Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing short stories and poetry for approximately twelve years but only had my first book published in 2016. I lost my sight in 2005 and it was only once that had happened that I started to write. Although I’ve always loved reading I had never felt the inspiration to actually write anything. I’ve always been into sci-fi and had a vivid imagination. I think perhaps my love of all things geeky along with going through the experience of losing my sight changed something within me and made me dip my toe into writing. I would really love to write a sci-fi/fantasy book one day. My second book is a book of poetry which is due to be released in March/April 2017.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is The Edge of Darkness and is the book due to be released in March/April 2017. It is a book of poetry containing two collections of poems. The first is a collection I wrote whilst going through losing my sight. I think that writing these pieces really helped me get through that time of my life and my hope is that at least one person somewhere in the world will read them and draw some strength and/or inspiration from them. The second collection in the book is made up of stand alone pieces which I wrote for a variety of reasons. Some were inspired by historical events, some by personal experiences, some by my love of Sci-fi/fantasy and some just because.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure if it qualifies as an unusual writing habit but I often take verbal notes on a Dictaphone as I’m not able to use pen and paper. I also like to have music playing whilst I’m writing and will often fit the mood of the music to the atmosphere of the piece I’m writing at the time.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Terry Pratchett and pretty much every book he ever wrote, Bernard Cornwell and his Sharpe series, Lee Child and his Jack Reecher series, Dan Abnett, Ken Follitt, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfus, Andy McNab and many more.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the second book in my The Adventures of Larry the Stick Insect series for children.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m very new to this so I’m not entirely sure that I have one yet. Twitter and Facebook seem to be working so far however.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I think if you write what you enjoy and you enjoy what you write you can’t really go wrong.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Be yourself and never change for other people.
What are you reading now?
Brandon Sanderson’s Words of Radiance.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finish writing the second Larry the Stick Insect book then continue on a fantasy book I started late in 2016.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
That’s really difficult as real paper books are useless to me. But if I wasn’t blind or I had an unlimited supply of batteries with me for my mp3 player so I could listen to audio books, Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch, Ken Follitt’s Hornet Flight, Patrick Rothfuss’s Wise Man’s Fear and Andy McNab’s Bravo Two Zero.
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