QCon 2016

I am very honoured to be making a guest appearance at what has always been one of my favourite gaming conventions in Ireland and it just so happens to be held right here at Queen’s University in the beautiful city of Belfast.

When I decided to d
o the convention it made me think of all the great times I had at previous QCons (in the mid to late 90s – showing my age here!) and also made me think just how much the gaming community
has changed
over the past 20 years and, in some instances, not changed at all!

Some of my most favourite memories are exploring deep mine shafts for dragon’s treasure in the Gold Final of Dungeons and Dragons (a very competitive lot us RPGers were back then!), to running around the Student’s Union armed with a ray gun and a bag load of anxiety in hilarious games of Paranoia. I remember one year we had great fun playing a Star Trek ship combat game. They had taped a grid pattern onto the floor of a huge hall and at each corner was the bridge of a starship, each crewed by
the captain, weapons expert and helmsman. Each turn we would move (or the GMs for us) huge models of our ships into position to attack the enemy. I think our team was the only ship left standing by the end although we had lost the helmsman and most of the ship was damaged beyond repair. Great fun had by all.

Of course now everything’s changing with an added emphasis on anime and Egaming but as an avid gamer (still am!) and protector of a hoard of comics (still in dust covers) from my youth I really look forward to seeing what is on offer this year. Although – I’m glad that the classic RPGs and tabletop wargames are still popular.

If anyone is around this weekend (17-19th June) pop in and have a chat with me – I will be there to talk about my first book City of Darkness and my up and coming second – Neon Sky – out around September time. Of course if you just want to chat about all things gaming that’s great as well – you never know, I may roll the odd dice myself over the weekend!

Also catch me at…..

http://www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk/

@DPWright79

Neon Sky

Hey everyone, sorry for the silence over the last few weeks but have been so busy with weddings and deadlines! Neon Sky is at 90,000 words and nearly finished before it gets given to the publishers but you can still check out the first in the Kessler series at http://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Darkness-What-Would-Avoid/dp/1784622532

Remember to catch me on at:

Twitter- @DPWright79 or http://www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk

Hope you are all well

DP 🙂

Science Fiction – Dead in the Past or Alive in the Future?

Genre fiction always seems to generate strong debate and, at time, strong words, between its fans and detractors alike and science fiction is no different. Just a few days ago, I was taking a break from writing ‘Neon Lights’ with a bit of, well, writing – but this time on-line in one of the many forums I’m a member of. An old debate had risen its head above the parapet and had immediately signalled the firing of a barrage of impassioned pleas, desperate cries and many a strong personality. So I’ve decided to mark the occasion, its barbed words and heated exchanges still ringing in my ears, with an entry on my blog and give my two (or three…) cents on the topic which is never seems to go away – Is Science Fiction a dying genre?

One thing is certain, as much as many of us writers hate to admit it, writing is a business and by all accounts SF sales are falling. It you talk to most agents today they will tell you – ‘We’re not taking in any Science Fiction’, a quick look at the Amazon best sellers list and we find books such as ‘Girl on a Train’ by Paula Hawkins or Diane Chamberlain’s ‘The Silent Sister’ – not a SF title in sight! So does this prove that all is lost? Should writers of SF throw their hands up in the air and move onto other forms of fiction?

There are a number of reasons for this possible decline. Perhaps it originates from when and how the genre was created – it emerged during the late Nineteenth Century making it a relative baby in English Languages literary heritage – possibly growing from the industrial revolution in tales such as that of Robert Louis Stevenson – before putting roots down in the Twentieth Century. Critics have said that because it does  not have the pedigree of romance, thrillers, historical fiction or crime, it is just a flash in the pan genre – products of a time when science exploded onto the scene providing a sudden ‘age of wonder’ for readers eager to immerse themselves in. The moon landings are a prime example of a time when SF peaked. Is our modern society now de-sensitised to this ‘wonder’, are we numb to thinking ‘what if?’ Or now so used to technological and scientific advancement that we don’t care? The very thought scares me and the fact that some suggest this makes me want to scream from the rooftops…

NO! WE JUST NEED GOOD WRITERS TO INSPIRE US!

Excuse my use of caps and exclamation marks (shudder…) but I did warn you about the emotion such a debate generates…

Anyway, where was I…..oh yes – It is obvious that times have changed since the era when the genre peaked – both socially and culturally – from the late 50s, 60s and 70s when SF was used as a tool to get the youth interested in science – today teaching has evolved and uses other methods to motivate.

However – back to my rant – I personally disagree fundamentally with this outlook. As a reader, writer, having been an English Literature teacher for a number of years, as a human being – I believe that language and literature are a fluid force constantly evolving over time to incorporate new ideas and new methods. Yes, I understand that SF is a relatively new genre but it has incorporated classic techniques and story elements – especially in off shoots such as SF romance, SF noir, dystopian fiction – not all SF has to be the stereotyped high tech of ‘pure SF’ or space opera – it is not a genre shackled to technology or science where ‘fringe groups’ (nerds we are commonly called) obsess about the cold hard use of ‘tech talk’ and its relevance to reality which are understandably a turn off for the mainstream who see high tech stories lacking humanity and empathy. So I’ll go back to my solid belief that all SF needs is good writers producing great stories that are well written. If this happens the genre will always shine – it will not need other roles like furthering science or a reliance on ‘a moment of wonder’ in human history – all it needs are beautifully crafted words to sell it to the public.

“Good literature?” I hear the masses shout out with a fair amount of disbelief. Yes, OK, I understand that SF is packed full of authors of varying ability and it can be tough to look beyond the old guard of Gibson, Dick, Priest and Hamilton but look beyond them we must. We as aspiring writer’s need to step up to the mantle and continue their great work, all be it in a constant state of change and evolution. If would-be authors need a carrot to chase all we need to do is look at cinema where Andy Wier’s ‘The Martian’ is making the journey from book to screen. Ridley Scott is also producing Prometheus 2 next year proving the genre remains a fan favourite.

I accept that without doubt SF as a genre can be its own worst enemy. It is male dominated in a time when the mainstream readers are 70% female and frustratingly still predominately projects a white world – it needs to diversify and reflect our cosmopolitan society, for sure.

To finish – I need to take a breath and correct the many grammatical errors and spelling mistakes my hammering of the keys has no doubt created – I just want to emphasise that over two thousand titles are still being published each year so this does not tell me that the genre is in decline. I believe that Science Fiction is very much alive in the future – like I have already said – all we need are good writers and the books will sell themselves!

A quick update on my second novel – Neon Lights – the second in the Kessler series –  now 70,000 words complete.

Check out the 4 and 5 star reviews of City of Darkness at www.amazon.co.uk

You can catch me on my website – www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk

Or on twitter – @DPWright79

Laptop or Pen? Choose Your Weapon…..

Writers are strange creatures. Each approaches the act of plying their trade differently and each have their own tools/resources to navigate their way through the minefield of obstacles and challenges that is the physical and psychological battle of getting their manuscript published. The search for the scribe’s Holy Grail, that solution, that golden ticket which would make the impossible seem possible, make the over saturated, highly competitive, publishing industry open its doors to that next book and make it a best seller, is discussed every day in social media, forums, book clubs and writing seminars the world over. Last week was no different. I was on Twitter with a group of writers all doing what we do best – giving our two cents about the state of the business – when the conversation turned to the most basic – how do you do battle? What medium do you use?

Doesn’t everyone use the same? Desktop, laptop, note book and pen….most use a combination of all three but not me, not any more. Don’t get me wrong – for the first book I certainly did – I had a routine like so many writers. The notebook was for my musings, those spontaneous thoughts that I had on a daily basis – whilst at work, watching TV, with family – you get the idea – a jumble of thoughts, some useful some not so, scrawled across the page. It was then that the laptop came into play. Knowing how long I spend at the top of the house locked away in the study, I’m constantly aware that I must spend some time (more time…) with Lilly (otherwise with my other job I could quite easily never see her…) hence downstairs I could kill two birds with one stone and copy up notes onto my laptop to satisfy my writing needs and be reasonably social with my better half. It was only when the serious editing and more complex scribing took place after the first draft that I would sit in my study at my desktop and lock myself away for the peace and quiet needed to finish the manuscript to the desired level of quality.

This all changed when writing Neon Lights – my second book. Those challenges mentioned above that lay in wait for any a frustrated writer – procrastination, the dreaded writer’s block, life getting in the way of writing – I have danced with all these challenges over the last six months. So how did I get beat them? How have I finished writing (well it’s very nearly finished) Neon Lights? Well, by doing what any soldier would do to win a battle – I changed my weapon of choice to better my enemy. I ditched the laptop – it just doesn’t work for me. I found the creativity dried up when I sat there looking at the cold plastic and metal that made up the machine. I found that the internet –  social media and all the rest – were a distraction. Instead I embraced the trusty notebook and pen to fulfil all my writing needs all the way up to the final editing stage. Take a look at the below image….

Notebooks are practical – easier to carry around than a laptop and can be taken out whenever, wherever, when that idea is screaming to be noted before it disappears into the ether. Immediately when I started solely using the notebook the creative juices suddenly flowed – and not just for a short while, they have been flowing ever since. I find that I take ownership of my words, my language, much more by writing them with a pen instead of typing on my laptop. I only have to look at any page in one of my now many notebooks all crammed with words and I am inspired to write more – see the passion in every scribble, every image (despite being a very poor artist!), every side note and hastily scribed plot idea – its all the motivation I need. I even, and I understand that this is a bit sad, look forward to buying new notebooks – leather backed, hard backed, themed – I admit that I’m a notebook geek but I love it – it’s an extension of my love of writing….

Once you have finished a book/story/manuscript your notebooks packed full of words, emotions, coffee and tea stains, are something to be proud of, something to keep as a memory – they tell a story in their own right about how your novel came to be….

Writers have to do whatever works for them and going ‘old school’ and going back to the trusty notebook and pen has done wonders for my creative out-put – try it, it may work for you! As Shakespeare said, ‘I’ll call for pen and ink and write my mind……’

www.dpwrightauthor.o.uk

Twitter: @dpwright79

Catch my dark future crime thriller ‘City of Darkness’ – paperback and ebook –  and the many 4 and 5 star reviews at www.amazon.co.uk

The Light as a Descriptive Force

The life of a writer trying to make it in this busy world can be described as a blur of intense activity where time management, stubborn self motivation and the necessity to multi task (I admit I struggle with this one) are needed as we navigate our way through deadlines, work to pay the bills, family life, marketing our own material, researching and of course, that time set aside for a good (or not so good) dose of procrastination. However, just recently, a calm was brought to this tempest of activity when I got asked a question on twitter about my use of light within the text of City of Darkness. The person wanted to know if they should put so much work into describing their settings when all they wanted to do was develop their characters. After clicking that mouse button and reading the tweet I slumped back in my chair and took time to take a breath. It was one of those moments (queue the clichés…) which made me take a step back and remember why I have always wanted to be a writer, made me think about what I enjoyed about the old art of scribing.

A memory I had not recalled in a long time dusted itself down and appeared in my mind. An English lesson in grammar school – I must have been about thirteen or fourteen, or maybe a bit older, anyway a teacher, a Mr Caernduff, was getting the class to act out a scene from R.C Sheriff’s Journey’s End – a play set in World War 1 that takes place entirely in the officer’s ‘dugout’ in the trenches in France. A couple of students, some volunteers, some conscripted, stood at the front of the class, books in hand, acting out a scene. Of course I was there, standing with a confidence I had no right to have whilst trying to project my voice across the classroom as Captain Stanhope. However it was not the bad acting that I remember but the actual words that R C Sheriff used to forever imprint on my mind the fear, anticipation and claustrophobic intensity of life the characters experienced in that bunker.

Throughout the four days covered by the play, Sheriff subtly turns the mood darker as the characters wait to go ‘over the top’ and the enemy. One of the ways he does this is by using the only glimpse of the outside world the audience have – the entrance from the dug out to the trenches – to tell us of the impending doom that awaits the characters. From it light streams in to their small world in scene 1 but as the play progresses ‘the faint rosy glow of the dawn is deepening to an angry red’. The stark image of the candle which illuminates the dugout with ‘a steady flame’ over the course of the drama suddenly going out at the play’s explosive ending has always stayed with me.

My love of the use of the light and the dark to expose my characters’ traits and vulnerabilities can be seen throughout City of Darkness – even in the title – and it is a theme that I have carried on to my second book – Neon Lights. So, my response to the question – should I put so much work into describing my setting when all I want to do was to develop my characters – was a completely biased one. My use of a setting that is alive as much as my characters is an extension of why I write. Others write for different reasons, have different memories.

Catch me at www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @dpwright79

Tea with the Mayor – Cancelled!

Writing (a deep intake of breath) oh what a harsh mistress you can be! The need to write, and I mean need, is to me just like the drugs my flawed protagonist in City of Darkness, Detective Kessler, depends on. That insatiable need to do it at all times, sometimes locked away in my dimly lit study at the top of the house, sometimes when I’m at work on a lunch break, when I’m meant to be paying attention to my fiancé Lilly as she tells me the gossip from her day or when I’m visiting the future in-laws – there is never a time when I’m not craving to get my handy notebook and pen out and scribble away on whatever scene/chapter/character/idea I am currently dreaming up. No place is out of limits for my addiction.

This hunger has started a journey which I have grabbed with both hands, feet and any part of my body affording grip! It has already allowed me to meet a whole host of interesting people and go to some great events and next up was an invitation to meet the new Mayor of North Down and Ards (my borough) – Alderman Alan Graham – right in my home town at Bangor Castle. A strange invitation, I thought, as here in Northern Ireland public offices are highly politicised entities – and I have always tried to keep politics out of my public persona – leaving my strongly held beliefs, my soul & everything to naturally be sown into the words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, character and plot of my stories. However, the Mayor had gotten hold of a press release and wanted to have a chat with me. ‘Why not!’, I thought. I have never met a Mayor before much less be invited into his private Parlour within the beautiful grounds Bangor Castle.

Unfortunately reality hit!

Not many things get in the way of feeding my addiction – I wont let it – I have to write, love to talk about literature and whatever project I’m currently on or have just released – however there is one thing that gets in my way of living the writer’s life……My job. That is the job that pays the bills, the job that keeps me and Lilly in our lovely blue house by the sea, the job that reminds me that I’m not quite full time writer just yet but also a full time manager in the security industry. Doh! A crisis at work needing me in on my day off soon had me typing and sending an email to the Mayor’s secretary apologising for the last minute cancellation. Sad times.

How do writers, especially new, emerging writers, balance a job plus churning out a book a year? Some publishers expect two books a year! What!?

So, here I am – like one of the ravaged chem heads in City of Darkness – I have just completed a 15 hour shift at work with no sleep. Tired and hungry, I ignore the need to close my eyes, to eat, but instead divulge my addiction and write and write and write some more.

Keep the kettle boiling Mayor Alan Graham there will be another time for a cuppa or two…… 🙂

Catch the great reviews of City of Darkness at http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=3191

and 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/City-Darkness-What-Would-Avoid/dp/1784622532

Hope everyone has had a great start to the week – catch me on twitter @DPWright79 for more ramblings

D P Wright

A Writer’s Life!

Good evening everyone from this storm ravaged Irish coast. It has been a while since I have posted anything on my blog and I really apologise about that! Life has been so hectic recently…

First on my mind (as ever!) is my current writing project – ‘Neon Lights’ – I get so obsessed by and involved in whatever piece I am working on and at the minute it is the world of Dis which I have created to host my series of dark future neo-noir detective novels. Currently I’m on the ‘run’ – as I call it – of trying to write 2000 words a day – something that I have been looking forward to getting into for some time now. I learnt a lot from creating, writing, editing and publishing my first book – ‘City of Darkness’ – it was a wonderful experience and much thanks goes out to the team at Troubador (thanks for your patience Naomi for my repeated re edits late on in the game!) I did learn a great deal about the industry that my years as an English teacher (English teachers are all writers right?) did not prepare me for! Time was the major issue – I just could not let go of my baby – always finding issues, often the tiniest of things – to change before the print run and although the book has benefitted from it – I am so happy with the outcome – it has delayed my other projects which I am itching to get out there! So then, on with ‘Neon Lights’ – its about 50% finished – so look out for it!

Just a quick word on City of Darkness – much thanks goes out to friends and family for the launch and I am very humbled with the very positive reviews that have come from all across the globe so far. Pick up a copy at http://www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk and have a look at the news and reviews which are being updated as I type!

The Fly to the Flame: Addictions and the Modern Writer

This week I have been trying to work my way through a particularly intense scene in my new book, ‘Neon Lights’, and have found it extremely tough going. It involves the main character – a detective by the name of Sebastian Kessler- attempting to face up to a drug problem which has its claws in every aspect of his life. It’s an extremely harrowing scene which I have gone over in my head what feels like a million times – typed and retyped it out on the computer, I have even changed my tools when I still was not happy with it and selected a variety of pens and notebooks and given it a go…..however, still I was not satisfied with it. Between all this writing I have continued to think about the scene – morning, noon and night – at work, while I was with my family, while at a friend’s wedding and the six hour trip (that is six hours driving there and six hours back) that surrounded that celebration – all this time spent obsessing over this one damn scene! Finally, yesterday, tired and worn out from going over the same images, prose, conversations and motives…it came to me and the chapter flowed like the bursting of a damn. So here I am, that week is over and I am left to reflect on the what’s why’s where’s and when’s of what all the fuss was about……

Addictions

I feel the scene began to reflect real life. Kessler, my flawed hero, is so focused on doing anything just to get through the day, trying his best to keep his small world afloat. Yes, ok – he lives on Dis, an extremely dangerous city where his life (and any of the billions living in that toxic environment) are in danger at any given time – excuse me for using a cliché but it’s true, life is cheap in the world of Sebastian Kessler – and although Belfast and Northern Ireland have had their moments, my problems are not as dramatic as his. However, I, like anyone living in this modern world, can certainly understand addictions. Kessler has his drink and drug problems but we are living in an increasingly obsessive society. These addictions can range from anything  – from cleaning and exercise to online gaming or smoking  – all our addictions no matter how small or big – touch our lives in some way. My addiction (or one of them…)is writing. I realised last week that I became obsessed with finishing the scene and, as a result, I became stubborn to the point where I could not see the wood from the trees as they say – I laugh about it now but I really should have taken my partner’s advice and walked away from that particular chapter – taken a break from writing as it was stressing me out – or even started on another part of the story…..no chance though – once I set myself a target – especially when scribing – I have to see it through – I am addicted to writing and although it can be a painful process at times (sorry Lilly – you are amazing for putting up with my stubborn obsession!) I accept the fact that I just have to write, it is my cross that I have to bear. But hey – we all know it is worth it for that ‘eureka’ moment when it all comes together!

Time

In ‘Neon Lights’, as in my first book, ‘City of Darkness’, Kessler is pushed for time. He has barely a minute to stand still and rest as the fast paced plot pulls him along at break neck speed and this is reflected in the world in which we live. In this media and technology driven society we citizens (especially in the Western World) are being exposed to so much from the comfort of their own homes – T.V,  smart phones, the internet, – all firing out adverts, films, information that exposes us to a full range of images and emotions and all at our finger tips to watch, read, absorb, sign up to, purchase and obsess over. Gone are the times where you could sit on a rocking chair on the front porch and watch the world go by without so much as a ring, beep or buzz to tell you that you are needed elsewhere. And trust me – I tried to get that dream. I worked in London for a number of years as a Secondary School English Teacher and a while ago I left that beautiful city (for I do love London) to seek a quieter life in a small town right by the Irish coast in Northern Ireland, where I spent most of my teenage years growing up. However, I was fooling myself, life is just as hectic. We live in a moment where time is more precious than ever – and I must always remember to keep some of it for those close to my heart (not just my addiction to writing!) – So, get ready for another cliché – work life balance is important, I suppose that is why it has turned into a cliché in the first place…..

Perspective

Finally – reflecting on last week has given me some perspective – that wider picture that allows you to put things in their correct place and wonder – ‘how did I get myself in such a mess in the first place.’ Perspective is important, especially if you are in something for the long term – as I am with my writing. My final cliché of the week is – nothing that is broken cannot be fixed – I must remember to tell myself, if ever I get writer’s block, struggle with a scene, or feel burned out, to put things in perspective and remember that most problems are not that big a deal. Only problem is…a leopard cannot change its spots (ok, so that definitely was the last cliché….) and like my flawed detective I cannot avoid my burning obsession that is to write, write and write and, I am afraid, I will always fly towards that flame…..

For more about me and my writing please visit…

http://www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @DPWright79

Facebook: /DPWright79

What does your bookcase say about you?

As I was surfing Twitter (do people still use that term – ‘surfing?’) I stumbled upon @mybookcaseapp who was asking people to post pictures of their book case and this got me thinking. In this crowded, loud world where so many of us can access the lives of a good portion of the 6 billion people that live on this planet there are a lot of voices to shout over. It is difficult to be heard, tough to get to know anyone through so much traffic and noise that the internet produces every day. In this age of technological overload where even reading a book is a misnomer as so many of us are looking at text from a screen – there is no ‘book’ involved in the process – I thought it refreshingly retro to use the bookshelf as a window into the souls of those avid readers out there – is the bookshelf even still relevant? Time will tell! So then, let’s take a look at mine….

At a glance – there seems to be a mix of historical fiction, scifi with a smattering of political/historical texts. This makes sense – I read a wide range of genres but much of what I do read does originate from these areas.

Science fiction – that sense of adventure based around advanced technology has always been a part of my life. I admit to being a science geek and avid follower of whatever NASA/ESA mission happening. Here we see some of the classics ranging from the legend that was Ray Bradbury ‘The illustrated Man’, the founder of the cyberpunk genre – William Gibson with ‘Pattern Recognition’ to more recent scifi with the excellent Hugh Howey’s Silo series represented by ‘Wool’ and ‘Dust’. Julianna Baggott’s Pure Trilogy – set in a post-apocalyptic world – is also there and I am yet to read it but have been told to expect an exciting fast paced story.

Historical fiction is in there with the wonderful Shardlake series. C. J Sansom  brings the world of Henry VIII alive in colourful and vivid detail all the while keeping his readers on the edge of their seats as Shardlake, his hunchbacked lawyer come detective -goes against the social grain to solve a variety of mysteries. I think this genre would be on many a bookshelf – agents tell me it is the ‘buzz genre’ of the moment – everyone is looking for the next C.J Sansom. I guess with all the media coverage of the Richard III burial and popular series Time Team (that show has been going on forever!) as well as many other programmes  – all make history is cool again – add to that a crime and mystery element – and there you have it – a blockbuster in the waiting! I certainly love crime and mystery and have always held history – political/social/fictional – with great interest. This brings me onto my next genre….

We can always learn a lot from what we did in the past – growing up in Northern Ireland with a very politically motivated family( I have many memories of intense discussions around the dinner table as I was growing up)  – probably encouraged this! This environment extends to my passion for historical texts represented in this bookcase snapshot by ‘Wanderings’ Chaim Potok’s History of the Jews, Ilan Pappe’s ‘The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine’ and ‘Full Circle’ by J.E Johnson (an exciting, edge of you seat history of air fighting in the 20th century).

The rest of the books reveal my one overriding passion of writing – ‘Becoming a Writer’ by Dorothea Brande and ‘The Successful Author’s Handbook’ by Gordan Wells gives this obsession of mine away. There are a couple of books on Cathedrals and churches – these may suggest a religious part to my life but this is not the case – I have a healthy respect for all religions but do not practice any myself – these books were in fact used for research for my book ‘City of Darkness’.

So does this glimpse at my bookshelf reveal to the world who I really am? Yes and no. So much of what I do and what I identify myself as being come from books – however there are many that are not in this photo – I love crime fiction. The character of the detective for example (as seen in film noir for instance) is important to me for a number of reasons – and this is not seen here. Let’s just say that this sneak preview of my bookcase is just a glimpse at who I am – keep watching though! More to follow….

Please post me pics of your bookshelves – so we can see what you are reading at the moment..

You can also follow me on….

http://www.dpwrightauthor.co.uk

Twitter – @DPWright79

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Five Books That Changed My Life

So far this year life has been particularly busy – I am getting married in October – a wedding that started off being a ‘lets just get married on a beach in Thailand and keep it simple’ to a Surrey wedding in a 400 year old Tudor barn with a large guest list (the numbers keep getting bigger). I have my first book getting published and all the marketing and book launch organising that comes along with that as well as trying to write my second one. And through this all I work another job as well but I shouldn’t complain – being busy is good right? However with all this going on what I did realise was that my reading – such an important part of my life and a very enjoyable part too – had fallen by the wayside. This year has flown in so fast and I think I can count on one hand how many books I have read (that have not been my own writing). So with promises to rectify this as soon as possible and find the time to read more I reflected on the books which have been so influential in my own life up until now.

1. ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J.R.R.Tolkien.
Ok. I know what you are thinking. These are a no brainer and everyone would have them on their list (or..shudder…have only seen the movies and not bothered with the books…). Despite being a bit of a cliché these days – The above books fuelled my love of the fantasy genre. I remember reading both novels one summer a long time ago- 5 days when I was 10 years old – my mother was worried about me as I hardly ate, drank or slept at all, I was so engrossed in the story! Tolkien’s writing is excellent- with colourful characters, strong plot all with a detailed and exciting setting. I loved Tolkien’s narrative – those long paragraphs full of description – a technique lost on many writers today. A few years back, whilst teaching English Literature, a published author visited the school to speak to the junior classes about being a writer. Afterwards I spoke to him and he said the key to making money was to fill your books with a conversation – very little descriptive writing – it makes the process very easy and quick to finish. Now as much as I respect him I felt that the art of writing was taking a step backwards with this practice. Tolkien’s work (especially his writing technique) has been a constant inspiration to me and has shaped my writing technique – both as a writer and as a teacher.

2. ‘The Dragon Lance Chronicles’ by Margret Weis and Tracy Hickman
One of the first fantasy series that I ever read. I still hold dear the journey that I went on with the characters Raistlin, Caramon, Tanis, Tasslehoff, Flint ect. The Chronicles trilogy relates to events from when all the companions meet up in a classic ‘adventurers coming together style’ to the end of the War of the Lance. As well as a great setting and character development (much like Tolkien) I always remember how Weis and Hickman came up with the idea for their popular novels – on the way to an interview with TSR where they played games of Dungeon and Dragons and it was from those adventures they created the setting – the world of Krynn and the War of the Lance. During my own development as a writer this story has always inspired me to look for inspiration in everything I do.

3. ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ by Erich Maria Remarque
This little gem of a book has been and will always be in my top 10 most favourite books. It fuelled my love of historical fiction (or not so fiction). Remarque takes us on a journey with a group of friends fighting in the trenches for the German army during World War 1. Undoubtedly helped by his own experiences as a soldier during the first World War, Remarque describes the fears, loves and losses of his characters to perfection and skilfully portrays the chaos and human tragedy of the war.

4. ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ by James Fenimore Cooper
Set in 1757 during the French and Indian War when Great Britain battled the French for territory in the Americas. The novel describes the relationship between the colonists and their Native American allies and takes us on a wild adventure with Hawkeye and his loyal Mohican friends Chingachook and Uncas. When innocent settlers are attacked by hostile savages and the beautiful Munro sisters are abducted, Cooper takes the reader on a non-stop wild adventure that combines excitement and also fear of the brutality of life in the frontier. Cooper’s ability to not only take the reader on a rollercoaster ride but also describe in vivid, exquisite detail the end of an era and a way of life brilliantly combines excitement, horror and an overwhelming sadness as the reader reaches the book’s tumultuous end.

5. ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ by Philip K Dick.
My first real flurry into science fiction was by reading Philip K Dick and I have to admit that I could have chosen near enough any of his books as most have been of great influence to me over the years. ‘Electric Sheep’ is set in a post – apocalyptic near future where human struggle to survive post nuclear war. Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter charged with tracking down and exterminating six escaped Nexus 6 androids (most people will know the basic story through the film Blade Runner). The story asks questions about what it means to be human and like all of Dick’s novels, explores questions of social responsibility.

Writing this list of 5 most influential books has proved particularly tough as I have realised that there are far more books which I hold dear and could easily have included! Hence I will probably do another one in the near future to satisfy my conscience!

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