1. What inspired you to write and why erotica?
I don’t know. I’ve always written to some extent. Somewhere my mum has the story that won me the Wambrook Village Fair, Under 11s short story contest . . . and I’ve written teenage angsty poetry, fantasy and more over the years.
I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but questioned my imagination.
Then the idea came to me, by chance really. I started with a short story that happened to be erotic, a naughty something I wrote for my wife. The story was okay—I guess—but the writing wasn’t very good. I could see that, but didn’t know how to make it better. So I began to read about the craft and kept writing—playing with that story and writing other shorts—and slowly my writing and my confidence developed.
I began to wonder about the characters: who were these people and why were they doing the things they were doing. And so James and Sal’s story began to unfold and suddenly I realised I had the material for a novel.
That first short story, by the way, survived right up to my last draft when it was dropped.
2. What books have influenced you most?
Not so much books as authors. Three in particular: first Ernest Hemingway, whose economy I always admired and have tried to ape; second Elmore Leonard, for the dialogue and the lack of pretension; and Nick Hornby who whose chatty style always leaves me thinking. Bringing it back to books I might nominate, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Out of Sight and Juliet Naked.
Those writers and their works influence everything I write. Books that had some sort of effect on Appetites would include The Collector, The Bride Stripped Bare and Steppenwolf.
3. How do you manage time to write and have a life?
I do a lot of my writing on the train to and from work, but time at the computer—editing, revising and rewriting—is time away from family. Now I’m back at work, after a long leave, writing has slowed down. Luckily my wife and kids are supportive, though, so no one complains about the hours I do spend locked away doing my mysterious thing. Still, it’s a struggle.
4. Do you have any other books or writing in the works?
I’ve been writing some short stories—one for Diane’s anthology Dancing in the Dark and another for Biggie’s anthology—but no new novel started yet. I have a couple of ideas, but nothing that’s sticking yet.
5. Do you have plans to follow up Appetites with a sequel?
No. I worked very hard to make the ending of Appetites ambiguous and it pleases me that different readers have taken different things from it. I feel picking up the story again would require making explicit what happens next and I’m not sure I want to do that.
6. Do you have any aids that help you write (ie: chocolate, cigarettes, snacks)
When I’m writing all I need is a pen and a pad. Revising and editing is often accompanied by coffee and sometimes chocolate. Cigarettes are reserved for times of frustration: when I’m struggling to find just the right word.
7. Do you write from personal experience?
My writing comes from a mix of imagination, experience and research. I won’t say which is which.
8. Where/How do you receive plot ideas/inspiration?
At the most inconvenient times: in the shower—must invest if a water-proof writing pad—in meetings at work, or driving.
9. Is writing a gift/talent or a learned love?
I think it’s a bit of both. I believe that the inspiration, the creative vision if you will, is a gift that cannot be taught, but that the execution can be improved by study of the craft and the critique of others.
10. Describe your writing process.
I outline and then I write, usually a scene at a time. I write long hand in shorthand pads. The first draft is just the bare bones, then I expand my scene outline before fleshing out the writing—by now I’m hand writing on print outs of the early drafts. Each scene gets its first edit as I type it up, but major revisions tend to come after I’ve finished a block of writing. Appetites is structured in five acts and each was revised substantially on completion, then again, when I’d finished all five.
With dialogue I begin by writing just the words, with an initial to identify the speaker, this tends to come in a stream. Later I read it out loud and marks pauses and interruptions, places for beats and tags, and ruthlessly cut words and lines. Narrative breaks get slotted in as I revise.
11. If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive who would you choose?
Alive, Elvis Costello or the Dalai Lama. Dead, so many to choose from: Ernest Hemingway, John Lennon, Bertrand Russel, Socrates.
12. Do you have a favourite part of the day for writing?
Probably the early morning, but I write whenever I get the chance.
13. How do you work out the female perspective when writing about relationships?
I started by basing it on observation, but I’ve been lucky: a lot of women readers have helped me with this aspect of my work.
14. What makes a good sex scene?
Exactly the same things as make any scene good: characters the reader cares about in a scene that holds the reader’s attention. It has to occur for a reason and be about more than anatomy (though you have to get that right).
15. Are your plotlines worked out in advance or do they develop as you write?
I start with an outline, but it tends to change as I go, things rarely work out quite as I plot them. I think if I write another novel I will spend more time on the plot and the outline before I start.
16. Tell us something about you
And for those who are interested: my favourite movie is a toss-up between Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Usual Suspects, when I’m not writing or chatting with friends on-line I’m working, or spending time with my family. I like to eat out with my wife, with Indian and Thai foods being my favourites. I’m a Scorpio, my favourite colour is red and eleven is my lucky number. I have one---younger—brother and three children (boy girl twins aged seventeen and a thirteen year old boy).
I don’t know. I’ve always written to some extent. Somewhere my mum has the story that won me the Wambrook Village Fair, Under 11s short story contest . . . and I’ve written teenage angsty poetry, fantasy and more over the years.
I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but questioned my imagination.
Then the idea came to me, by chance really. I started with a short story that happened to be erotic, a naughty something I wrote for my wife. The story was okay—I guess—but the writing wasn’t very good. I could see that, but didn’t know how to make it better. So I began to read about the craft and kept writing—playing with that story and writing other shorts—and slowly my writing and my confidence developed.
I began to wonder about the characters: who were these people and why were they doing the things they were doing. And so James and Sal’s story began to unfold and suddenly I realised I had the material for a novel.
That first short story, by the way, survived right up to my last draft when it was dropped.
2. What books have influenced you most?
Not so much books as authors. Three in particular: first Ernest Hemingway, whose economy I always admired and have tried to ape; second Elmore Leonard, for the dialogue and the lack of pretension; and Nick Hornby who whose chatty style always leaves me thinking. Bringing it back to books I might nominate, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Out of Sight and Juliet Naked.
Those writers and their works influence everything I write. Books that had some sort of effect on Appetites would include The Collector, The Bride Stripped Bare and Steppenwolf.
3. How do you manage time to write and have a life?
I do a lot of my writing on the train to and from work, but time at the computer—editing, revising and rewriting—is time away from family. Now I’m back at work, after a long leave, writing has slowed down. Luckily my wife and kids are supportive, though, so no one complains about the hours I do spend locked away doing my mysterious thing. Still, it’s a struggle.
4. Do you have any other books or writing in the works?
I’ve been writing some short stories—one for Diane’s anthology Dancing in the Dark and another for Biggie’s anthology—but no new novel started yet. I have a couple of ideas, but nothing that’s sticking yet.
5. Do you have plans to follow up Appetites with a sequel?
No. I worked very hard to make the ending of Appetites ambiguous and it pleases me that different readers have taken different things from it. I feel picking up the story again would require making explicit what happens next and I’m not sure I want to do that.
6. Do you have any aids that help you write (ie: chocolate, cigarettes, snacks)
When I’m writing all I need is a pen and a pad. Revising and editing is often accompanied by coffee and sometimes chocolate. Cigarettes are reserved for times of frustration: when I’m struggling to find just the right word.
7. Do you write from personal experience?
My writing comes from a mix of imagination, experience and research. I won’t say which is which.
8. Where/How do you receive plot ideas/inspiration?
At the most inconvenient times: in the shower—must invest if a water-proof writing pad—in meetings at work, or driving.
9. Is writing a gift/talent or a learned love?
I think it’s a bit of both. I believe that the inspiration, the creative vision if you will, is a gift that cannot be taught, but that the execution can be improved by study of the craft and the critique of others.
10. Describe your writing process.
I outline and then I write, usually a scene at a time. I write long hand in shorthand pads. The first draft is just the bare bones, then I expand my scene outline before fleshing out the writing—by now I’m hand writing on print outs of the early drafts. Each scene gets its first edit as I type it up, but major revisions tend to come after I’ve finished a block of writing. Appetites is structured in five acts and each was revised substantially on completion, then again, when I’d finished all five.
With dialogue I begin by writing just the words, with an initial to identify the speaker, this tends to come in a stream. Later I read it out loud and marks pauses and interruptions, places for beats and tags, and ruthlessly cut words and lines. Narrative breaks get slotted in as I revise.
11. If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive who would you choose?
Alive, Elvis Costello or the Dalai Lama. Dead, so many to choose from: Ernest Hemingway, John Lennon, Bertrand Russel, Socrates.
12. Do you have a favourite part of the day for writing?
Probably the early morning, but I write whenever I get the chance.
13. How do you work out the female perspective when writing about relationships?
I started by basing it on observation, but I’ve been lucky: a lot of women readers have helped me with this aspect of my work.
14. What makes a good sex scene?
Exactly the same things as make any scene good: characters the reader cares about in a scene that holds the reader’s attention. It has to occur for a reason and be about more than anatomy (though you have to get that right).
15. Are your plotlines worked out in advance or do they develop as you write?
I start with an outline, but it tends to change as I go, things rarely work out quite as I plot them. I think if I write another novel I will spend more time on the plot and the outline before I start.
16. Tell us something about you
And for those who are interested: my favourite movie is a toss-up between Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Usual Suspects, when I’m not writing or chatting with friends on-line I’m working, or spending time with my family. I like to eat out with my wife, with Indian and Thai foods being my favourites. I’m a Scorpio, my favourite colour is red and eleven is my lucky number. I have one---younger—brother and three children (boy girl twins aged seventeen and a thirteen year old boy).