How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
It could all begin with a title, or a basic idea. I suppose I create my main characters and then introduce new characters as the story progresses. Sometimes I rename characters, if I am not happy with the names I have given them.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I have written three books and compiled an anthology for a charity. "The Fish King and the Two Wise Ghosts" is my first children's book. I have written a lot of short stories which have featured in anthologies and on websites. I also write poetry and have been included in books, magazines and on websites. I am not sure if I have a favourite, but I am still fond of my first published book which was called "Flight of Destiny".
What inspired the idea for your book?
For my present book, my son did a drawing, which looked like a king holding the hands of two ghosts. He also reminded me of a fish. So I came up with a title "The Fish King and the Two Wise Ghosts". It started off as poem, then I decided to change to prose, but then I decided to keep a lot of the poetry.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I have a small table which is rather cluttered, with coffee cups, scraps of paper, headphones. If I turn my head I can see our garden, otherwise I look at a white wall. If I need to get away from distractions, I do Have a small office. I do stuff on Photoshop, there. I did over 30 illustrations for my book "The Fish King and the Two Wise Ghosts".
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
If I could bring him back from the dead, I would choose Oscar Wilde. I would ask him to help me add some witty elements to my stories. I would ask him about his life and what he thinks of this modern world we live in.