Diana talks to Colin Goodwin

 

 

Hello Colin. It is lovely to meet you. Thank you for agreeing to talk to me!

First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!

Q. What is the ideal length of a book?

Ans. 250 pages, with chapters kept short enough to be read on a short tube journey.

If your latest book “When In A Hole, Stop Digging” was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

 

Ans.  Richard Wilson.

What made you choose this genre?

Ans. I see the funny side to life, and there is more than enough gloom and doom.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

Ans. The names have been changed to protect the innocent!

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

Ans. Cold war thriller.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.

Ans. Word processing was invented, it made the task easier, my hand writing is illegible. I also discovered a thesaurus. I was 59.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

Ans. Hate it, but love marmalade in large quantities.

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

Ans. No, I just write when I have something to write.

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

Ans. Family of course

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

Ans. Being retired; I am now living the dream.

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Ans. Coffee...Red.

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

Ans. Planned before I start, with post it notes around the room.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?

Ans. Times New Roman, it is stylish and neat

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?

Ans. A Ferguson tractor manual. (I love that answer!!)

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

Ans. No I keep them in check.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

Ans. No, but when I am out I always take a notebook in case something pops into my head, then I note it before it pops out again.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?

Ans. No.

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?

Ans. No, but I do write fiction.

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?

Ans. No, see above.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

Ans. No.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Ans. M C Beaton, Tom Sharpe, Cold war thrillers and old machinery manuals.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

Ans. Tea.

Last but not least... favourite author?

Ans. Tom Sharpe, hilarious. Colin's books are also totally hilarious and well worth reading.  All three are available here .

Colin Goodwin

 

 

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Colin Goodwin 14^th April 2017