Ask the Author: Peter Macinnis
Answered Questions (9)
Peter Macinnis
Ankh-Morpork, where I would seek out C. M. O. T. Dibbler and try a rat on a stick.
Peter Macinnis
My WINTER list includes Robert Whyte and Greg Anderson's 'A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia', out next month, and as I get ready to write one of my last handful of books ('Not Your Usual Rocks'), there will be a lot of geology:
Ivar B. Ramberg et al., 'The Making of a Land: Geology of Norway';
Ari Trausti Gudmundsson, 'Living Earth: Outline of the geology of Iceland';
Roger Osborne, 'The Floating Egg';
Jan Zalasiewicz, 'The Planet in a Pebble';
Marcia Bjornerud, 'Reading the Rocks';
Charles Lyell, 'The Principles of Geology';
C. A, Süssmich, 'An Introduction to Geology of New South Wales';
Griffith Taylor, 'Sydneyside Scenery';
Martin J. S. Rudwick, 'The Great Devonian Controversy', and
a couple of metres more of shelf.
For relaxation, Scandinavian crime: that and the first two rock books reflect where I was, this time last year.
Ivar B. Ramberg et al., 'The Making of a Land: Geology of Norway';
Ari Trausti Gudmundsson, 'Living Earth: Outline of the geology of Iceland';
Roger Osborne, 'The Floating Egg';
Jan Zalasiewicz, 'The Planet in a Pebble';
Marcia Bjornerud, 'Reading the Rocks';
Charles Lyell, 'The Principles of Geology';
C. A, Süssmich, 'An Introduction to Geology of New South Wales';
Griffith Taylor, 'Sydneyside Scenery';
Martin J. S. Rudwick, 'The Great Devonian Controversy', and
a couple of metres more of shelf.
For relaxation, Scandinavian crime: that and the first two rock books reflect where I was, this time last year.
Peter Macinnis
Keep all the bits. Make good notes that show sources. One day, that will pay off.
Peter Macinnis
My most recent book that is in production, 'Australian Backyard Earth Scientist' was a commission. Mind you, I think the publisher knew I have been working on a book for adults, called 'Not Your Usual Rocks', and i got the ideas on that from chasing rocks all over the world.
Peter Macinnis
As mentioned in another answer, I am working on about a dozen titles, but 'Sheep May safely Craze' has just gone out the door. I don't know if HTML will work here, but I will try this: https://www.facebook.com/Sheep-May-Sa...
Peter Macinnis
I get to work in bare feet.
I had an idiot boss once, who complained when he found me fixing computers on a Saturday afternoon. This entailed going in under desks, and the air con wasn't on, so I was in shorts and a t-shirt with bare feet, and he spoke harsh words. I don't like using harsh words, so I just told him mildly that as I was in my own time, I would dress appropriately to the task. Now, I am the boss, and I have given me approval in writing to work with bare feet.
I had an idiot boss once, who complained when he found me fixing computers on a Saturday afternoon. This entailed going in under desks, and the air con wasn't on, so I was in shorts and a t-shirt with bare feet, and he spoke harsh words. I don't like using harsh words, so I just told him mildly that as I was in my own time, I would dress appropriately to the task. Now, I am the boss, and I have given me approval in writing to work with bare feet.
Peter Macinnis
In times gone by, I would have been diagnosed as high-performing ADHD, I suspect. I have a number of projects going at one time, and I just move to the next. Like a discarded Sudoku, when I return, the way forward is clear. Right now, as I approach advanced middle age, I am trying to get about a dozen titles out the door.
Peter Macinnis
Alice Liddell and Eric Blair, who are the lead characters in 'Sheep that Parse in the Night' (currently being pitched). They are mine, and it is time to 'fess up. Alice Liddell will be known to all fans of Lewis Carroll as the original Alice, while Eric Blair is the name that George Orwell was born with. There are a number of pointers to this in the book, but you need to be on your toes.
Peter Macinnis
My best answer to this comes from the start of a book that is currently in page-proof:
"Some of the books I write happen because somebody asked me to write them. Those are always fun, but my favourite books are the ones that begin as an itch of curiosity which becomes a temporary obsession that erupts into an essay which later balloons out into a whole book."
I would say that on balance, more than 80% of my books come from temporary obsessions — but the other 20% are the most successful. If I wanted just to make money, I would eschew self-indulgence, and just do as I am told. Fat chance!
"Some of the books I write happen because somebody asked me to write them. Those are always fun, but my favourite books are the ones that begin as an itch of curiosity which becomes a temporary obsession that erupts into an essay which later balloons out into a whole book."
I would say that on balance, more than 80% of my books come from temporary obsessions — but the other 20% are the most successful. If I wanted just to make money, I would eschew self-indulgence, and just do as I am told. Fat chance!
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