Authors Electric

How embarrassing. I was interviewed for a podcast in the US recently, and it quickly became apparent that my interviewer knew my books better than I did. Admittedly, the last book in the Divide trilogy was written twenty years ago, but nevertheless… I had to re-read all three books, to find out what happened to whom, and why. It was actually rather interesting, because it was like reading something someone else had written. I used to tell my students always to put something lengthy to one side and write something else before they went back and re-read what they’d written, as the time-lapse gave the reader some objectivity. I’m not sure I ever suggested leaving something for twenty years though! I had forgotten on whom I had based some of my characters. Some of the original inspirations had grown up, and become very different people. Others had died. Yet more rang no bells at all, and I had no idea what person inspired them – if anyone. Most people don’t recognise themselves, and it’s o...