Interview with John Tait
Published 2013-10-16.
What is your writing process?
Modest to major research on position particulars and my memories of past personal contacts' human attitudes help compose the person behind the name in my story.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
My first story I actually read myself was a ''Biggles'' British airfighter hero fiction. I wanted to be a ''Biggles'' for all my youth!!
How do you approach cover design?
As the story of ''Yellowcake'' is about earth-shattering nuclear catastrophe, I chose a label showing just that!...the earth being rendered by ''Yellowcake'' going wrong.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
1. The Best Poems of the English language. The rich emotion, deep fears and valiant expectations which are depicted in words.
2. Heaven and Earth. This one questions climate change and gives us an insight and hope.
3. Great Expectations. Most anything by Charles Dickens is worth reading and re-reading for its insightful human vision.
4. any book by Christopher Hitchins. This writer is absolutely unafraid to say what he thinks, ever though we'd prefer not to think about it.
5.Richard III. Possibly Shakespeare's finest human insight.
What do you read for pleasure?
Mostly current journalists' work on world happenings.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
A tablet as all is larger, more like a book page.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Local papers' news stories, and self-presentation at retailers.
Describe your desk
A mess of clutter.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
In a quiet suburb in Brisbane, Australia. I was an only child so did a lot of quiet thinking.
When did you first start writing?
In 1995.
What's the story behind your latest book?
The latest is a complete A-to-Z list of Tasmanian place-names, where to find each and anything historical I can discover about each. There's 16,000+ placenames in Tasmania!.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I was facing retirement and set my imagination to work.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
I have only just listed ''Yellowcake'' so results are not yet in.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Losing myself in the story and characters.
What do your fans mean to you?
They pump my self-eteem, but I don't actively seek them.
What are you working on next?
An historical fiction set in Tasmania.
Who are your favorite authors?
1. Charles Dickens
2. Christopher Hitchins
3. William Shakespeare
4. Stephen King
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
The challenge of what I have planned and how best to handle it efficiently.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Being retired, I'm a ''time millionaire'' so l love to travel to parts loved or new.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Via 'Google' or news items.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Essays of 4 foolscap pages at primary school.
Write your own question here!
Will everyone buy "Yellowcake''?
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.
Books by This Author
Yellowcake
by John Tait
the french and americans are rarely on the same wave-length. what should have thickened to a solid chain linking commanalities after the nation-destroying catastrophes of the 20th century is still but a thin cord. this cord tangles together georgia, australian geologist, ryan, american nuclear scientist and claudine, street-smart french politician. events coalesce, unexpected, society-shattering.
