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Post by ian on Jun 16, 2009 17:52:34 GMT
Hi Shaun, Hi Jim...
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Post by ian on Jun 16, 2009 18:18:30 GMT
Hi Shaun, Jim's gone offline for the moment so do you mind if I kick this chat off?
So for the purposes of folk who don't know who you are, why don't you stand up and tell us!
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Post by shaun on Jun 16, 2009 18:53:21 GMT
Hopefully, Jim will return with a series of questions. In the meantime, here's a little background.
I had an unusual upbringing, in that I grew up in a house in a cemetery, so I guess in the words of Tom Jones, it's not unusual (that I write dark fiction). I've had around 40 short stories published in everything from 'for the love' markets to professional publications, and one of my recent short story sales was to Cemetery Dance. I've had one collection published entitled, Voyeurs of Death, and two novels, Evilution, and my latest one, The Kult.
I live with my better half, Deb and our son, Callum, and although I have little spare time, I've taken up Taekwondo with my son, which at my age, is hard work, especially when sparring with people more than half my age.
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Post by Jim on Jun 16, 2009 18:55:18 GMT
Which other authors novel, do you wish you had written and how would you change it?
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Post by Jim on Jun 16, 2009 18:57:57 GMT
Throughout your entire life what things do you think have influenced you the most to become a writer?
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Post by Jim on Jun 16, 2009 18:59:39 GMT
how do you set about planning a days writing, do you just try and squeeze it in whenever there is a free moment, or do you set aside a specific time
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Post by Jim on Jun 16, 2009 19:01:25 GMT
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
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Post by shaun on Jun 16, 2009 19:02:11 GMT
I'll answer these and any other questions tomorrow as I'l probably end up rambling now as I've been up since 5 o'clock and after ripping the skin off my big toes at Taekwondo yesterday, they're stinging - a lot.
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Post by Jim on Jun 16, 2009 19:05:24 GMT
whiskey, it cures all, trust me my friend
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Post by danielirussell on Jun 16, 2009 23:02:19 GMT
I'll answer these and any other questions tomorrow as I'l probably end up rambling now as I've been up since 5 o'clock and after ripping the skin off my big toes at Taekwondo yesterday, they're stinging - a lot. I thought Taekwondo was meant to toughen you up? Get the interview done, you big girl!
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Post by shaun on Jun 17, 2009 13:59:25 GMT
I'll answer these and any other questions tomorrow as I'l probably end up rambling now as I've been up since 5 o'clock and after ripping the skin off my big toes at Taekwondo yesterday, they're stinging - a lot. I thought Taekwondo was meant to toughen you up? Get the interview done, you big girl! This is one of my toes:
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Post by shaun on Jun 17, 2009 13:59:55 GMT
Which other authors novel, do you wish you had written and how would you change it?
Tough question to start, but I’m going to go with the biggest selling book of all time, the Bible. Although I’m not religious, the story has everything, animal and human sacrifice, rape, murder, slavery, violence, magic, battles, mass murder, child killings, incest, and they’re just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. As for changing it, I probably wouldn’t – it’s sold more copies than any other book, so that speaks a lot.
Throughout your entire life what things do you think have influenced you the most to become a writer?
Boredom. I started writing when I moved to Birmingham. I didn’t know anyone where I lived, and you can only watch so much television. I always used to make stories up, but this was the first time I started writing them down. Of course, most of what I wrote was rubbish. Some of it still is.
How do you set about planning a days writing, do you just try and squeeze it in whenever there is a free moment, or do you set aside a specific time?
I write whenever I can find the time. My favourite time for writing is in the morning, but having a full time job that involves shift work means that I don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing. I’m also a lazy writer, which means that I procrastinate a lot, finding excuses not to write fiction, such as answering interview questions surfing the net or visiting message boards. Of course, I tell myself that what I’m really doing is networking, so it’s not time wasting at all.
What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
Believable characters. Correct grammar and punctuation. And basically something that engages me as a reader, making me forget that I’m actually reading something, and drawing me into the story.
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Post by Jim on Jun 17, 2009 14:47:27 GMT
Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?
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Post by Jim on Jun 17, 2009 14:59:00 GMT
How do you feel about the current state of the British horror scene?
Are things like ebooks, print on demand audiobook mp3 downloads the way to go?
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Post by shaun on Jun 17, 2009 15:11:51 GMT
Where do you as an author draw the line on gory descriptions and/or erotic content?
I don’t draw a line. If the story warrants it, then I include it. Of course, the imagination is a powerful thing, and the threat of violence or horror, can be more effective than actually describing it, but all stories are different, so it depends on the story itself, and the kind of effect required.
How do you feel about the current state of the British horror scene?
Is there a British horror scene? I can’t say that apart from a couple of small press publishers, there is much to commend it on the book front. Film wise I feel we are faring a little better as there have been a couple of crackers, such as Eden Lake that I thought was really good. It always seems though that horror films are more popular than horror books. But then I would imagine this to be true for all literature, in that people would rather sit and watch the screen rather than having to get involved by actually reading something.
Are things like ebooks, print on demand audiobook mp3 downloads the way to go?
They are not for me I’m afraid. I don’t like reading from a screen, and the only time I will listen to an audio book is when I am driving, because if I’m at home, I’ll read the book rather than listen to it. Of course some people might prefer them, but I like to turn the pages, I like to look a book on the shelf, and I like to take it into the bath without the risk of being electrocuted.
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