Tanith Davenport's Blog, page 13

What I thought of Santa as a kid

 This topic from Long and Short Reviews was an interesting one.

Like most kids, I believed in Santa for a long time and would hide out in my room all night to avoid seeing him, since I thought if I saw him he would vanish with all my presents. But then something happened which removed all the mystery.

I left him a note.

I had forgotten to ask for a particular present, so I left a note under the tree asking if he had one spare. 

The following morning there was a second note left saying he had run out and to ask him again next year. I wasn't that disappointed (and I ended up getting it for my birthday anyway) but I couldn't help noticing the note was in my dad's handwriting. Funny that.

I'm pretty sure I didn't tell him I'd worked it out for a while, though.

So what did you think of Santa as a kid?

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What sparks my creativity

 As a writer, this topic from Long and Short Reviews was very appropriate, particularly since I'm in discussions for a three-book series at the moment, so needed to be creative at a moment's notice. What does actually spark my creativity?

I've posted previously about how dreams are one thing that I get ideas from all the time. I tend to dream very vividly, and can often come up with full scenes which end up incorporated into stories. My novel Photograph was heavily based on a dream I had about two sisters and their shared dream of escaping into the local theme park, so I will always use dreams as a resource.

Another source is songs. I've often wanted to include a downloadable file with my stories so the reader can play relevant songs for each scene - almost everything I write has its own soundtrack, and often songs will influence the title as well. It's only a shame that I can't actually quote from song lyrics without running up against laws, because I've often wanted to do that as part of a scene.

And finally - films. If I find myself interested in an underused character or plot thread in a film, I may borrow them or it and develop it further in a story, although I'll change character names to avoid getting sued. Films can be a great source of ideas.

So what sparks your creativity?

Paperback, ebook or audio?

 My answer to this topic from Long and Short Reviews has changed considerably over the years.

There was a time when I had a Kindle but never used it, as I preferred paperbacks. I have no idea why. In any event, as soon as I actually started using my Kindle I became addicted to it. Immediate delivery, no need for bookmarks, all the books I need in one place - what's not to like?

That's not to say I don't value any other type of book. I've bought a number of hardbacks recently because they were signed copies, which are always good to have as an autograph collector. And some books still aren't available as ebooks, so paperback is still an option.

As for audio, I've never really got into audiobooks. I bought the audiobook of Doug Naylor's "Last Human" primarily because I had a crush on Craig Charles, who was the narrator - that's about it. That, however, may change soon, as Totally Bound are working on a project to bring their author's novels to audio, so I'm looking forward to mine being in audio form soon.

So which do you prefer - paperback, ebook or audio?

Worst advice I ever received

 This topic from Long and Short Reviews took a bit of time, as initially I was trying to think of writing-based advice and couldn't think of any - other than "You don't want to be writing romance, it's crap!" which obviously I didn't end up listening to.

The advice that kept coming to mind was from my teenage years, when my friends and I went to university. Our parents were full of advice about men and nearly all of it was wrong.

"Don't go to university with a boyfriend. You'll be broken up within six months. " (That friend is now married to him.)

"You were right to stay single. University is for meeting lots of boys." (That friend was engaged within a week of arriving on campus and they're still together.)

And my favourite one was from my dad after I broke up with my ex - I like to think he meant well, but telling a broken-hearted nineteen-year-old "You may as well get used to it, because it will happen again and again for the rest of your life," is not the best way to make her feel better.

If you're wondering, I met my husband two months later and we've been married for fourteen years.

So what's the worst advice you ever received?

Words to live by

 An interesting topic this week from Long and Short Reviews. Which words would I say I lived by?

The first one that came to mind was "variety", closely followed by "experience". I tend to be motivated by experiencing new things - be they new films, new books, new foods or just new experiences in general. It's very easy to get into a rut in life and I think it's important to shake things up and try something new every so often.

I also am motivated by learning new things, regardless of the benefit they'll have on my life in any other way. I'm unlikely to need half the knowledge I have on America, but I carry on reading about it nevertheless.

And let's end on a sweet one - "love". Because we all need that, even if it's not romantic. There's always room for more love in our lives.

So which words do you live by?

Favourite Halloween treats

 This topic from Long and Short Reviews is definitely not for me - I am not a Halloween person. I don't decorate, I don't buy sweets in for kids - in fact every year we go out for dinner so we don't have to pretend to be out. I envy America its rules about the porch light being out meaning no treats here, because here in the UK kids will bang on every door regardless.

And they terrify my cats.

However, as a child I used to go to my best friend's house for a Halloween party, so I do have some experience of Halloween treats. Her parents were very big on apple bobbing, and after we had dunked our faces they would give everyone a freshly-made toffee apple. I didn't care for Halloween even then, but I did love those toffee apples.

So what's your favourite Halloween treat?

Scariest book I've ever read

Despite the fact that I love horror films, I don't often read horror books, so I had to think about this topic from Long and Short Reviews. Somehow the creep factor that I enjoy in a film doesn't seem to carry over into books for me. I don't mind the occasional Stephen King, such as Carrie, but I didn't find it especially scary.

So I ended up choosing The Woman in Black.

The Woman in Black has been adapted into films and a play, both of which are quite a different animal from the book. Certainly the most recent film, while scary, had very little in common with the book apart from the woman and the rocking chair. The book, however, while understated, does have a certain poignance that grips you, making you want a happy ending even though you know there won't be one.

So what's the scariest book you've ever read? 

An odd or useless talent

 This topic from Long and Short Reviews was an easy one for me, as I practise this one a lot, particularly recently.

Many years ago I had the intention of moving to the US and getting my green card. To that end I started memorising state capitals, presidents and so forth as I assumed those were the sorts of things I would be asked. Life happened and I never went, but I also never lost the ability to remember and continue to memorise these facts - most of which are completely useless.

I'm currently reading a book about the vice-presidents of America and have been memorising those. Will I ever need to know who the three VPs for Franklin D. Roosevelt were? Not unless I decide to appear on a quiz show, but hey, I've already been on The Chase, so why not? You may well see me on Pointless or Impossible, hoping against hope that a question about US states or presidents comes up.

So what odd or useless talent do you have?

Required reading in school - yay or nay? And why?

 Growing up in the UK at the time I did, I think I'm at a bit of a disadvantage for this topic from Long and Short Reviews. My school didn't so much have required reading as "this is what you're studying for English lit, like it or lump it." I could live with having to read particular books, but not with the way my school did it.

There is nothing more likely to kick the stuffing out of a good book than being forced to sit in class taking turns to read it out, one paragraph at a time. The number of times I had to sit and listen to the worst reader fumble their way through every word was utterly ridiculous. Why couldn't they just tell us to read it at home? Surely if we didn't bother it would become obvious when we failed the tests?

I can prove this too by "To Kill a Mockingbird". My class didn't do this one (we got "Lord of the Flies" instead) but another class did, and they all utterly hated it. Later on I read the book myself under my own steam and really enjoyed it, probably because I wasn't being made to write essays on why Scout's teacher was a mother figure.

So how do you feel about required reading?