A Whole New World Of Siblings

The very excellent, talented and generally wonderful Shannon Noel Brady (please, click on her name. I’ll still be here when you get back. Please come back) has kindly nominated me for the Siblinghood Of The World Blogger Award.

She even more kindly told me that I didn’t have to answer her questions and should spend my tiny amount of current free time on doing some actual writing.

Thanks for the escape clause Shannon but I wouldn’t be able to look the other members of Procrastinators Anonymous in the eyes again.

So here are a bunch of answers that are likely to be far more mediocre than the questions themselves.

It’s hard to believe I still work for a living such is my level of self-promotion…

What was the first story you ever wrote?

I probably wrote stories when I was very small but the first one I can remember (and still have some physical evidence of) was the story of Roderick the Vampyre which I wrote when I was about 13. The whole idea was that there was a school for blood-sucking entities which you had to graduate from in order to be called a Vampire (with an I) rather than a Vampyre (with a Y). Roderick didn’t really want to be either and so was a misfit prone to adventuresome episodes. After that I had a break of about 25 years.

What book have you read the most times?

I’m in the same territory as Lee Cater (yes, click away. I’ll be here) on this one. The Lord of The Rings.

What are your favourite characters to write?

I like characters who are just that bit cleverer, wittier and sharper than their creator.

How about your favourite kinds of scenes? (Action, steamy, tragic death etc…)

I love scenes that are either dialogue driven and funny or ever so slightly weird. I haven’t done an action tragedy with a steamy death yet but I’m working on it. Already I’m picturing an orphan, a skidoo and a hot spring.

Describe what your writing space looks like?

Imagine, if you will, a lap. Yep, that’s my space right now.

On the occasions when my parents are not on a seven week stay with us (not complaining mum, honest!) my writing space is the spare bedroom. Every now and then it’s clutter free with just a simple framed picture of Hemingway’s typewriter (which I took on a trip to Cuba 2 years ago. The picture I mean, I didn’t steal the typewriter. Or indeed take it on holiday to Cuba) next to the Mac. Most days it’s like a toy-infested bomb site to be fair.

What do you struggle with most as a writer?

Apart from writing I’d go with time to write, self-confidence, characters, dialogue, scene-setting and words.

Any recommendations for good music to write to?

I’ve never been a great one for listening to music when writing, but I have found that weird instrumental stuff works for me. If I listen to guitars then I try and work out the guitar parts in my head. If I listen to anything with vocals I tend to sing along badly. My go-to band at the moment is Boards of Canada (any band who can provide the soundtrack to Salad Fingers has to be a winner).

What is the most age-worn, tattered and battered book on your shelf?

I have two kids. Every book that has survived is age-worn, tattered and battered.

What’s your favourite book-to-movie adaptation?

Can’t pick a favourite but it would likely involve Stephen King (Shawshank, Green Mile, Carrie, Misery, The Shining)

Do you have a notes system for on-the-go ideas? If so, share with us the most random note you’ve jotted down, even if it only makes sense to you

I send a lot of emails to myself. And I write stuff down in weird places and then forget about them. For a while I had a file called Pandora (cue hilarious line from Rhys Ifans as Spike in Notting Hill).

Most random note currently in my possession is “He must have done something weird. Like discovering milk. Or fathering everyone in One Direction.”

 

Right, that’s your lot.

I don’t generally nominate people…because I don’t have many friends. Also I’m lazy when it comes to questions. Also, my list of blogs I follow is extremely short and I’d rather just tell you that they are all brilliant and you should go forth immediately to check them all out.

Toodle pip.