Ask the Author: James Baddock
Answered Questions (11)
James Baddock
He woke up screaming from an absolutely terrifying nightmare, breathed a sigh of relief, then whispered tremulously, 'Thank God it was only a dream after all.'
Then a voice murmured from behind him, 'Oh no it wasn't.'
Then a voice murmured from behind him, 'Oh no it wasn't.'
James Baddock
I'm catching up on some books I haven't read in years - 'Downbelow Station' by CJ Cherryh, 'The Forever War' by Joe Haldeman and 'Ringworld' by Larry Niven, for starters.
James Baddock
I'd love to go to Terry Pratchett's Discworld and meet the likes of Sam Vimes, Lord Vetinari, Granny Weatherwax and so on. A visit to the Library in the Unseen University would also be quite something (as I'm an avid reader anyway). Having said that, although a conversation with Death would be quite something, I'm not entirely sure I'm ready to meet him just yet!
James Baddock
When my dad died, I was going through his belongings when I found a box in the attic, containing memorabilia from his war service (he was in the RAF during WW2). Along with a photo album mostly taken in the Far East towards the end of the war (including several of him at Hiroshima in early 1946, which was the first time I ever knew he had even been there, because he had, perhaps understandably, never once mentioned it), I found some blank black and white postcards of the Pyrenees. As far as I knew, apart from his RAF service in the Far East, Dad had never been abroad, so, presumably, he had bought or swapped or been given them at some point. But why and who by? And why had he kept them in that box, wrapped up in a bundle, for all those years along with all the other items from that time that obviously meant a lot to him? Even though the explanation is probably pretty straightforward, I'd still give a lot to know the answer.
James Baddock
Depends on what you mean by a 'couple' (which implies some sort of romantic involvement). If that isn't the case, then it would have to be the 'bromance' between Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. If we are talking romance, then probably Horatio Hornblower and Lady Barbara in the CS Forester novels. Maybe Quiller and Moira (although we barely see her) in the Adam Hall novels, or a more obscure pair might be Zakalwe and Diziet Sma in Iain M Banks' Use Of Weapons (assuming they ever have been involved that way at any stage).
James Baddock
I generally 'walk away' from the book and do something else entirely. I find that, eventually, the issues will sort themselves out one way or another, but if they don't, I'll put the whole book on the back burner and look at other ideas. Having said that, I don't spend most of my time writing anyway, so, often, I'll go back to a book maybe months later and the solution to the problem seems blindingly obvious - you can be too close to the book for your own good, sometimes.
James Baddock
Being able to create your own story and characters - I've always been a sucker for a good story and being able to dream one up and carry it through is very satisfying.
James Baddock
Not sure I'm qualified to answer this, because I still think I am an aspiring writer in many respects, but you're almost certain to get rejections when you start out, so don't let that put you off. Just keep trying.
James Baddock
I've some vague ideas for a sequel to No Direction Home, but there are also several outlines for another Cormack and Woodward novel. I don't know which one I'll push on with yet.
James Baddock
It's actually a kind of escapism for me, creating a fictional world and writing about it. I think, basically, I just like telling stories.
James Baddock
I've always been interested in Science Fiction, but, in particular, with the issues of Artificial Intelligence and Cloning. If your consciousness can be uploaded and stored digitally, and then transferred either to another body or into a computer program, is that consciousness really you? And what would happen if that consciousness has been edited in some way - for example, your memories had been altered? It all boils down to a question of identity - is the Vinter in my book the real Vinter?
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