Smashbomb

AMA: JOANNE HARRIS (AUTHOR)
ANSWERS
Award-winning author Joanne Harris, has answered YOUR questions in Smashbomb's first AMA.

@Katie Loves Movies asked:
How many half-finished books do you have?
Currently, two, plus one draft that still needs editing. I always tend to work on more than one thing at a time.

How do you choose your character names?
It depends on the book. Sometimes I use the credits from old episodes of DR WHO and BLAKES7. Sometimes I use the names of ex-colleagues from my teaching days.

Do you have anything unusual on your desk?
A brass frog that my grandfather used to have on his desk: a stone from a sandcastle my daughter and I built when she was nine.

@DaveySmithy asked:
What makes you roll your eyes every time you hear it?
People who say: "I'm going to write a book when I retire."

Do you think that aliens exist?
Statistically, yes. In practical terms, I doubt we'll ever see them.

What song hits you with a wave of nostalgia every time you hear it?
The Flowerpot Men's "Let's go to San Francisco."

Does anything worry you about the 'kids of today'?
The epidemic of mental health and anxiety issues inflicted on them by the previous generation.

@Random47 asked:
Do you write with a pen or on a machine? If either, what type?
Mostly, I write on a Microsoft Surfacebook, or in Moleskine notebooks with a Rollerball.

Who are some of your biggest inspirations?
Angela Carter, Ray Bradbury, Amelia Earhart, Audrey Hepburn, my daughter.

What books are your guilty pleasure?
I don't feel guilty about pleasures.

When did you first start writing?
When I was nine. I wrote and hand-illustrated a sixteen-page book called "Flesh-Eating Warriors of the Forbidden City", and distributed copies around my class at school.

Where are some of your favourite places to write?
My shed; the garden; trains; the penthouse of the Four Seasons in Chicago; the first class lounge at Heathrow airport; the roof of the Duomo in Milan.

@Drayton Kool asked:
Do you prefer to write in complete silence or whilst listening to music?
Silence - music interferes with the rhythms of my writing - although I do create playlists to get into the mood.

What makes you happier - chocolate or a few margaritas?
Margaritas, every time.

On your website FAQ you mention that you love spaghetti westerns. Which is your favourite and why?
A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS - it's bleak, classic and existentially funny.

Which fictional character would be the most boring to meet in real life?
Virtually any romantic hero.

On average, how long do you sleep each night?
8 hours: more, if I can get it.

@Whatchareadin asked:
Where is your favourite place to read? To write?
I like to read in the bath, where I can't hear the phone and no-one disturbs me. When I'm at home I write in my shed, but I can write pretty much anywhere. Hotel rooms are great - there are no distractions, and you can get room service...

Which character in your books do you think you connect to most?
Loki. I was just like him when I was in my teens.

If you weren't an author, what would you be doing?
I was a teacher for fifteen years, and I was pretty good at it.

What is your favourite book of all time? Of right now?
Of all time? Probably Victor Hugo's LES MISERABLES. Right now, I'm rediscovering P.G. Wodehouse's THE INIMITABLE JEEVES, and it's sheer joy.

What are you reading now?
Christopher Fowler's THE LONELY HOUR: his Bryant & May books are so funny and deftly-written that it's easy to overlook their dark menace and the sheer gorgeous ingenuity of the plotting.

Thanks Joanne! We'd all love to see you on here again :)

Kudos

Whatchareadin (174 KP) Mar 26, 2019

Thanks Joanne for answering our questions! I always enjoy getting to know authors better.

Kudos

QuietlyBookish (65 KP) rated Fangirl in Books

Jul 6, 2017

Fangirl

Rainbow Rowell | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)

8.9

(46 Ratings)

Book Rating

Characters (3 more)

Themes of Mental Illness

Plot

Dialogue

Must Read For Anyone Starting University!

I very much enjoyed this book. I read this book in one day. I loved Cath, I felt that she was easy to like and she was realistic, I think her thoughts, feelings and actions were easy to relate to.
This book is about finding yourself as you transition from teenager to adult and learn to live alone for the first time.
I can't recommend this enough, I think everyone can gain something from this story!

There are a lot of different editions of this book! I'd recommend looking them up if you're interested in fan art or author Q&A's! Also, there are two other books related to Fangirl, there is Carry On which is a full novel about the Simon and Baz fanfiction Cath writes in Fangirl. Also, Cath and Levi make an appearance in the author's adult novel Landline, if you're interested in that!

Kudos

graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Westing Game in Books

Feb 15, 2019

The Westing Game

Ellen Raskin | 2004 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Young Adult (YA)

8.1

(7 Ratings)

Book Rating

The Westing Game enthralled me from the very first page and I had a hard time putting the book down from that point on. Full of atmosphere, Ms. Raskin wrote a smart, clever, and intriguing story that had my mind striving to figure out the mystery within. A short book (my copy was 182 pages), the author nevertheless managed to capture the characters, the settings, and everything really, with a skillful ease. Written for children, I think I'd be bereft in mentioning that it is much more mature than a typical "kid's book" and I imagine many adults would enjoy this if they're into well-executed mysteries. I appreciated the "epilogue," of sorts, although felt a few things were too pat, but overall it was a near perfect story. Though I never quite unraveled the whole puzzle, the journey alone was worth the enjoyment I got out of this book.
4.5 stars

Kudos

Becs (244 KP) rated Select Few in Books

Oct 24, 2018

Select Few

Marit Wiesenberg | 2018 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

An all right contemporary read

I received a read and review copy of Select Few by Marit Wiesenberg from NetGalley for my full honest opinion.

I have not read book one of The Select series but I was a bit confused during the first half of the novel. I'm not sure if it was because I haven't read book 1 or if it was because it seemed like the author didn't really give a great background on the characters or the stories. Whatever it may have been, it really affected the overall story.

The second half of the novel was really good and really has me intrigued in the rest of the series but also at the same time I'm not quite sure whether I'll pick it up or not. There were some overall great scenes and some scenes that I had to push through because I was bored with them.

You can read the full review on my blog at bookingwayreads.wordpress.com

Kudos

AT (1676 KP) rated Do You Dream of Terra-Two? in Books

Nov 12, 2019

Do You Dream of Terra-Two?

Temi Oh | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

9.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Do you Dream of Terra-Two wasn't what I expected. I enjoyed the read, though. It was like having a group of friends with very different personalities. Dealing with them during one big project. That being said, Terra-Two was an easy read. It won't frustrate you to the point of losing patience. It was easy to follow, and I loved not knowing which direction the author was going to go with the characters throughout the first half of the novel. She really did a good job with that, especially in the beginning. It's one of those stories that sucks you in, and you're maybe not even sure why after all is said and done. It felt natural. It didn't feel like I was spending time reading a book. Honestly, I'm not sure if I liked the ending, but at least it made sense. Perhaps I just wish more had been added.