The ability to keep going. I like coming up with witty one-liners and once I’ve got a character fully placed in my mind, I am “away”. I love writing dialogue and think I’ve got a good ear. I read reasonably widely which I think helps a lot. I think you can tell I adore fairytales by the way I write my own. I can write in three different forms - novels, short stories and radio scripts.
What do you think you need to work on further?
I tend to overwrite so always have to cut back. I’d like to not write “wordy” in the first place! It’d be easier! I need more confidence. I could do with getting work out more quickly (yet it still be prepared to a high standard). I can be slow when I don’t need to be at times. Again probably links in with underlying issue of confidence.
Who is your favourite character in other authors’ works?
Probably Sam Vimes from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series as the character develops from a drunken Watchman to a happily married man, general hero and Duke (though he’d be happy with the first one, dispute the second and is not that keen on the third). Sam Vimes literally grows in stature and is one of the few not afraid to argue with Lord Vetinari (though Sam can be brought to heel very easily by his wife, the delightful Lady Sybil). I also love Sam’s intolerance of evil and the fact he knows he can be wrong yet sticks up for what he knows to be right.
Who is your favourite character in your works? Why?
Eileen as she is brave, hardworking, knows the value of true love without being soppy about it (she’s one of the least soppy female characters I can think of), is prepared to make sacrifices for her loved ones and fights evil. She’s not afraid to stand up to the powerful Fairy Queen, her cousin. Eileen is not fazed by wealth or power nor does she seek either for herself particularly - she just wants enough of both to get by and to ensure people don’t go out of their way to give her grief on the very good grounds they’ll get it back with considerable interest.