather than Audrey dropping him, which is what they all assume IIRC.

For the record, I enjoyed the AMA thoroughly. Mark's a gentleman, and there were some interesting tidbits in there. Thanks for sorting it, LonelySoul.

[Harry S. Truman]

Great info!!! Thanks for sharing.

[secretlettermkr]

Hi, this is my first post here.
Here's some very interesting answers Mark Frost gave at the AMA
https://www.reddit.com/r/twinpeaks/comm ... win_peaks/

The book is called the SECRET history of twin peaks not the MYSTERIOUS history of twin peaks. Is this a clue? Possibly indicating that the book/dossier itself is meant to cover something up or mislead someone?

[ MarkFrostTwinPeaks] It is a clue. You have to decide what it means.


Hello Mark, I am a huge fan. I like the idea of doing the book as a dossier. Would it make sense to see "Fire Walk with Me" and "The Secret History of Twin Peaks" as new layers to the mystery, rather
than new pieces of the puzzle? In any case, your book certainly is puzzling, and I cannot help but feel that somebody has tampered with the dossier...

[ MarkFrostTwinPeaks] It takes many coats, or layers, of paint to finish a portrait. After this last week I'm shocked, shocked I say, at your suggestion that someone in the FBI might have tampered with a dossier...

Can you say anything to reassure Old fans about the inconsistencies in the book compared to the Old show?

[ MarkFrostTwinPeaks] The dossier is comprised of documents. Are all the documents you've ever seen completely reliable? And remember what Emerson, the great American transcendentalist, said: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."

[Saturn's child]

- Laura's diary became the basis for FWWM

I was really surprised to hear this; after all these years, thinking Lynch never read it!

[Panapaok]

Yeah, this is surprising since Jennifer Lynch herself said that her dad never read it.

[bowisneski]

It's possible he just read an outline, or Bob Engels read it and Lynch didn't.