Interrogating Michael Cargill, the author that doesn't have 50 of them.
Hello, The Joo!
Here be thy questions, answereth.
How do you strike the balance between writing something you want
to write and writing something that people want to read, in terms of the
compromises you make, if any?
*Head explodes* To honest, writing is still a new thing
for me, so I haven't really come up against anything like this. I think
that the only 'constant' that has existed across my work so far, has been the
humour element. I don't really have any plans to change that, so my fans
have no real need to fret yet. Mind you, I am planning on doing another
WWII-based story once my current WIP is finally shoved out the door - I'm not
sure if humour will be very appropriate to it, but it's far too early to say at
the moment. You know what they say about plans? No, me neither,
because I never stick to them.
What excites, attracts or appeals to you about the genre(s) you
write in.
The squishy, fruity bits. Although most of my work has
been thriller/suspense type stuff, it's not really been on purpose. It's
my favourite genre to read, so I think it's a case of just doing what I know.
I also do a lot of reading about WWII, so I think my work will be
punctuated with bits of historical fiction as well. So, um, yeah, it's
basically a case of doing what I know.
Do you have a box, drawer, folder etc where you keep thoughts
and ideas for future stories? Such as names you have come across, bits of
dialogue, ideas, characters - even if you have no idea when you might use
them?
I have nary a scribble, a note, nor a drunken answer phone
message with ideas for the future! Everything is stored up in my head,
including the silly articles I write on my blog.
It's the same when I am at work, and go into a meeting.
Notepad, schmotepad. I'm an artist, a free spirit, and I reject
your shackles of organisation.
It's probably why I always forget the milk, when I go shopping.
How do you manage plot bunnies (ideas that invade your mind that
aren’t usually helpful to the story you’re writing but breed
like...er...bunnies)?
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Actually, scratch that
idea, it's made me feel ill.
I haven't ever actually thought about this really. There
will always be conflicting ideas bouncing around in my head, and it's just a
case of discarding the daft ones. Sometimes it's a case of taking the
path of least resistance, other times it's just a case of knowing what's right.
How much of you is in your characters? Which of your characters
is the you that you’d most like to be? Or be with ?
There's a bit of me in all of my characters, really. Apart
from the women, of course. Everyone has their dark moments, when they
want hurl something across the room, so recalling those moments can help with
anger. Likewise with the action scenes, it can be what I would want to do
in the same situation.
The character of mine that I would most like to be, is John the
Baptist. Contrary to the biblical name, he is the complete opposite of
what it sounds like. He's smart, tends to work alone, does what he wants,
and doesn't care if the bad guys get hurt. He has his own set of morals
that prevent him from crossing the line, though.
Do you become so wrapped up in your writing that your spouse
wonders if they're married to you or one of your characters?
Nah. I don't usually write for long periods at a time, so
I don't really get that transfixed by it all. A few minutes break, and
then I can right back to normal.
What type of book do you like reading? Is it the same genre as
you write?
Yeah, for the most part. Stephen King is my favourite
author, but I have also enjoyed other thriller-esque stories by Michael
Crichton, John Grisham, and James Herbert.
What lengths do you go to to convince us readers that your book
has the X factor?
Hmmm. I write silly things on my blog, and Facebook,
hoping to entice people in my hilarity. I’ve also uploaded all my books
to pirate/torrent sites, and provided links to them on my blog. I even
write terrorist plots on bits of paper, leave them lying around, hoping I get
arrested and thrown in Gitmo, just for the publicity.
How do you feel when a reader points out the spelling mistake(s)
you have made?
I haven’t actually had that specifically happen to me yet,
though I have had a few reviews that pointed out errors. The thing is,
it’s almost impossible for me to be completely rational about that sort of
thing, it’s why so many actors and writers say that they don’t read their
reviews any more.
Although in retrospect I have been grateful for the constructive
criticism, my initial reaction is one of a child having a temper tantrum.
What I then do, is go and make a cup of tea, calm down a bit, and then
re-read the review with a calmer head. Ultimately, the criticism has been
valid, and I have corrected the mistakes at a later date.
I haven’t ever lashed out, and tried to find fault with what the
reviewer has said, and I wouldn’t ever do it either. So... if any readers
find some errors, and told me about them, then they will be gratefully, and
thankfully received. At least, after I’ve had a cup of tea they will.
What do you like most about visiting GR/forums?
For the most part, it’s quite a pleasant place to lurk in.
It’s also been helpful for me to find people to read my work, and it’s
opened my eyes to a few things as well. Being an old fart in his 30s, I
remember life before the Internets were invented, when such close reader/author
interaction simply wasn’t possible. I used to consider myself something
of a hardcore reader, but I can now see how much of a lightweight I am in that
regard. Seriously, some people are just plain bonkers about books (not
that that is a bad thing, of course).
What is on your near horizon?
Trees.
I’m actually working on another book at the moment, but it’s
still early days and stuff.
Where can we find you for more information?
Well, there is my blog, which is quite separate from my books.
I post satire type articles and new items on it. I don’t bore
people to death about how many words I’ve written or anything like that - http://michaelcargill.wordpress.com/
I’ve got a Facebook page as well actually. Again, I don’t
really talk about my writing that much, although I will post links to reviews
and interviews. I do a semi-regular ‘Short stories for the impatient’
thing, where I post a silly sort of story that is about 50 words long. http://www.facebook.com/MichaelCargillAuthor
