Chissick Chat, part twenty-nine, with Paul Trembling
Welcome to the 29th edition of the Chissick Chat Blog! I never thought we'd get this far, but we have, and with a bit of luck, we'll break the big 4-0 soon.
So today, I'd like to welcome the wonderful author, Paul Trembling to my blog. Without further ado, please can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself and your books?
Hi Elaine. I’m Paul Trembling (don’t ask me where the name comes from, I suspect my ancestors suffered from the cold). I’m 60 and I’ve had a pretty varied life – at various times I’ve been a seaman, a missionary, a janitor, an administrator and a CSI, to name a few – but I’ve always been a story maker. And a writer, of course, but the stories began before I could write!
I write in a lot of genres, and currently have books and short stories out in crime, fantasy and SF. I also do an occasional blog, a few poems and a lot of book reviews.
Plus, I enjoy photography, I walk the dog, I’m active in the local Methodist Church, and I even find time to work! I’m married to Annie, and we have three boys, though only the youngest is still at home. (We kick him out next year when he goes to Uni).
What, or who, inspires you?
That could open up a huge discussion about what inspiration is and what we mean by it! But, to keep it down to a reasonable length, perhaps I should just talk about what sparks off the stories in my head.
Not that that’s an easy one to answer. Items on the news, words overheard by chance, seagulls, a baby crawling in the grass – they can all start off a train of thought that might lead to a poem or a story or a novel. Or the idea can just self-germinate in my imagination, and really don’t know where it originated.
Other writers have influenced me, of course. Not so much in terms of specific story ideas but in showing me styles, methods, new ways of looking at things in general and writing in particular. C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien have been particularly strong influences, but there are many others.
For example, just last night I was at an event where Gavin Chait was speaking. If you haven’t come across the name before, he’s a new and very talented SF writer. I was very impressed by the way he uses ‘stories’ in his ‘story’, and by his whole understanding of the power of story in cultures. I wouldn’t be surprised if that finds its way into my writing at some point.
Do you enjoy reading the same genre as the one you write in?
Yes. I read a lot of crime, fantasy and SF, but I also like to read outside of those genres. I particularly like history and historical fiction, though I doubt if I’ll ever write any of it – too much research required!
For me it’s important to keep reading widely, but also to read critically. I enjoy reading of course, but I also learn from it. I write reviews of nearly everything I read, which helps me pick out the good and bad points.
Has any of your research taken you to an unusual place?
Well, I’ve been all over the internet! I don’t do much in the way of travelling for research, but I do draw a lot on my own past experiences. My years of globetrotting with the Royal Navy and as a missionary, for example, and (less colourful, but just as useful in terms of story material) my years being a husband and father.
The fifteen years I worked as a CSI are, of course, particularly useful for crime stories, and that took me to some unusual places. Working in the same room as a decaying corpse, or sifting through the rubble of a burned out house – some people would consider that unusual! But of course, at the time it was just part of the job.
What are you working on at the moment?
My latest novel, ‘Local Artist’ is due for publication this autumn – I’m just waiting on the final proofs. I’ve already started work on a sequel, ‘Local Legend’. In addition, I’m at about 70,000 words with a fantasy novel, ‘The Hidden Libraries’ - sequel to ‘The Empress’s Lover’. And I’ve got a short story on the go as well. So, pretty busy!
‘Local Artists’ was published this autumn by Lion Hudson and is out now on Kindle and paperback.
PERFECTING THE ART OF MURDER
Discovering a body would be traumatic for anyone, but it's worse for Sandra Deeson - because it's not the first time it's happened to her. Dark events stir up darker memories. Then she finds a painting and begins to realise that the two deaths, thirty years apart, are somehow linked.
Finding the first body had cost her dearly. Finding the second one might cost her her life.
(NB - for anyone who has read 'Local Poet' - 'Local Artist' is not a direct sequel. Thought set in the same (fictional) town and featuring many of the same characters, this is a separate story).
Out now from Lion Hudson as a paperback or on Kindle.
Amazon UK link - http://mytitles.net/paul-trembling-local-artist-pb?uid=2748
(Not yet available on the USA site, unfortunately).
What are your future writing plans?
If I ever get the current projects finished, I’ve got plenty of other things waiting for my attention. I’m hoping to keep going with the ‘Local’ series – I already have ideas for the next two. I have collection of SF short stories that I’d like to get into order and publish. I want to do some more crime short stories – there’s a character, Ben Drummond, who’s just so much fun to write! I want to re-visit the characters in my ‘Dragon Slayer’ fantasy series, and I have a work of High Fantasy that I wrote in longhand many years ago and which I’d like to put on the PC. After that…
Never mind. If I exhaust all my current ideas, I’ll be about 150 and ready to retire.
Is there anything you don’t like about writing/being an author?
The frustration! You want to write, but something else has priority. You find time to write, but the words won’t come. You start writing, and something interrupts. You make progress, and realise that the plot is as fragile as a wet paper bag, and you have to take out some of your favourite passages. You get finished, and have to wait for someone else to edit it or review it or publish it… You get a review and somebody clearly hasn’t understood the main point.
Apart from that, no, nothing.
Quick Fire Questions …
Tea or coffee? Coffee mostly, but sometimes only a good cup of tea hits the spot.
Sweet snack or savoury snack? Either, or preferably both. Except at the moment, neither. Dieting.
Real book or ebook? Either. For me it’s the story, not the format.
Cinema or DVD? Cinema for an occasional treat, Netflix most evenings.
Cat or dog? Dog. Though we’ve been through cat, rabbit and several chickens.
Weepie or action movie? Action. I’m too sensitive for weepies.
And to Finish, What is your favourite …
Food? No strong preference, I have eclectic tastes.
Drink? Nothing stronger than a fruit cider. And not on an empty stomach. (Lightweight).
Movie? Can I give you my top five? Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (Yes, I know that’s six films, but it’s all one story!), Bugsy Malone, Flash, 12 Angry Men, Young Frankenstein.
Book? Far too many possibilities, even for a top five. But if you twist my arm, I’d vote for ‘Mordant’s Need’ by Stephen Donaldson.
Colour? Blue
Saying/Proverb? ‘To love another person is to see the face of God’ (Victor Hugo).
Song? No strong preferences.
Pudding/dessert? Anything with chocolate! But of course, not while I’m on a diet. So fruit and low-fat yoghurt.
Thanks for joining me today, good luck with the new release, and I don't think I know anyone who doesn't like Bugsy Malone, personally, I love it!
