Dan Brown Hints at New Book in 'Da Vinci Code' Series

Dan Brown said he is half-way through writing his new novel, but declined to share any significant details about the new book during his appearance at the Music Hall Friday night.

The Rye resident who has authored "The Da Vinci Code," "Angels and Demons," and "The Lost Symbol," said no release date for the new novel has been announced. Brown also wouldn't reveal the new novel's title.

He volunteered that it is another Robert Langdon thriller "and it is set in Europe in one of the most fascinating places I have ever had the pleasure to go to."

Brown also said the character Langdon, who he described as "much cooler and much smarter" than himself, will be played by Tom Hanks in the upcoming Hollywood film, "The Lost Symbol."

What Brown shared with the audience the most during the benefit for the Writers on a New England Stage was his firm belief that as the battle between science and religion continues to rage as it has since the dawn of civilization, the two must co-exist in order for religion to remain relevant in the modern world.

Brown said it is good to question all of the myths and stories that make-up all of the world's major religions and he believes this is happening more today than ever before.

"We live in an exciting era. Right now for the first time in history the line between science and religion is starting to blur," Brown said. "Science and religion are partners. They are simply two different languages trying to tell the same story."

Brown also said that religion is a work in progress that changes as knowledge and scientific discoveries increase. He also predicted that science will eventually carry the day in the controversial stem cell research debate.

But regardless of how much technology evolves or knowledge increases, Brown said the need to have faith in God is greater than ever. "Faith, this is every faith, is a continuum. Religion, all religion, have at their core the quest to decipher life's big questions."

Even though the Catholic Church was not happy with the controversial nature of Brown's novel, "The Da Vinci Code," which portrayed Jesus as more of an ordinary man instead of the Son of God, Brown said the questions raised are healthy.

"I believe it is our duty as reflective people to spark dialogue," he said.

Brown also said that our parents have great influence over what we believe and who we worship and that was certainly the case for Brown growing up. He said parents, who were in the audience on Friday night, represented two points of view.

His mother, Connie, who was a church organist that he jokingly nicknamed "The Church Lady" from "Saturday Night Live," and his dad, who was a math teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy encouraged dialogue and wanted their children to ask the tough questions. Brown played "Happy Birthday" on the piano on stage with the Dreadnaughts band in honor of his mother's birthday. In so many ways, Brown said his parents helped him become the writer he is today from the time he wrote his first book, "The Giraffe, the Pig, and the Pants on Fire," at age 5.

"I owe everything to my parents," said Brown following his appearance.

Brown said that when he attended PEA as a student, the school also fostered dialogue and these two things are what led him to question many of the myths in Christianity and inspired him to do the research that led to his novels.

During the interview with New Hampshire Public Radio Host Virginia Prescott, he shared some insight into his writing process. Brown said he gets up at 4 a.m. and works on his computer so the dream state of sleep can be closely positioned with writing. He even stands on his head becaues it often gives him new ideas. He said he originally tried it as a way to relieve tired eyes.

Like many writers, Brown said he puts his drafts through extensive edits. "For every page I have written, there were 10 I threw in the trash."

Contrary to the popular believe that writers should write about what they know, Brown said they should write about what they don't know and research it. He recommended writers should also write the book they want to write and hope they will attract their share of readers instead of following popular trends.

"Write about what interests you and do it with care and interest," Brown said.

Brown said he also learned from working with Director Ron Howard and Hanks on the film, "The Da Vinci Code," that writing a novel and making a movie are very different. Writing is a very solitary craft where the writer has total freedom to create characters and set scenes whereas movies require big budgets, mutiple people and extensive logistics to shoot scenes such as car chases in Rome. Brown said "The Da Vinci Code" movie had a $150 million budget.

"That novels get written is impressive. That movies get made is miraculous," Brown added.

Much like Robert Langdon, Dan Brown is a seeker who strives to get as close to the truth about man's relationship to God as he can. While science has the power to enlighten, it is people's recognition of the vastness of space and the universe that feeds their faith in God and makes them humble.

"I consider my faith a work in process," Brown told Prescott. "The more you learn, the more I realize I'm just lost."