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The Writers Write Interview – John Connolly 2
Writers Write creates writing resources, shares writing tips, and interviews authors. In this post, we share another one of our interviews with John Connolly.
John Connolly is an Irish writer who was born 31 May 1968. He is best known for his series of novels starring private detective Charlie Parker. We first interviewed John Connolly in October 2006 (Read the interview here)
This is our second interview with the author.
The Writers Write ‘Essentially’ Interview With John Connolly
The Author? John Connolly
His Birthday? 31 May 1968
The Venue? African Pride Hotel, Melrose Arch, Johannesburg
The Date? 2 August 2012
The Book? The Wrath of Angels
The Interviewer? Ulrike Hill
Essentially
- If love were a colour, what colour would it be? Blue
- What is the colour of anger? Reddish-black
- What is the colour of money? Green
- What is the colour of beauty? Yellow
- What is the colour of desire? Red
- If your life were a city, what city would it be? Prague
- What is the number you associate with reading? 7
- What was your day job before you became a writer? I was a journalist
- What is the number you associate with writing? 1000
- What is your favourite number? 7
Writing Sense
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Writing sounds like rain falling on the roof.
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Writing looks like words – not overcomplicated.
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Writing tastes like bitter lemon.
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Writing smells like burnt paper.
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Writing feels like sand.
Wrath of Angels
- If The Wrath of Angels were a country, it would be Maine Woods.
- It would look like trees on fire.
- It would sound like a whisper.
- It would taste like mint.
- It would smell like Cedar.
- It would feel like moss.
- Where would it shop? It wood not shop. (Pun intended)
- If your hero, Charlie Parker, were an animal, which animal would he be? A mongrel.
- If your antagonist were an animal which animal would he be? A spider.
More Q & A
- What is your favourite meal? Chilli. I love cooking.
- What are you reading? Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey.
- Where do you live? Dublin.
- Why do you live there? My roots are there (notice the pun).
- How has living there affected your writing? I now write stories not set in Dublin.
- What is your favourite quality about yourself? Stubbornness.
- What is your least favourite quality about yourself? Insularity.
- Do you have a favourite quote? ‘Nobody not even the rain has such small hands.’ ~ee cummings
- What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? To be able to support myself through quality developed’.
The Books
How did you come up with the titles of your books?
Sometimes the titles are there when I start writing but sometimes a title will come to me through the writing of a book.
Who designed the covers?
Artists like Rob Rhine. I come up with the concept. I conceptualised the wings and angels of The Wrath of Angels cover.
Why did you choose to write this particular book?
I had to. If I don’t write then the books will go away. I began with the kernel of an idea about planes going down.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Capturing the sense of the woods. I am not an outdoors person so I had to do research with the help of a guide to understand the woods.
What are your writing now?
I am in the middle of rewriting a Sci-Fi novel about a teenage girl. This book is taking me out of my comfort zone. I didn’t understand teenage girls when I was a teenager and still don’t.
The Final Few Questions
Mini-Bucket List?
Write more books
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I suspect I will be sitting in a room with George Clooney.
When you stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have?
The books I have written were the best at the time.
Which is your favourite of the books you’ve written?
The Book of Lost Things
Posted on: 20th August 2012
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