Entanglement

What is your favourite thing about writing books?
What I love about writing, is the feeling it gives me that I am creating something unique and believable. It’s the fun of exploring one’s limitless imagination to find something fresh, or look at something ordinary from a different perspective. The adage, that facts are often stranger than fiction, often enters my mind when I’m writing; getting the balance right between what is believable and what in reality, may seem unbelievable, is important I believe. Writing makes me feel like the most natural thing for me to do; it’s not effortless by any stretch of the imagination, but of all the things I’ve done in my life, writing feels the most natural and comfortable.

Who is your favourite character in your book and why?
Rose; her emotional intelligence and compassion for Margo is endearing. And she displays such wisdom and sympathy with Marius, when he becomes disappointed and guilty about rejecting the ladies he had travelled to Kiev to meet. Yet she maintains her composure amidst the turmoil of a revolution.

What is your favourite drink to consume while writing?
Large cafetiere of coffee in the morning and tea for the rest of the day – never alcohol.  Alcohol dulls my senses. If for example I go out to the pub for a few drinks, I never go near my manuscripts until the desensitizing effects of alcohol leave me completely.

Do you have any bad habits while you’re writing?
I really don’t know by which to judge whether I have bad writing habits or not? Perhaps my wife is the best judge of this, but I know she would be too kind to be negative. I’m an early riser and like to write early in the morning, then sometimes later in the evening.  My professional life consumes the rest of the day.

How did you research your book?
I research on the Internet and by using National & Regional Research Libraries. I also visit locations that are included in my stories; I feel this helps to visualize locations and to authenticate some descriptive texts.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? 
Bit of both really. I start with an idea; mentally plot a route through the story, but I realize, or actually rely on the fact, that the story may take a different trajectory as the manuscript unfolds. This is usually related to how the characters develop.  They become as real to me as anyone I know.  Then it’s a case of believing if they would say that, or do that.  This is why characters and their traits are the lifeblood of my writing; they take on a life of their own.  Sometimes, if I’m stuck on a scene, I’ll play some music that fits the mood; this seems to stimulate the appropriate creativity; not always, but it often helps.

If you could live in any fictional world, which would you choose and why?
Definitely sometime in the future. Because hopefully, healthcare would be well advanced and cures for serious illnesses would be common place.

If you could befriend any fictional character, who would you choose and why?
Superman – so I could throw my glasses aside, rip off my shirt and zoom off to explore the wonders of our universe in the blink of an eye.  But of course, then there’s superwoman………..