Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the international phenomenon The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie Series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. He is professor emeritus of medical law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and has served on many national and international bodies concerned with bioethics. He was born in what is now known as Zimbabwe and he was a law professor at the University of Botswana. He lives in Scotland. Visit his website at www.alexandermccallsmith.com.
1. How would you summarize your book in one sentence?
"The Double Comfort Safari Club" - The world as it might be.
2. How long did it take you to write this book?
Four months.
3. Where is your favorite place to write?
My library.
4. How do you choose your characters’ names?
Newspapers and conversations.
5. How many drafts do you go through?
One
6. If there was one book you wish you had written what would it be?
Collected Shorter Poems, W H Auden
7. If your book were to become a movie, who would you like to see star in it?
Same stars as were in the last film of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
8. What’s your favourite city in the world?
Sienna, Italy
9. If you could talk to any writer living or dead who would it be, and what would you ask?
W H Auden. I wouldn't ask any questions.
10. When do you write best, morning or night?
Morning
11. Who is the first person who gets to you read your manuscript?
My editor.
12. Do you have a guilty pleasure read?
Dick Francis
13. What’s on your nightstand right now?
A pile of at least 20 books.
14. What is the first book you remember reading?
Kipling's "The Jungle Book"
15. Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes
16. What do you drink or eat while you write?
Tea
17. Typewriter, laptop, or pen & paper?
Laptop
18. What do you wear when you write?
Belgian shoes
19. How do you decide which narrative point of view to write from?
Subconsciously
20. What is the best gift someone could give a writer?
1. How would you summarize your book in one sentence?
"The Double Comfort Safari Club" - The world as it might be.
2. How long did it take you to write this book?
Four months.
3. Where is your favorite place to write?
My library.
4. How do you choose your characters’ names?
Newspapers and conversations.
5. How many drafts do you go through?
One
6. If there was one book you wish you had written what would it be?
Collected Shorter Poems, W H Auden
7. If your book were to become a movie, who would you like to see star in it?
Same stars as were in the last film of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
8. What’s your favourite city in the world?
Sienna, Italy
9. If you could talk to any writer living or dead who would it be, and what would you ask?
W H Auden. I wouldn't ask any questions.
10. When do you write best, morning or night?
Morning
11. Who is the first person who gets to you read your manuscript?
My editor.
12. Do you have a guilty pleasure read?
Dick Francis
13. What’s on your nightstand right now?
A pile of at least 20 books.
14. What is the first book you remember reading?
Kipling's "The Jungle Book"
15. Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes
16. What do you drink or eat while you write?
Tea
17. Typewriter, laptop, or pen & paper?
Laptop
18. What do you wear when you write?
Belgian shoes
19. How do you decide which narrative point of view to write from?
Subconsciously
20. What is the best gift someone could give a writer?
A box of high quality Turkish Delight.
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday