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Interview with Pete Ford

Published 2017-07-24.
What are you working on next?
I'm working on a science-fiction novel - although it might be better described as four novella-length stories following the adventures of the same central character. At this moment I have outlines of the stories and I'm building those up with more detail.
Who are your favorite authors?
Iain M Banks, Neil Gaiman, Kameron Hurley, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K Le Guin, James S A Corey, Kevin Hearne, Beth Bernobich, Chuck Wendig, Emma Newman . . . those are just the ones that spring to mind right now. I have a lot of favourites.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Monday to Friday, the day job doesn't leave me a lot of choice. Weekend mornings are my best writing times, and I don't like to waste those.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I watch quite a lot of TV - The Expanse, Dark Matter, Sense8, things like that. I like watching British detective shows on Netflix - Shetland, Father Brown, and so on. Movies, too. I play video games quite a bit; I've been playing Serious Sam and Half Life (again). And of course I read quite a lot.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Mostly by recommendations on Twitter and Google+. Occasionally I'll see something in advertising emails from Amazon that looks interesting.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Vaguely... it was a long time ago. It was a science fiction short story. And it was pretty awful.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I really don't remember the very first... I've been an avid reader since I was five or six years old. I do remember borrowing a book of scary stories from the library when I was about that age; I didn't sleep for a week. I don't think I'll ever forget that one.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
The Bridge - Iain Banks. I think it's the best thing he ever wrote (and that's saying something).
The Anubis Gates - Tim Powers. I love the way the threads of the story all come together; excellent story construction.
Lord Valentine's Castle - Robert Silverberg. The world-building is incredible. I wish I could live on Majipoor.
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey. Again, superb world-building.
Feersum Enjinn - Iain M Banks (again). Incredible book. Weird. I like weird.
What do you read for pleasure?
Anything and everything. But mostly SF, with the occasional fantasy thrown in.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Kindle. I also have a Nook but I don't use it so often these days. I've been considering getting a Kobo, too.
Describe your desk
L-shaped, with shelves above. I got it from Office Depot on sale. From left to right: gaming computer, big screen and keyboard, work laptop, then there's a gap where I put tea or coffee (or occasionally beer or wine); then my personal laptop, and the printer. That makes it sound tidy; it isn't, really - there are pens and pencils and notepads scattered around. And very often our cat, who curls up in the corner behind the work laptop or stretches out on top of the gaming machine.
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Books by This Author

Finish Your Book by
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 12,430. Language: British English. Published: July 24, 2017 . Categories: Nonfiction » Reference » Writing skills
Have you ever had an idea for a book, and started to write it—and managed only a page or two before the words dried up? In this book I show how to develop a story and characters from a vague idea to a complete storyline, and use that as a roadmap that keeps the writing on track. The book is intentionally short—read it in an hour, use it right away, and then keep it as a handy reference.
Pavonis by
Price: $1.99 USD. Words: 70,810. Language: British English. Published: June 28, 2012 . Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » Adventure, Fiction » Science fiction » General
After a friend dies in suspicious circumstances, John Vaux finds himself torn from his quiet life and thrown into an adventure that carries him across the huge planet Pavonis in search of an ancient artifact that will change the world. But he must find it before the fanatics who will destroy it to protect the status quo, and who will kill anyone who gets in their way.