Ask the Author: Angus Watson
Answered Questions (21)
Angus Watson
Thanks for letting me know and you have great taste! I'm just finishing up the first draft of a middle grade fantasy novel. It's not too childish, I reckon anyone who's liked my previous stuff will enjoy it. Thanks again!
Angus Watson
Good morning! Hope all is well with you. I'm very glad you like my books, and thanks for letting me know. I've been a bit slow recently, what with one thing and another, but am currently writing a children's fantasy book. I reckon it's the same style humour and character-wise as my other stuff, just no swearing or gore, so hopefully adults will enjoy it too. I'm still on first draft, hoping for publishing early next year.
Angus Watson
Hi Tom, thanks for letting me know you enjoyed my books - always a boost on a writing day. And thanks for the review, much appreciated.
As to reading next... well that's tricky to advise. I'm a big fan of Florida crime writer Carl Hiassen. I'm researching westerns at the moment, so reading a load of those. Just read the Searchers by Alan Le May, which I enjoyed and am currently liking Lonesome Dove but it's annoyingly long. Dark Matter by Michelle Paver is a good ghost story. If you're looking for fantasy there's Joe Abercrombie, but you probably already knew that. I very much enjoyed Brian Naslund's debut recently, and have heard great things about Daniel Kelly's Fall of the Phoenix but not yet read it. Brian McClellen is always good, as is Stephen Aryan. Oh yes, also quite liked Ben Galley's book the other day. For sci fi, I'd have a look at Adrian Tchaikovsky or Tracy Townsend. Happy Christmas! - Angus
As to reading next... well that's tricky to advise. I'm a big fan of Florida crime writer Carl Hiassen. I'm researching westerns at the moment, so reading a load of those. Just read the Searchers by Alan Le May, which I enjoyed and am currently liking Lonesome Dove but it's annoyingly long. Dark Matter by Michelle Paver is a good ghost story. If you're looking for fantasy there's Joe Abercrombie, but you probably already knew that. I very much enjoyed Brian Naslund's debut recently, and have heard great things about Daniel Kelly's Fall of the Phoenix but not yet read it. Brian McClellen is always good, as is Stephen Aryan. Oh yes, also quite liked Ben Galley's book the other day. For sci fi, I'd have a look at Adrian Tchaikovsky or Tracy Townsend. Happy Christmas! - Angus
Angus Watson
I sure can - start, then keep going.
Angus Watson
Yes
And if you just write yes you get this message "Sorry, your answer is too short. Longer answers are more popular with readers, and even “yes or no” answers are more interesting with more detail."
And if you just write yes you get this message "Sorry, your answer is too short. Longer answers are more popular with readers, and even “yes or no” answers are more interesting with more detail."
Angus Watson
Thanks for getting in touch Tom.
Amazingly, I'm in the process of taking over my website from my publisher in order to turn it into the best website ever. I'm currently stuck on transferring it to my new host, as I am a technical idiot. Would your nephew really like to help?
Cheers,
Angus
Amazingly, I'm in the process of taking over my website from my publisher in order to turn it into the best website ever. I'm currently stuck on transferring it to my new host, as I am a technical idiot. Would your nephew really like to help?
Cheers,
Angus
Angus Watson
Not sure. Possibly because badgers are Britain's largest carnivores so they have the biggest metaphorical bollocks in the animal kingdom. Although of course there were wolves and bears in Iron Age Britain so that doesn't work. Possibly because I learnt when writing an article for the FT about shaving that the best shaving brushes use hair from a badger's scrotum, and I've been a little interested in that area ever since.
Angus Watson
Sure thing, email please. V glad you went to Maidun Castle.
Angus Watson
Sorry for delay, I've been away. There is a map. I can email you a copy if you send an email address.
Angus Watson
Glad you loved the books KDB2. Orbit (publisher) are going to ask Sean B to do You Die When You Die. I hope he will. I've tried to email him to encourage him, but get an error message in reply. He's not really the email type.
Angus Watson
Hi Agnes
Well done on your guesses. Also, Bladonfort is Malmesbury, Forktown is Yeovil and the fort at the end is Danebury. Big Bugger is Bigbury Camp in Kent.
But there is no map. Here's why.
Right at the start, Lowa escapes from recently captured Barton Hillfort, which is Liddington Castle, near Swindon. So she could escape by river to reflect the cleansing of her evil or at least misguided past, I invented a river that isn't there. My excuse is that it was at the beginning of my first novel and I didn't really expect to be published, and I justified it because it's a fantasy novel. However, because that bit of geography is fake, and I'm a bit of a geography nerd - I have a degree on the subject and maps on my wall - I didn't want to put any maps in Age of Iron, even though I'm pretty sure that the rest of it, in Italy, France and Britain, is accurate.
You'll be glad to know, I hope, that there will be accurate maps in my new trilogy, West of West, the first of which comes out in June this year.
Thanks for reading,
Angus
Well done on your guesses. Also, Bladonfort is Malmesbury, Forktown is Yeovil and the fort at the end is Danebury. Big Bugger is Bigbury Camp in Kent.
But there is no map. Here's why.
Right at the start, Lowa escapes from recently captured Barton Hillfort, which is Liddington Castle, near Swindon. So she could escape by river to reflect the cleansing of her evil or at least misguided past, I invented a river that isn't there. My excuse is that it was at the beginning of my first novel and I didn't really expect to be published, and I justified it because it's a fantasy novel. However, because that bit of geography is fake, and I'm a bit of a geography nerd - I have a degree on the subject and maps on my wall - I didn't want to put any maps in Age of Iron, even though I'm pretty sure that the rest of it, in Italy, France and Britain, is accurate.
You'll be glad to know, I hope, that there will be accurate maps in my new trilogy, West of West, the first of which comes out in June this year.
Thanks for reading,
Angus
Angus Watson
Great James, thanks for letting me know you liked it. Please spread the word and I hope you enjoy the next two.
I've never written a book under a pseudonym, but I used to write so many features for the Telegraph Weekend section that they often used my middle names - Christopher Hugo - as a byline to make it look like they had a larger variety of writers. Just in case you're interested, there are a load of my features on www.guswatson.com
I've never written a book under a pseudonym, but I used to write so many features for the Telegraph Weekend section that they often used my middle names - Christopher Hugo - as a byline to make it look like they had a larger variety of writers. Just in case you're interested, there are a load of my features on www.guswatson.com
Angus Watson
Thanks for asking Mark. I've just started research on another trilogy or maybe a longer series. I don't have a story formed yet, and characters even less so, but I'm pretty set on writing about Vikings in North America a thousand years ago. Although I will be using the Earth's geography and sticking fairly closely to history in terms of weapons, clothing etc, this next series is likely to be more fantastic and less based on known history than Age of Iron.
Angus Watson
I wrote all three books straight through, but while writing them I moved house twice, got married, had a baby, continued my new obsession of photographing the landscape around Las Vegas (you can see some of that work on my Twitter Page @LasVegasHood) and went on holiday a couple of times, so it wasn’t all nose to the keyboard.
Publicity for the first book, which came out in September 2014, did get in the way of writing the third book, the first draft of which was due shortly afterwards. I hadn't realised how much time-consuming work there would be. For the next two books, I’ll make sure to have no other major projects coinciding with publication date.
I pitched to an agent pretty soon after I started writing Age of Iron (back when it was called Iron Age), with the standard 20,000 words and a synopsis. She signed me up, but advised that I write the whole thing and then suggested some changes before she showed it to publishers. So the agent got only a rough idea of the book, but it was effectively a second draft before publishers saw it.
Publicity for the first book, which came out in September 2014, did get in the way of writing the third book, the first draft of which was due shortly afterwards. I hadn't realised how much time-consuming work there would be. For the next two books, I’ll make sure to have no other major projects coinciding with publication date.
I pitched to an agent pretty soon after I started writing Age of Iron (back when it was called Iron Age), with the standard 20,000 words and a synopsis. She signed me up, but advised that I write the whole thing and then suggested some changes before she showed it to publishers. So the agent got only a rough idea of the book, but it was effectively a second draft before publishers saw it.
Angus Watson
You think stalking should be rewarded? I should have advance copies soon, so I'll send you one when I do. What's your address?
Angus Watson
When you don't feel like working, you can do things like put up shelves or brush the cat.
Angus Watson
In theory, I sit at my desk and start writing because It's better to plough on through and you can always edit later.
That's in theory.
In practice, I'll probably tell myself I'm going to write, but then find something urgent to do like putting up shelves or brushing the cat. Hopefully the block will clear while I'm doing that.
That's in theory.
In practice, I'll probably tell myself I'm going to write, but then find something urgent to do like putting up shelves or brushing the cat. Hopefully the block will clear while I'm doing that.
Angus Watson
Start. The best way to do this is to go on a course, since it will force you to write something every week or so.
Angus Watson
I'm very nearly at the end of book three in the Age of Iron trilogy. It's with my editor at Orbit for the second time, and she'll either make further suggestions for changes, or it'll go straight to the copy edit phase (when the publisher hires an external person to read it and highlights bits that don't work.
So right now, I'm in between jobs, planning my next book and doing loads of work that I've been putting off because I've been busy writing (like answering these questions, my tax return etc).
So right now, I'm in between jobs, planning my next book and doing loads of work that I've been putting off because I've been busy writing (like answering these questions, my tax return etc).
Angus Watson
It's my job, and has been for over ten years. I don't have a boss, so nobody makes me write and theoretically I could spend my days drinking Special Brew on a park bench, doing yoga or whatever, but I'd feel pretty silly if I did and I'd soon starve.
Actually I wouldn't starve any more, since I'm now married to a very successful and hard-working woman, but I'd feel pretty awful if she came home exhausted after a tough day and I'd spent hours lying on the sofa eating crisps.
So my inspiration to write is simply that's it's what I do, and that I'd feel guilty if I didn't.
(I should add that I believe the route to happiness is to impress yourself every now and then. Not in a bombastic way, but to every now and then know that you've done something well and to quietly, metaphorically pat yourself on the back. So although I'm naturally lazy and the sort of man who could very easily spend the whole day in the bath, I know that the route to happiness is work, and I like being happy.
Actually I wouldn't starve any more, since I'm now married to a very successful and hard-working woman, but I'd feel pretty awful if she came home exhausted after a tough day and I'd spent hours lying on the sofa eating crisps.
So my inspiration to write is simply that's it's what I do, and that I'd feel guilty if I didn't.
(I should add that I believe the route to happiness is to impress yourself every now and then. Not in a bombastic way, but to every now and then know that you've done something well and to quietly, metaphorically pat yourself on the back. So although I'm naturally lazy and the sort of man who could very easily spend the whole day in the bath, I know that the route to happiness is work, and I like being happy.
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