TONY BROOKS
- Guest Author -
G'day folks,
Today, I interview an author who originally came from the UK to settle in Australia.
Welcome, Tony ...
1.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.
I began writing HF
novels as soon as I finished teaching in the early eighties
2.
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
I became a writer
because I loved certain genres and learnt so much from them. I wanted to
emulate the best and bring the people of history to life
3. WHAT TYPE OF
PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST
SHOOT FROM THE HIP?
I tend to do great
amounts of research, and gradually plot lines develop that I often card up in
the manner of a film treatment.
4.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Getting
to know my characters and sharing their feelings with my readers
5.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
Making
yourself get up and go to the 'office'
6.
WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?
A
commercial oddbody and then a national service man, from which I fell in to teaching
7.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
My seven novels, and my
prize winning play, 'Honest John'.
8.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
Several
drama doco's and a series of books for children entitled 'The Gum Tree Creek
Mob'.
9.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
The
desire to make people love books.
10.
WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?
Mainly HF, but I have
written a number of plays, many of which have historical characters who seem to
have been somewhat forgotten, like Sir Douglas Mawson
11.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Love
your characters and don't resist the need to rewrite copiously.
12.
DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?
Very
rarely, thank God
13.
DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?
No!
Do it when the nascent book calls to you.
14.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?
In
my study/bedroom so I can collapse on the bed when necessary
15.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?
To
hear someone say, 'I couldn't put it down, Tony'.
16.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
CS.Forester,
maybe, but if I love the book then I love
the author.
17.
WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
Like
I said, 'I just could not put it down'.
18.
WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?
I
got a bit confused with the movement from place to place.
19.
WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR
OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
Without
a doubt. In 'Halfway Human' I derived great inspiration from my work with a man
in prison who wanted to write a play.
20.
OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
Music
and live theatre.
21.
DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE
PUBLICATION?
No, but my e publishers
in Arizona have always checked the work before publishing.
22.
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
Sitting a market where
I am doing hands on selling and just talking about my and other people's books
23.
IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD
IT BE? WHY?
James Michener whom I
had the great pleasure of meeting once.
24.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD
LEADERS?
Do all you can to
encourage children to read and talk about good books.
25.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
To get my work on film
or TV and get my children's books out there.
26. WHAT ARE YOUR
VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?
What's a book trailer?
27.
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
Maybe, but they are
often much more interesting than me.
28.
DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
It does actually
frustrate the hell out of me.
29.
DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
Sometimes, but then I
think of all the joy I have had from books over the years
30.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY?
I think it was my novel
on the blackbirders, 'The Far Side of the Reef', closely followed by my play on
Mawson, 'Ice'.
31.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER.
The knowledge that
thousands of people have read and
enjoyed your work.
32.
WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY
FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?
They
should feel that they have come to know the characters and have real empathy for them, even the villains
of the piece.
33.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS
MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?
Only
if the film maker shows respect for my work. And Yes I have.
34.
HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO
DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?
My
wife designs many of my book covers and I think she does a fantastic job. But
now I see that the writer's name should be there in big letters, since many
readers choose the work of their favourite writer.
35.
WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?
To win the Boooker
prize
36.
WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR
BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?
Sure is hard work! But
one should try to market in as many different ways as possible. Also, new
writers could do with much more help from the arts gurus of all states.
38.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.
Somewhat obsessed, but
pleasantly persistent.
39.
WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?
Vampires, werewolves and zombies.
40.
WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST
BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE?
The Boy Under the Table, by Nicole Trope
41.
WHAT
WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?
Damn this computer; it
keeps making mistakes
42.
WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO
SHARE?
A growing number of
readers who really enjoy my books.
43.
ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
Nope,
don't think so; I believe I've said it all
Clancy's comment: Well done, Tony. Keep going. Good luck.
I'm ...
I'm ...
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