1.Tell us about
yourself
I am married to Alice (my greatest
passion) with two young children. Emma 5
and Joshua 2. I started writing when I was ten years old. My first story
was about Robin Hood and his good deeds to help the oppressed (I guess
this
is a theme that runs through my fiction). I published a book of poetry
in
1992, which was well received. Three years later I turned the book into
a
poetical play which also received a good viewing and raised $1000 for
street kids programs in my council area. SF and Fantasy came later. I've
been writing short fiction for the last five years with sales to
Transversions in Canada. Winning a second place award in a winner takes
all
contest. The changed the rules to give the award. Phyllis Gotlieb loved
the
story. I then sold a piece to Talebones, Interzone, Orb and won the Harper
Collins _' Dreaming Down Under' competiton. I completed a story the late
George Turner had left unfinished. I have just completed my first novel
and
am currently editing it with Australian SF writer Sean Williams. I also
edit Altair Magazine, run a small literary agency, do cheap manuscript
assessments and editing and when I get spare cash I even try my hand at
publishing. I have published the dark SF/Fantasy book _'The Atrocity Shop'
by Kurt von Trojan.
2.When was
your first sale? And to which magazine?
My first sale was in 1997 to
Transversions Magazine in Canada.
3.What
sort of writer are you? The old fashioned type, slaving away
over a parchment, with a pot of ink, a quill and a candle, or the
modern man, own office and PC?
I used to write by candle light
with a tiny black pencil, but now I write
with a PC in my rather spacious office. It is the only room in the house
my
wife and I haven't enjoyed each others company in. It's a work thing.
Occasionally I revert to the candle and pencil when I want to write some
deep poetry, but that is also reserved for my wife. If I tried I could
probably sell a few poems but the effort for the return doesn't add up
so
I'll just sit on my verse until later.
4.Has the emergence
of the internet helped or hindered writers?
I believe the internet has
made many writers lazy. Much of the on-line
fiction I have read has been poor (and this is on respected sites), as
if
the media of the Internet requires lollypop fiction. As for writer
resources, the Internet has been a Godsend. You can find paying literary
markets, find author tips and guides on writing. I even offer my own
expertise in editing through novel assessments and guidance. It is so
easy
to publish something on the web, which has seen literally thousands of
bad
stories, novels and multi-media works clutter what could be a good writer's
tool. In time the net will be good but for now it is full of trash and
it
is hard to locate the good stuff amongst it. Oh, yeah. SteelCaves is an
exception.
5.What's better
Buffy? Or Angel?
To me both are crap. Watch
FarScape instead.
6.What advice
would you give to any other aspiring writers?
Don't expect too much too soon.
You may hit it lucky and get a few breaks
but these are not the norm for the industry. And remember, _'sex really
is
better than writing'.
7.How do you
feel about the move from hard copy books to downloadable
internet stories, is it really the end of the printed word?
So much has already been said
about this and I can offer little to the
argument. I believe the printed word is here to stay and that e-books
are a
passing fad. They are too hard to read, require special equipment and
are
often poor quality. No point highlighting Stephen King. His books sell
because of who he is and because of this it can not be used as a true
marker for this form of publishing. I have sold one writer's book to an
e-book publisher and the book has sold zero copies in six months. Most
of
the books at the publisher have sold nothing. Why? Because the general
public couldn't give too stuffs about e-books. Give em a dog-eared
paperback every time. No batteries, no technology at all. Maybe they are
all ludites or maybe they just have more sense.
8.What author
or author's work inspired you to become a writer?
Asimov and a German writer
named Herman Hesse. Later I enjoyed Jack
McDevitt (very underrated) and the later books of Jack Vance. Baxter is
also good and recently I was impressed by the writing style of George
R. R.
Martin. Read his book Storm of Swords. It is brilliant.
9.Terry Pratchett
is the UK's biggest selling living author have you
read any of his work?
Just finished _'Jingo'. V.Good
stuff. I've got some more of his books on my
shelf that I will get to. All in good time of course.
10.If you had
to be a character in Star Wars who would you be?
Princess Laya. Guess why?
11.Have you
ever been to London, UK?
No, but one day, one day too
far away.
12.Blair Witch
II, good idea or cash in?
Blair Witch should be re-named
as Bull Shit, cause that's about all its worth. The cash cow has died
now they're trying to sell off the bones.
13.Describe
you're writing process
I sit in front of the computer
and slowly put one helpless and hapless word
after another until something that could be a sentence forms. I read that
sentence and wonder what it all means in the scheme of things. Then I
write
a story based on that very first sentence. No, I don't take recreational
drugs, but I am a manic-depressive in my spare time.
14.If you had
the choice to work full time writing trashy romance novels, never having
time for your own work, would you compromise and do it?
No. I love SF and that is
what I write. The money in Romance would have to
be mega for me to consider it and from what I hear it's not a good rate
they pay for books. It's like asking me if I would have sex with a gerbil
for a million dollars or sex with my wife for nothing. You can't knock
quality mate. So quality it is every single time.
many thanks
to Rob for taking the time to answer our questions
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