Ask the Author: Stephen J. Alexander
Answered Questions (9)
Stephen J. Alexander
I'm finally writing a 4th book in the series to follow Made in Milan, Falling strong and The Dreams. My working title is Tommaso's Choice.
Stephen J. Alexander
The biggest mystery of all...How am I still here?
Stephen J. Alexander
I really don't know...I wanted to write something romantic. I'm a French and British passport holder and I lived for a long time in Spain. So, I didn't want to use either Barcelona or Paris as my book's setting. Romantic they both are in modern folklore. But, I know both too well. I wanted something that was still exotic to me. I visited and chose to set my story in a fashionable district of Milan. Characters' names all have significance and pay homage to various friends of mine throughout my life. That's pretty much every one of them in fact, except for the heroine, Alice. I love Lewis Carroll's Alice. It's a homage to her. Both the male and female leads have quirks and demons that I share with them. The best friend of my leading man who has passed away too young, is based upon a cross between my best friend who passed away too young in 2009 and River Phoenix who was a damned genius stolen from us all way too early! There is a name-link between the character Peter Allan Ferris and the kid in my children's book, Peter & the Dwarf Planets (Olympia Pub. 2018). I named them specifically after my best friend, Pete.
Stephen J. Alexander
I have always wanted to be a writer. I used to write a really boring diary when I was a little kid. I made up an island with inhabitants, infra-structures and a pro-football league too...At university, I wrote lots of poems for the college magazine. And, I've dabbled in travel writing, newspaper journalism and stand-up comedy too...
In terms of being inspired by other people I read a lot so...For example, in my novel, when I wanted to make a romantic scene turn sexy, I didn't want to go too crude as my book isn't an erotic piece. So, I read through some of my old favourites by Roddy Doyle and F. Scott Fitzgerald of particular note, to get a flavour of how I could write about a couple in bed together without detracting from the thread of the story and sending my book along a tasteless path...
In terms of being inspired by other people I read a lot so...For example, in my novel, when I wanted to make a romantic scene turn sexy, I didn't want to go too crude as my book isn't an erotic piece. So, I read through some of my old favourites by Roddy Doyle and F. Scott Fitzgerald of particular note, to get a flavour of how I could write about a couple in bed together without detracting from the thread of the story and sending my book along a tasteless path...
Stephen J. Alexander
Write. Write. Write. Don't let setbacks get you down and be prepared to market yourself. Even if (like me) you're not naturally commercially minded.
Stephen J. Alexander
I could say that it's seeing your name on a product with an ISBN all of your own on the back. But that novelty quickly wears off. Being a writer is surely all about entertaining people. When people say they've enjoyed something that I made, that makes me happy because I made my books for people to lose themselves in.
Stephen J. Alexander
Ride it out. Literally and metaphorically. I find a good long trip on my road bike away from civilisation helps me think clearly. I also just wait 'till the mojo returns.
Stephen J. Alexander
Wow! I'd love to go to Narnia through the wardrobe. I'd second guess that Mr Tumnus fellow and not be fooled into eating anything that snow queen tried to offer me.
Stephen J. Alexander
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, The Sun and her Flowers by Rupi Kaur and I'd love to hear about a good fantasy book if anyone has any idea...What with having been locked down for the last 2 months, I've taken a huge interest in post apocalyptic TV dramas no matter how daft...ranging from Last Man on Earth through to The 100.
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