Ask the Author: Irene M. Redpath
Answered Questions (10)
Irene M. Redpath
Why did I start publishing paperback books just before e-readers came into existence and abolished the genus of bookshelves?
Irene M. Redpath
That's a difficult one to answer! I'm not a great fan of travelling at the best of times - I'm a real homebody (and very boring). My own books tend to be situated somewhere I know well or have known at some time, although I don't always describe the place, either geographically or in time. I suppose I might go back to an area where my ancestors had lived in times gone by - I could probably pick up a few clues about the mysteries in our family tree that way!
Irene M. Redpath
My heart in my mouth, I tip-toed from behind the sofa, silently, holding my breath, fearful of making a single sound which might alert him. But as I crept forward into the light, I froze with horror to see that the enormous spider was still there, sitting on my cushion!
Irene M. Redpath
I get on with feeding the cats and doing the laundry. Same as any other day! Sooner or later that idea which had lost its spark and gone cold will wake up again and stretch its arms and grow, just a little. And if it doesn't - keep on living your everyday life. Give your brain a rest. If there's something in there worth the writing, it will come back.
Irene M. Redpath
When you hold the first printed copy of your book in your hands, that is an incredible feeling. But when you get a couple of reviews, and they are glowing . . . it doesn't matter if you never sell another copy! Somebody out there has read your words and enjoyed them, and that feeling is worth a million quid.
Irene M. Redpath
If you just "fancy being a writer" . . . well, give it a try. Put pen to paper, or type on to virtual paper, and see what turns out. But don't expect miracles! Ask a few friends what they think of something which "another friend" has lent to you. If they seem impressed, well, polish it up and try publishing. But if they turn up their noses . . . there are other jobs, and they probably pay better.
Irene M. Redpath
Difficult to say really. I've been writing things all my life, from my first story at the age of four through quite a few decades. It's usually from something that's occurred to me, maybe a story, maybe a character - sometimes a couple of lines of poetry, or even a phrase of music. Often the fragments loiter around inside my head for ages, but one book happened because the first bit intrigued me, and then as I wrote one part down, another would start building, and so I had to keep on with that one. That was "A Day to Go Gently", which I reckon was my quickest book to be written and published.
Irene M. Redpath
The most recent one was not written by me, only edited. It was my late Mum's brief account of her life.
Irene M. Redpath
Memoirs - but only spasmodically.
Irene M. Redpath
None - it's already Autumn!
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