Interview with David Quantick
Published 2022-10-20.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
THE HOUSE OF SLEEP - Jonathan Coe. A spooky dream
IT - Stephen King. Ultimate King, ultimate horror
DON'T MR DISRAELI - Caryl Brahms and SJ Simon - astonishing, surreal comedy
CHRISTIE MALRY'S OWN DOUBLE ENTRY - BS JOHNSON. The book that changed my life
BLACK HEARTS IN BATTERSEA - Joan Aiken. Greatest "children's" book ever
What do you read for pleasure?
Fiction mostly. Currently reading THE ROMANTIC by William Boyd, the new Robert Galbraith, HANGUK HIPHOP by Myoung-Sun Song (non-fiction!) and SET MY HEART TO FIVE by Simon Stephenson
What is your e-reading device of choice?
None. Tablet if I am forced.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Twitter, Goodreads, shouting.
Describe your desk
Argos kitchen table with a Blackpink calendar and two WW1
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
Devon. The book I'm writing is partly set there.
When did you first start writing?
As a teenager. I was inspired by Tolkien and CS Lewis to make up imaginary countries.
What's the story behind your latest book?
An artist lives through the last 100 years and has very weird adventures. Like William Boyd but with added surrealism. Damn, I forgot to mention THE NEW CONFESSIONS.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
The desire for wealth and fame.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Publicity, encouragement, criticism.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Being surprised.
What do your fans mean to you?
I don't know, they're hiding. But I like praise, and I even like negative comments when they're true.
What are you working on next?
Editing this book and then having some new ideas.
Who are your favorite authors?
Apart from ones I've mentioned, Neil Gaiman, Kate Atkinson, Iain Banks, and Marc Behm.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
I have a family.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Thinking.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Twitter, Facebook, sometimes through book reviews.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I remember a poem about ancient Palestine I wrote when I was six.
What is your writing process?
Idea, vague plan, read a lot, start writing, 1000 words a day, stop, edit a bit, get bored.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I remember being read to at school. Miss Ashby read us PRINCE CASPIAN and the chapter where they return to Narnia and realise the ruins they're standing in are those of their old palace has stayed with me ever since.
How do you approach cover design?
I normally trust the publisher. Titan Books have a great design team.
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What do you want?
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I want to not find out what I'm writing about, so I can keep doing it.
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Books by This Author
Sparks
by David Quantick
(3.50 from 2 reviews)
"I will go back to reading David Quantick's excellent Sparks now" - Neil Gaiman
“If you choose to only live in one alternative reality make sure it’s the one in which you read Sparks by David Quantick” – Ben Aaronovitch
When Paul Sparks is dumped by Alison, he decides to use a gateway into a million parallel universes to look for a new girfriend - an A
