Authors Electric

I’m often asked how to invent a human character. Of course, you can use someone you know, or a facet of yourself. But sometimes that simply won’t fit, and you’re floundering around for inspiration. Really memorable characters aren’t just about outward appearance, they’re about personality and motivation and idiosyncracies. Appearance is important, though, and we all know that people are meant to grow to look like their dogs… You can be quite subtle about it, or completely blatant, as in this line from my book The Divide : Tansy always reminds me of a stabber-bird, thought Betony, with her long nose and her snaky neck. And it’s fairly clear that this imaginary bird in a magical dimension was based on one from our own world. So here are a few ideas for animals you could use, taken from my own photographs. The crane hawk - an elegant and efficient killer The Gorilla - a family-minded gentle giant The tortoise - a thick-skinned survivor The chamele...

I feel the cold. I always have. But it’s got worse as I’ve got older. And sitting at a desk, writing, is not the best way to keep warm. I can’t concentrate if I’m cold, and I keep finding other things to do as a result. I’m sure I’m not the only one, so these are a few of ruses I employ. All other suggestions gratefully received! I do have central heating, but during the winter it’s a morning and evening thing. I don’t want it on all day. Oh, I could buzz around the house turning radiators on and off like a madwoman, but that would eat up precious writing time. So come 9.30am it’s time for action. I have one if those heat-up-in-a-microwave cuddly animals. Mine’s a bee. It only needs two minutes, and with that on my lap and blanket over the top to keep the heat in it’s instant relief. Add a nice hot cup of tea to warm my insides, and that will last an hour or so. Then I have to do it all over again. And this brings me, by a circuitous route, to an unexpected cold snap in… Brazil!...