Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a middle-aged goat with perigrinating tendencies. I have lived in many countries, from the hyper-civilised, to the barely functioning, from the stayed to the vastly entertaining. I have been writing since I was rather young and realised you could do something with paper besides eat it. I have about half a dozen books at various stages of completion.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Mrs Maginnes is Dead is inspired by my time in Scotland, the realisation that the people I met there were not quite sane, an inexplicable longing for those little sandwiches they sell at Marks & Spencer’s, and a persistent feeling that my landlady must be gaming the system, or else may be quite bonkers.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
If I don’t like a draft, I chew it up so it does not go to waste. I also have a computer with very big keys to accommodate my hooves.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to enumerate. I am a big fan of the classics (Sterne is a particular influence for Mrs Maginnes is Dead) and classical philosophy (particularly Aristotle). I also owe a debt of gratitude to Chaucer, Fielding and Cervantes. I prefer original editions because the paper tastes better—the archival chemicals they use on the new stuff is quite bitter.
What are you working on now?
I am working on Fresh Meat, a humorous vampire thriller set in steamy Puerto Rico, where the mosquitos are scarier than the undead.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang, of course.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It is a long, dry road. Hydrate and pace yourselves. Invest in your mechanics (people won’t take you seriously if you can’t spell) and have a good, strong hook. And love what you do. Oh, and if you like eating manuscripts, make sure you keep your rejects separated from your good stuff.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never be rude to an Irishman, no matter what you do.
What are you reading now?
The Frogs by Aristophanes, Which in Progress,
(Elie Adams) Down Girl (Kate Manne).
What’s next for you as a writer?
A bit of shopping and then dinner.
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?
The Illustrated Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Shelters, Shacks and Shanties: A Guide to Building Shelters in the Wilderness; Wilderness Medicine Beyond First Aid.
What would YOU bring?
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