Which 3 writers, living or dead, would you invite to dinner?
François Rabelais and Anthony Burgess for intellectual bawdy and smut; Emily Bronte, so I could try, for one night, to make her happy.
What's your favourite writing snack?
Wish I could say it was donuts - my next book is called the Donut Diaries of Dermot Milligan - but I don''t actually like them. I'm more of a muffin man.
Longhand or computer?
My Mac, of course. Or occasionally goose-quill on vellum.
Win Booker prize or land Hollywood film deal?
Hollywood, I think, for the parties - dwarves with bowls of cocaine on their heads, that sort of thing. No, what am I saying ... Booker.
Tabloid or broadsheet?
I'm a Grauniad man.
Independent bookshop or Amazon?
There's room for both.
Hacker or adder?
It always comes out perfectly the first time.
Plotter or panter? [Do you plan all your work first or write by the seat of your pants?]
I have a good idea of both start and end points, but the journey in between is pretty random.
Leave on a cliffhanger or tell all?
Totally depends on the particular book. Hellbent ends with a cliff-hanger, The Knife that Killed Me leaves nothing unsaid.
You really must read…
The Greenlanders by Jane Smiley.
I get most excited by…
Lightning (a big flash just went off right over my head!)
If I wasn’t a writer I would be…
A would-be writer.
An author should always…
Oscillate between believing in their own true greatness, and knowing that they are completely useless at the job.
Anthony McGowan is a multi-award winning author of books for adults, teenagers and younger children. He has written two highly acclaimed literary thrillers, Stag Hunt and Mortal Coil, for Hodder & Stoughton, and three young-adult novels, Hellbent, Henry Tumour and The Knife That Killed Me, for Random House. Random House also publishes his Bare Bum Gang series for 7-10 year olds. His latest book for children, Einstein¹s Underpants, was shortlisted for the 2010 Roald Dahl Funny Prize. The Fall, a novella for teenagers, was released on May 21, and The Donut Diaries, for 9-12 year olds, in August 2011.
5 comments:
I used to love lighning, but I think in my old age (!) my interest in it has dwindled! Now, fear takes over.
Thanks for participating, Anthony.
Great answers, thank you Anthony. Although I'm very worried about the not liking doughnuts thing. What's WRONG with you?
Amen to your final piece of advice, Anthony - I ride that pendulum every day!
I love 'would-be writer' - that's a great answer. (And lightning. Cor. Yes.)
My boys loved Einstein's Underpants by the way!
Cor, he's a bit phwoar, isn't he?
...I'll get my coat...
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