Ask the Author: Fil Reid
Answered Questions (8)
Fil Reid
Easy - since I was a child I've wanted to go through the wardrobe to Narnia. Used to try but it never worked. Talking animals? Who wouldn't want to go there?
Fil Reid
I live in a canal boat and a few years ago there were a string of drownings very close to where we're moored and we joked about 'the canal killer'. I've always thought that would make a good police type thriller.
Fil Reid
This is hard to answer. I'm neuro-diverse (I have Aspergers) and when I do anything I tend to do it to the exclusion of all else. So when I write, literally nothing will get in my way, as my poor husband can attest. When I'm like that I need nothing to inspire me as my entire being is focused on my story and I want to think of nothing else at all.
Fil Reid
Well, touch wood I haven't ever really had it. I guess I'd just go off and write something a bit different - maybe a blog or a long letter to a friend, and then come back to my story. I think probably write on through it and then do a big edit of those bits when I revise the story.
Fil Reid
Immersing yourself in your own imagined world. I love sinking back into the Dark Ages and into Gwen's persona. I see my story unfold in front of my eyes like a film, and sometimes am quite surprised where it takes me. Leaving behind all the cares of the 21st century is wonderful.
Fil Reid
Never give up. It took me a long time and more rejection letters than JK Rowling to get to the contract and publication stage. Keep at it and if your book is good one day someone will realise.
Fil Reid
I'm currently working on book five of the Guinevere series which so far doesn't have a title. I'm more than half way through.
Fil Reid
On a grey, wintry day, my husband and I parked our Land Rover round the back (where Gwen’s parents park in the book) and walked across the field towards the Tor. My husband set up his tripod and camera, loaded with infrared film. He took four very rapid photos. When he developed the film that evening he was shocked. Photo 1 – you can see the tower on top of the Tor clearly. Photo 2 – the tower is fading. Photo 3 – the tower has completely vanished. Photo 4 – the tower is back. Although the day was grey, visibility was fine. Infrared film is super sensitive and he had NOT messed with it. This set me wondering if we’d had a glimpse back in time to when the tower wasn’t on the hilltop, and what would have happened if we’d been up there, in it, when it vanished. I mulled it around for a long while in my head, combined it with the story I’d always wanted to write about Arthur from Guinevere’s POV, and then one day just sat down and wrote it. Guinevere was born.
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