Live Event with Darren Humphries - 23rd of March 2012 at 7.30 pm

[Darren]

In case you're wondering, the real unGolgafrincham cocked up answer to life, the universe and everything is, in fact, 43

[Lorraine]

Here's a basic one, but we still want to know... When did you start writing?

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

'wickedly dark fantasy tale' - sounds like you all right! Thanks.

[Darren]

Ignite wrote: "I think you have almost created your own genre of fantasy adventure with the U.N.D.E.A.D. series. You're really getting into your stride. Have you any idea how many of these you can come up with?"

The series is currently laid out at five which will take me to the end of the cycle, but that doesn't mean that there won't be more stories to tell with those characters.

[Sadie]

I know it's a lame, probably been asked a million times question, but I am always genuinely curious about what inspired certain stories. Do any of them have a memorable birth in your mind?

[Darren]

Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Here's a basic one, but we still want to know... When did you start writing?"

When I was about six I entered a national schools writing contest with a story about a pirate. I was one of the runners up and got a nice parker pen for my efforts. I’ve been writing ever since.

[Kath]

Has he gone? Is it something I said?

[Darren]

Sadie wrote: "I know it's a lame, probably been asked a million times question, but I am always genuinely curious about what inspired certain stories. Do any of them have a memorable birth in your mind?"

Stories come from anywhere and everywhere.

TO INFINITY (and maybe that’s far enough) owes a great debt to the TV show SERENITY it turns out (I figured that when I rewatched it just recently, though I wasn’t aware of it at the time).

NEW YORK CITY LEGEND came entirely from the cover image of a book I saw in a shop window. I liked the image and wondered how that would come about.

STORMWRECK was an attempt to do something darker and use the landscape that I had been living in at the time

[Lorraine]

Wow well done ! Are there any "awards" or close to awards in your name?

[Darren]

Ignite wrote: "Has he gone? Is it something I said?"

I need time to type. Mavis Beacon may have taught me to touch type, but I'm only up to seven words per minute.

[Kath]

We were on a new page - keep up Ignite!

[Lorraine]

Darren wrote: "I'm only up to seven words per minute."

How long would it take you to write a book then?

[[deleted user]]

Ouch - got here a bit late and there are already over 60 posts! Darren must be working hard!!

:0)

[Lorraine]

Ignite wrote: "We were on a new page - keep up Ignite!"

Lol I got caught too !

[Simon (Highwayman)]

Ignite, click 'date' just above the top post and you will always see the latest post first

[Katy]

Just want to let you know I'm here and I'm reading eagerly! Will post a question if I can come up with something good.. (:

[Darren]

Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Wow well done ! Are there any "awards" or close to awards in your name?"

Absolutely not. I was long-listed for one of the SFX short story collections, but didn't make the cut.

The Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. - The Curious Case Of The Kidnapped Chemist was written as an entry into the Terry Pratchett competition, but when I reread the rules I realised that I had rather outstepped what they were looking for.

I'm not saying I would have won had I not and since the series is going so well for me I really don't mind.

[Kath]

I confuse easily!

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Karen (Kew) wrote: "Ouch - got here a bit late and there are already over 60 posts! Darren must be working hard!!

:0)"

I think he's taking swigs of whiskey between each question!

[Lorraine]

Hi Karen, it's ok, we've had a long introduction, the questions are only starting now, let us know if you have any of your own... we're talking about Darren the writer and the reader at the moment

[Darren]

Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Darren wrote: "I'm only up to seven words per minute."

How long would it take you to write a book then?"

How long is a piece of prose? The quickest first draft I ever did was the first MAN FROM UNDEAD book which was written in time to submit to a competition. That took about two months. There were then six to eight months of rewrites, edits and tweaking.

A new book takes about a year from first word down to finally putting it on the site. Of course, I had a whole back catalogue I could just dump on Amazon and Smashwords right at the start.

[Kath]

You don't want to be another Terry Pratchett - you want to be THE Darren Humphries!

[Lorraine]

Darren wrote: "Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Wow well done ! Are there any "awards" or close to awards in your name?"

Absolutely not. I was long-listed for one of the SFX short story collect..."

Would you still consider entering competitions now ?

[Darren]

Ignite wrote: "You don't want to be another Terry Pratchett - you want to be THE Darren Humphries!"

Terry Pratchett is officially one of the greatest gods in my personal firmament.

[Lorraine]

Ignite wrote: "You don't want to be another Terry Pratchett - you want to be THE Darren Humphries!"

Yay !

[Patti (baconater)]

With everything else happening in your life, where do you find time in the day to write? Or do you just never sleep?

[Kath]

Oh I worship at T P's feet too. Doesn't mean that I don't think you're successful as yourself.

[Sadie]

Darren wrote:

Terry Pratchett is officially one of the greatest gods in my personal firmament."

Amen!

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Patti (Perky Pineapple) wrote: "With everything else happening in your life, where do you find time in the day to write? Or do you just never sleep?"

I was wondering that too!

[Darren]

Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Darren wrote: "Would you still consider entering competitions now ?"

Writing to order is pretty hard and I wouldn't necessarily go after a competition unless I had an idea that really worked for me.

Every year I do the NaNoWriMo challenge of writing a draft in a month. I am usually working on something at the time and it gives me a spur to put down the WEST WING box sets and do some writing instead.

[Darren]

Patti (Perky Pineapple) wrote: "With everything else happening in your life, where do you find time in the day to write? Or do you just never sleep?"

I write at night when the kids are in bed and the housework has been done.

[Katy]

Who has been your biggest supporter? (:

[Lorraine]

Darren wrote: "Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Darren wrote: "Would you still consider entering competitions now ?"

Writing to order is pretty hard and I wouldn't necessarily go after a compet..."

Cool ! I remember you mentioning the NaNoWriMo back along... what draft were you working on then, are we allowed to know?

[Darren]

Ignite wrote: "Oh I worship at T P's feet too. Doesn't mean that I don't think you're successful as yourself."

I couldn't even begin to try and be Terry Pratchett. I just write the stories that I have to tell and that I would like to read.

[Kath]

Thinks. NaNoWriMo is November? Must get the next Gallimaufrey organised BEFORE that this year!

[Darren]

Lorraine - Spoiler code in the first post wrote: "Cool ! I remember you mentioning the NaNoWriMo back along... what draft were you working on then, are we allowed to know? "

Man from U.N.D.E.A.D 3 - Do Dragons Dream of Burning Sheep. It's scheduled to come out in May if I can get the formatting bugs sorted out by then.

[Kath]

Katy wrote: "Who has been your biggest supporter? (:"

Y-fronts?

[D.M. Andrews (author)]

If someone has never read any of your books before, which one would you suggest they read first?

[Darren]

Katy wrote: "Who has been your biggest supporter? (:"

My biggest supporter was my wife. Now I have a holy triumvirate of Ignite, Gingerlily and Patti who are triple-handedly bullying me into being a more confident writer.

[[deleted user]]

Darren wrote: " Man from U.N.D.E.A.D 3 - Do Dragons Dream of Burning Sheep. It's scheduled to come out in May if I can get the formatting bugs sorted out by then. "

What a great title! I love it!

:0)

[Katy]

Ignite wrote: "Katy wrote: "Who has been your biggest supporter? (:"

Y-fronts?"

Made me spit out my tea!

[Darren]

Ignite wrote: "Thinks. NaNoWriMo is November? Must get the next Gallimaufrey organised BEFORE that this year!"

I've got a couple of new stories in my back pocket that you might be interested in.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Karen (Kew) wrote: "Darren wrote: " Man from U.N.D.E.A.D 3 - Do Dragons Dream of Burning Sheep. It's scheduled to come out in May if I can get the formatting bugs sorted out by then. "

What a great title! I love it!
..."

The book is awesome!! The series gets better with every book!

[Kath]

Darren wrote: "Ignite wrote: "Thinks. NaNoWriMo is November? Must get the next Gallimaufrey organised BEFORE that this year!"

I've got a couple of new stories in my back pocket that you might be interested in."

Oh yes please! Meet me behind the bikes sheds afterwards.

[Maureen (Mews)]

*waves at Darren* Just got here, had to bath Daniel first.

[Darren]

D.M. Andrews wrote: "If someone has never read any of your books before, which one would you suggest they read first?"

For the best idea of what I mainly write I would suggest The Great Rock N Roll Doomsday Tour or To Infinity or The Man From U.N.D.E.A.D. - The Curious Case Of The Kidnapped Chemist.

Stormwreck is well away from my normal style.

[Kath]

Hi Mews! *waves*

[Lorraine]

Gingerlily (or Cyberlily..) wrote: "The book is awesome!! The series gets better with every book! "

Ooooh sounds exciting ! If anyone wants to check the Man from UNDEAD books, here are the links :)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Man-From-...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Man-From-...

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

I'm here too! (my mum phoned!)

[Patti (baconater)]

*roots around in Darren's back pocket*

Ewwwwww. Crusty tissue. Oh you meant that figuratively, eh?