Authors Electric

It’s always useful to be able to see things from someone else’s point of view when you’re creating a character. I have tried to view the world from the standpoint of a devil hyena, a prehistoric bird and a flying carpet (not in the same book, mind you) and they’re easy because you’re starting from scratch. No one can tell you what priorities a phorusrhacos had, although like most predatory birds, it was probably food. And the feelings and priorities of a flying carpet are even more fun to imagine. This is an extract from Back to the Divide , in a carpet shop: “Let me introduce myself,” said the rug, its voice emanating from different bits of its surface. “I’m brand new, and I’m the very latest design. Top of the range. My name is Nimblenap; Nimby for short." Felix burst out laughing. The rug rippled with displeasure. “What’s wrong with Nimby?” “It’s an acronym,” said Felix. “Not In My Back Yard.” “I can land just about anywhere,” said the carpet, offended. “From the smalle...

What is it about snow? Is it the fact that it changes your winter world overnight, from something grubby and grey to this amazingly beautiful white extravaganza? That the noise levels go down, as falling snow muffles the air and lying snow deadens surfaces underfoot? Or the chaos that ensues over here in the UK (the buses still run to the second in Tromso) and a reminder that we’re not nearly as in control of the natural world as we’d like to think? I’ve always loved the stuff, and a winter without any, such as 2014/15, left me with the feeling that a year hadn’t really passed.             I’m a hopeless skier, but I’ve enjoyed the little I’ve done. I always enjoyed using the sledge my dad made me when I was a kid, and the few times I’ve managed to have a snowy holiday abroad have been magical. But, much as my nine fruitless attempts to see a leopard, my search for snow has frequently been doomed to failure. I tried this winter...

Five of the six books I’ve converted for the Kindle have been books that were conventionally published in the first place, and the rights have reverted to me. The sixth, Beware of Men with Moustaches , was one that had been accepted for publication and then the whole series was cancelled by the publisher. So my latest book is the first I’ve dared to do without the security of a previous history.             I wrote it eight years ago, and my agent handled it. It got very close to acceptance several times, and then fell at the last hurdle. The main reason seemed to be that accountants don’t like birds – they’re not cuddly enough. It’s aimed at the same audience who read The Divide, so I’m hoping to pick up readers that way. How come a talking griffin is acceptable, but an intelligent parrot isn’t? They’ve both got beaks and wings…             I’ve always been interested...