Questions and Answers

How do you think up your ideas?

They normally think themselves up, really. My job is to turn them into something that actually works when it's written down.

What's the best thing about being an author?
Being able to work to your own routine. It doesn't matter when the work gets done, as long as it gets done.

What is the most fun thing about being an author?

Letting your imagination go wild but nobody thinks you're being strange.
 

Who is your favourite author?

My favourite authors are Peter Carey and Graham Greene, mainly because he wrote both serious literary works and 'entertaining' novels. I also love the short stories of Fredric Brown and Theodore Sturgeon. But there are lots of books I think are fantastic and read again whenever I can't find anything new that sounds interesting.

I used to read a lot of science fiction and crime stories, but now I read anything that's well-written and has an exciting story. I especially like books with an original concept/idea. I also read sci-fi short stories. I don't read many children's books, except for sneaking a peek at the latest picture books. One of my favourite picture books at the moment is Wolves by Emily Gravett.

What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?

I was never very naughty at school … at least I didn't think I was. In primary school I was often sent to the headmaster's office for fighting. Which meant three strikes of the cane across the fingertips. I'd mostly stopped fighting by the time I got to High School, but nevertheless I was often kicked out of the classroom for talking or mucking around. Again I had to go see the headmaster. Which was OK because I discovered if I stood in a certain place outside his office, I was hidden from view every time anyone entered or left the office. So while I spent quite a bit of time standing outside the headmaster's office, I didn't get to see the headmaster very often.

What advice would you give an aspiring writer?

Read a lot and, more importantly, read widely. Don't limit yourself to any one genre or style, because literary influences can come from anywhere. Also read about other writers. It provides both inspiration and a reality check - because it's seldom easy for anyone.

It's also important to know what's being published at any given time, and future trends. So read about the industry. Treat it like a profession and keep track of who's who, who's doing what and how much they're getting paid for it!

What's your favourite colour, food, movie and game?

I don't have any real favourite anythings. I used to think blue was my favourite colour, but now I'm not so sure because I like green as well. I like German food a lot, though this might have something to do with the fact my wife is German. I watch a lot of French movies, but I really enjoyed both Toy Story 1&2, and Shrek 1&2. I like most sports except car racing, and I never used to play computer games, but a friend recently gave me a copy of the Tarzan game and I've been hooked on that for a while.

How did you get started?

I've always loved writing. It was my best subject at school…. if my teacher could actually read my writing! I always knew I wanted to make some sort of living from writing (it was the only thing I was really interested in doing) but never really considered being an 'author' as such, mainly because nobody suggested such a thing was even possible. So I looked for a career involving the most writing and eventually went to university and completed a degree in advertising and journalism.

I worked a while as a journalist, but realised I was only happy writing fiction. So I gave it up and went travelling for a few years, and started writing poetry along the way. Eventually I moved on to short stories. But in 1997 I decided if I wanted to get anywhere as a writer I had to focus on it. And I've been writing full-time ever since.

Is it difficult to make a living writing in New Zealand?

It's difficult anywhere. In NZ, writers are the lowest-paid artists. In England, 80% of writers earn less than waiters. So you have to start out with a realistic view. And there's always going to be friction between writing and earning a living. You often have to compromise one for the sake of the other.

Where do you go for holidays?

Because I live in the countryside, it almost feels like I'm on holiday all the time. We have our own stream for swimming and a big vegetable garden. It's a great place to hang out. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I've got heaps of work to do! When I do go on holidays I either go to Australia, or to Germany. Mostly to visit friends and relatives.

Who inspired you when you were getting started?

Nobody in particular. I was more inspired by reading about the lives of famous writers. But the greatest inspiration came from the writing itself. The best part is coming up with a new idea. It's the most exciting  thing EVER! Then I have to write and rewrite and rewrite and keep rewriting until it's as good as it can be. Then I put it away for a few days and rewrite it again.

What were you like as a teenager?

Vaguely nondescript, really. I was never hugely popular, but also never had any major difficulties. In a way I always saw school as something to be gotten through before a more interesting life started. So I kept my head down, studied reasonably hard and read whenever I wasn't playing sport.
 

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