Interview With Author L.N. Hunter
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m an ex-software engineer who took far too long to realise that writing fiction for humans is much more satisfying than making up stuff for computers. My short stories have appeared in places such as Short Édition’s ‘Short Circuit’ and the ‘Horrifying Tales of Wonder’ podcast, as well as a number of anthologies, and ‘The Feather and the Lamp’ is my first novel. There have also been papers in the IEEE ‘Transactions on Neural Networks,’ which are probably somewhat less relevant and definitely less fun. When not writing, I unwind in a disorganised home in rural Cambridgeshire, UK, along with two cats and a soulmate.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘The Feather and the Lamp’ was less an inspiration from but a reaction to so many serious YA fantasy novels, and is a light-hearted romp through a humorous fantasy world, where the main character isn’t battling evil, but merely trying to get on with her life, and – if I say more, I might be guilty of giving spoilers.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
We all work differently, so I wonder what’s ‘unusual.’ One thing I do do is read my material on a different device than the one I use to write (it used to be on paper, but I treated myself to a nice e-ink tablet recently). That way, I approach the story as more a reader and I’m not tempted to edit as I read.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My absolute favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams, and the influences they’ve had in ‘The Feather and the Lamp’ are definitely evident. I’m also a fan of British comedy such as Monty Python, and that probably shows throughout my writing.
What are you working on now?
Right at the moment, I’m concentrating on getting the word out about ‘The Feather and the Lamp,’ but I’m also gestating a couple of short stories, and I’ll soon be getting stuck into a sequel to the novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
If only I knew…
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find some people to critique your work, since it’s too easy to read the words you have in your mind and not the ones on the paper.
Persevere! Be prepared for rejection – heck, even in the face of rejection, keep writing and keep submitting. An awful lot of luck is involved in finding a home for your stories, whether novels or short stories, so a rejection doesn’t mean the work’s bad.
Oh, and do check grammar and spelling before submitting. Even when people say they don’t care, obvious errors are still distracting.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t stare at the page, waiting for the perfect words before starting. Just write *something* – anything!
What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished ‘A Decade in Tory’ by Russell Jones – a shocking but hilarious look at recent British politics, which should be essential reading for all potential voters before the next UK general election!
The next books on my heap are Stephen King’ ‘Fairy Tale’ and T. Kingfisher’s ‘The Twisted Ones.’
What’s next for you as a writer?
Book 2 of Imperceptibility’s adventures!
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?
Huge waterproof ones that I could make a raft from.
Author Websites and Profiles
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