Today I’m posting two posts as part of the blog tour for The Writer’s Guide To Obscurity. The second post is a Q&A with the author with thanks to Zoe O’Farrell for inviting me on the tour and to John Steinberg for answering my questions!

Have you always wanted to write?

The simple answer is no. The desire emanated from an unconscious need to come to terms with various difficult issues. 

What were your previous jobs? Have they helped you with your writing process?

Commercial career, first in banking then working in the family furniture manufacturing business. Every experience plays a part either consciously or otherwise.

What was your inspiration for The Writer’s Guide to Obscurity?

Introspection of a writer’s trials and tribulations in the face of adversity.

How do you construct your characters? Do they have traits of people you know?

Yes, as well as many of my own!

What does your writing process look like? Are you a plotter or a pantser?

It starts with a synopsis for story, containing a simple plot and how it’s resolved. Then, pen is put to paper and characters and subplots are developed along the way.

How did you research The Writer’s Guide to Obscurity? Did you enjoy it?

Extensive look back through the epochs of history can be a little weary! Fiction still has to be accurate and credible.

Who are your favourite writers? Are you influenced by them?

Not particularly relevant since I’ve been intent on developing my own style.

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to dinner, who would they be and why?

Groucho Marks, Mel Brooks & Woody Allen. Comedy is a particularly favourite genre of mine.

Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with and why?

Norman, my alter ego. We’d have nothing to say to each other!

Who would play the main character/s in a film version of The Writer’s Guide To Obscurity?

Woody Allen!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Too much time thinking to have any!

What is next for you?

Completing a trilogy, another stage play and launching a crime novel.

Favourites:

Book?  Too many different genres to specify.

Film?  Ditto 

Band/Singer? Ditto

TV show?  The News.

Colour?  Depends on my mood.

Place? Home.

Biscuit?  Plain Digestive

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The Writer’s Guide To Obscurity is available from Amazon.

You can follow the rest of the blog tour here: