Interview With Author Peter Hall
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was 63 before I plucked up the courage to make writing my full-time job. Until then I’d spent over forty years doing a variety of mainly office-based jobs. In 2015 when I was a hypnotherapist I published a self-help book called ‘Build A Better You With Self-Hyponsis’.
I’m just about to publish the third book in my post-apocalyptic Yellow Death series.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Yellow Death: Atonement. It brings the first three books in my Yellow Death Chronicles series to a satisfying conclusion although I plan more novels in the series. The series has been inspired by a couple of ideas. The first is how would somebody with autism who doesn’t fit in our modern society adapt after the end of civilisation? Also could a small group of people fight against a much larger force given the right training and weapons (the Robin Hood effect).
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Most of my writing is done between four a.m. and seven a.m. Against all advice from other authors, I not only do the writing but all the editing and proofreading. That wouldn’t work for most people but, like the main character in my books, I have Asperger’s syndrome which seems to give me a superpower at reviewing my own work.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favourite book of all time is Dune and I reread it every few years. I love epic and complex stories such as Peter F Hamilton’s Reality Dysfunction series. I also enjoy good post-apocalyptic fiction although, sadly, most of it is not well written.
What are you working on now?
Right now I am focusing on my Yellow Death series and wondering how to take it forward. I have several ideas and need to choose the best one.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That is something I am still finding out. Ask me again in a couple of years.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Since we can all write there is an assumption we can all write well from day one. Writing is like learning a musical instrument. Everyone can strum a guitar, but it takes hundreds of hours before it is possible to play a good tune. Writing is like that. Treat all writing as practice and don’t even think of publishing until you have several hundred thousand words behind you. There are massive amounts of free advice on sites like Reedsy and YouTube so make the most of them.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When faced with two options always favour the boldest. (If I’d followed that advice I would have been an author 40 years ago)
What are you reading now?
I’m reading as much post-apoc fiction as possible for comparison with my own novels.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I would love to write a complex time travel series with many time paradoxes. At some point, I intend to write a novel based on the life of a real historical figure who was an unsung hero and nobody has heard about-I daren’t give away the name in case somebody else decides to get in before me.
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?
SAS Survival Handbook
Dune
The Holy Bible
Cloud Atlas
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