Who are your favourite authors?
John Buchan, Terry Pratchett, Siobhan Dowd, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Deakin, Iain Banks.
What are your favourite books?
The Thirty Nine Steps, A Monster Calls, Bog Child, The Way I live, Wildwood, The Peregrine, The Remains of the Day, The Wasp Factory, and Danny Champion of the World (A book every man, and potential dad should read as it shows you what it means to be a real father)
What is your favourite genre of writing?
Fantasy, Adventure, Contemporary Fiction
How old were you when you started reading?
12
How old were you when you started writing?
50
What inspired you to write?
A book I read by someone who self published because he could not get a deal with an agent. I had a not too often moment when I thought, I could write better than this!
What are the three most influential books you have ever read?
The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton. I only ever read comics which provided me with text and pictures. There were no illustrations in the Secret Seven so I was able to imagine every scene, ever person. It felt like my mind had just been carpet-bombed with ideas.
The Remains of the Day. My first wanderings into serious literature
The Peregrine by J.A. Baker. The beauty of nature and literature combined
What part of the world do you live in?
Czech Republic
What three books have helped you the most with your writing?
Oxford English Dictionary
Shrunk and White, Elements of Style
Fowler’s Modern English Usage
What do you do for a living?
I’m a Quality Inspector in the Oil and Gas Industry
Are you married, have children/grandchildren?
I have a wife and a son; two cats, 3 frogs, 11 newts, 4 hedgehogs, and two squirrels called Hazel and Nut.
Is it easy for you to find time to write?
Not with a family and a full time career. However I don’t believe that should be an excuse, so I’m trying to utilise every minute of the day.
Do you have a favourite place to write?
Propped up in bed; I hate sitting at a desk.
Are there certain times of the day you find most productive for writing?
All day, except late in the evening, when I like to wind down.
Have you met anyone famous?
Miss World. She sat next to me on a flight to Prague. After a couple of glasses of wine, I invited her to stay at my house in Scotland. I have a spare bedroom I told her. She declined!
If you could meet anyone famous, dead or alive, who would it be?
Graham Greene. I think that one minute in the presence of that man, would sky rocket my creative output.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Starting a family