Jasper Fforde
Three separate interviews in which Jasper Fforde discusses the Thursday Next series, his Nursery Crime novels and Shades of Grey, the first in a trilogy set in a future world recognizable as our own - but only just.
Abraham Verghese
An interview with Abraham Verghese about his life and writing and in particular about his extraordinary 2009 novel Cutting for Stone, set in 1960s and '70s Ethiopia and 1980s New York.
Martha A Sandweiss
An interview with Martha Sandweiss in which she discusses her book Passing Strange, a biography of Clarence King who lived a double life—as the celebrated white explorer, geologist, and writer Clarence King and as a black Pullman porter named James Todd, married to Ada with whom he had five children.
Amy Greene
Amy Greene talks about her first novel, Bloodroot, which brings her native Appalachia—and the faith and fury of its people—to rich and vivid life.
FAVOURITE BOOKS:
The works of Mario Puzo, Damon Runyon, and P. G. Wodehouse are amongst Brian’s
favourites. That is when he has time to read!
FAVOURITE MUSIC:
As you may already know Brian loves opera, but all music is a must ‘I could
not live without music’
MOST TREASURED POSSESSION:
Teddy. Brian’s West Highland Terrier!
When did Brian start writing? Brian knew from an early age, 10 years old in fact, that he would become a
writer. Asked to write a story on his first day at school, Brian wrote a story
about a bird that cleaned a crocodile’s teeth. His teacher refused to believe
that a ten-year-old could write that well, claming that the young Brian copied
the story. When Brian protested his innocence he was branded a ‘liar’. It
was then that Brian realised he had a talent for writing and indeed wanted to be
a writer.
Where does Brian get his ideas and inspiration from? Taking ‘Teddy’, the family dog for a walk is one of Brian’s favourite ways
of clearing his mind for new ideas. Quite often ideas come to him in his dreams
as well.
Brian’s favourite place in the world:
The place where all the writing takes place. Most of Brian’s writing is
created outside, seated in a corner, under the lilac bush, next to the dwarf
apple tree. Brian does all of his writing here on an old typewriter rescued from
a shipping office. If it rains, out comes the patio umbrella or Brian and the
typewriter move into a specially constructed conservatory. Tuesday to Friday is
set aside for working on Brian’s current book. On average twelve pages a day
can be written, but if inspiration hits him a massive twenty-five pages can be
produced. Monday is when Brian answers your fan mail.
What are Brian’s hobbies?
Phew, with all the writing Brian does it leaves him little time for hobbies –
I have heard that he is quite partial to a crossword though! Oh and there is
always time for taking Teddy for a walk!
What did Brian do before he became a writer?
Before becoming a writer Brian had many jobs. He’s worked as a merchant
seaman, a railway fireman, a long-distance lorry driver, a boxer, a policeman, a
postmaster and a stand-up comic. At one point in the 1960’s he and six
friends, including two of his brothers, formed a folk singing group known as The
Liverpool Fishermen! Nowadays as well as writing, Brian hosts his own radio
show, Jakestown.
Brian’s top tip to writing:
Paint. That’s the magic word. Paint pictures with words. That’s the greatest
advice I can give anybody. Paint the pictures with words. The picture will
appear in the imagination so the person reading it can say, "I can see
that".
Unless otherwise stated, this interview is reproduced with permission of the author or the author's publisher.
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