What is your writing process like?
I write every day starting in the morning and then writing on and off until the evening
How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
They just come to mind
What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
I don't suffer from writer's block
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
As these can come to anyone from top authors to newbies, I take little notice. I'm just please to receive a response
What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
Once I start to write a new story, the most challenging part is stopping for lunch and dinner. Plus, of course taking my beloved wife Gulden, out for a walk
How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
I started after my retirement from work, with the last 19 years spent working in fourteen countries. These were spread throughout the Middle, Far East, and North Africa, on what was mainly high-class interior fit-outs
What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
Think positive. If you get stuck, take a break from your writing for a while, then return with a clear head and continue writing
How do you develop your plot and characters?
It may sound strange, but ideas plot and characters just come to mind as I start writing.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I have eleven books published with another romantic novel now being professionally edited. I am also now working on another thriller. I think my memoir Follow in the Tigerman's Footsteps, based on my working life is my favourite book. This I wrote to show there is more to life than a boring 9-5 job.
What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
Nothing really, I have a good memory regarding my working life.
What inspired the idea for your book?
With my memoir and my book An Expat's Experiences of Living in Turkey, the idea was to help others who are thinking of moving abroad to live and work.
What was your hardest scene to write, and why?
I have never yet had that problem. I just put myself in the main character mind and write.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
Nothing really. I can write with the television on, and find it more comfirtable to write using my laptop on my lap, rather than sat at my desk in the study.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
Lee Child. I have read many of his books and have found them great. They are well-written and give me food for thought.
When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
Today. It shows various sites, including Amazon, that give out details of both me and my various books, plus my website. https. www.colinguestauthor.com