1. What was the first thing you ever wrote?
A play for my toy theatre. Simply entitled Rome, it was of quite simply epic proportions and included the infamous first line: âSir! Sir! The Gothâs are invading!â
2. What’s your most recent work?
My current work is the wip Blood & Fire although I am currently considering alternative titles for it. My current favourite is The End of All Worlds.
3. What do you think you’re best at (genre, style, theme)?
I donât know if its an official genre, but I think I am best at what I call real-world fantasy – that is to say stories that are based in the here and now but where fantastical things happen to some characters. I like to try and make these things explainable by other characters with a scientific (or non-fantastical) reason.
4. What would you like to be better at?
Showing characters emotions to the reader rather than telling readers them.
5. Which of your works do you think best represents you as a writer?
An amalgam of different characters in all my stories. An autobiography of my life would probably best be done as collection of excerpts of my stories and fictional narrative, spliced together.
6. What’s your favourite story you’ve ever written?
I think it might be the next story Iâm going to write: (The Curious Tale of) Mr Tumnal
7. What’s your favourite scene/chapter you’ve ever written?
The opening scenes of Blood & Fire – the images portrayed are just so vivid.
8. What’s your favourite passage or line you’ve ever written?
The scene, early on in Blood & Fire where Ben comes works through and comes to terms with the grief at having lost his sister.
9. Have you ever written something that you found really upsetting, that you almost couldn’t bring yourself to write?
Please see the scene described under question 8 above.
10. Which (if any) of your works represents a departure from your usual style, you taking a risk and trying something new? Do you think it worked?
My next story. Itâs going to be written in the past-tense â something, somewhat of a departure for me, as I seem to have developed a style for writing in the present-tense.
11. Who’s your favourite character to write? Who do you think you write best?
The unknowing hero/heroin.
12. Name five things that typically characterize your work.
Fantastical things happening in ordinary situations.
13. List the projects you’re working on right now or have coming up in the near future.
Blood & Fire or The End of All Worlds
Mr Tumnal
European Stories
14. How do you think your writing has changed since you first started?
Itâs matured so much. Itâs a cliché, but itâs true. Oneâs own writing improves so much after reading more of absolutely everything, and thatâs something, however fast you write, that can only come with time and age.
15. Describe yourself as a writer in five words or less.
Determined, imaginative, assiduous, and compulsive.
16. Links to any archives or websites where you have your work.
Critique Circle, my own website … my book-lined study… 🙂
