Interview with Gavin E Parker
Published 2015-07-15.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
I have to get up to go to work.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Mostly working or doing household chores. If I get a bit of free time I might spend it watching TV, reading or playing videogames.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Through the media.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
No. I used to write loads when I was a kid, but I don't rememember which was first.
What is your writing process?
Think, plan, write, rewrite alot. I use two great bits of free software. TreeSheets is great for plotting - you can have a colour-coded overview of your whole story and subplots on a single page (massively useful in itself), but from there you can still drill down to individual scenes to rearrange, add, delete them etc. I write in in yWriter, another incredibly useful piece of free software.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I have no idea. I didn't read much as a kid. I began reading a lot in my early twenties, but even then it was mostly non-fiction.
How do you approach cover design?
Covers should be bold and distinct. Most book covers are pretty bad. Keep it simple.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
'Into the Silent Land: Travels in Neuropsychology' by Paul Broks. Beautifully written mixture of facts and fiction, it delves into profound issues with an incredible lightness of touch.
And four others.
What do you read for pleasure?
Non-fiction, bios, magazines.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Kindle
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Adverts
Describe your desk
Metal and wood.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
Southern England, probably not.
When did you first start writing?
Aged four.
What's the story behind your latest book?
I thought I'd write a book, then I did.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
The search for fame and riches.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Not so far, but it's early days.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Reading something back and discovering it's not utter bobbins.
What do your fans mean to you?
I don't have fans.
What are you working on next?
Book two of the Ephialtes Trilogy.
Who are your favorite authors?
I'm not crazy about fiction. Christopher Hitchens knew how to sling a sentence together, though.
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