The Writers Write Interview – Kate Sidley

Writers Write creates writing resources, shares writing tips, and interviews authors. In this post, we share our interview with Kate Sidley.

The Writers Write Interview With Kate Sidley

Essentially: Kate Sidley
Her Birthday? 8 January
The Venue? The Private Dining Room, Ten Bompas Road, Dunkeld Johannesburg
The Date? 9 October 2012
The Book? The Agony Chef
The Interviewer? Amanda Patterson

Kate Sidley writes a weekly book column for The Sunday Times. Previously a magazine editor, she now freelances for many magazines and newspapers. The Agony Chef  is her first book.

A good meal and laughter solve most problems. ~Kate Sidley 

Essentially
If love were a colour, what colour would it be? Red
What is the colour of anger? Red
What is the colour of money? Grey
What is the colour of beauty? Blue
What is the colour of desire? Purple
If your life were a city, what city would it be? San Francisco
What is the number you associate with reading? 1 – it’s a solitary thing
What is the number you associate with your day job? – 7 (deadlines)
What is the number you associate with writing? 3
What is your favourite number? 8
 
Writing Sense
Writing sounds like clattering
Writing looks like a tunnel, very focused
Writing tastes like coffee
Writing smells like the earthiness of a garden
Writing feels like canvas

Delilah is your protagonist…
If Delilah were a country, she would be the UK
Where would she shop? Foodie Delis and Lingerie Boutiques
She would look like an almond tart
She would sound like clinking glasses and laughter
She would taste like buttery cinnamon toast
She would smell like homely cooking
She would feel like the textures of her cooking – the right one for the right moment

If Delilah were an animal, which animal would she be?
A Persian cat. 

What is your favourite meal?
Fresh Sea Food, Al Fresco.

What are you reading?
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson.

Where do you live?
Parkview.

Why do you live there?
It’s a nice neighbourhood.

How has living there affected your writing?
I live in a road full of creative people. It feels like a ‘real’ place.

What is your favourite quality about yourself?
I’m funny.

What is your least favourite quality about yourself?
I’m anxious.

Do you have a favourite quote?
Many. But here’s a rather good writing-related one, courtesy of Sylvia Plath “Let me live, love and say it well in good sentences.”

Why is it your favourite?
It pretty much covers the important things. And it’s a good sentence.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?
Balancing a creative life with a practical one. It’s a privilege to have this multi-dimensional life.  

The book 



How did you come up with the titles of your book?
I brainstormed it with a friend, Georgina Geddes.

Who designed the cover? 
Kevin Shenton.

Why did you choose to write this particular book? 
I created Delilah as a character in a novel, but she took over and I found myself writing a book about an agony aunt who cooks.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Writing humour can be very exposing.

Mini-Bucket List?
I hope to one day see the aurora borealis, the Galapagos Islands and my grandchildren. Not necessarily at the same time.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Having written a novel.

When you stop writing, and look back on your life, what thoughts would you like to have?
That I touched people. That I made them laugh, think, feel.

Click on this link for more photographs from the dinner

Interviewer: Amanda Patterson

If you want to read more of our interviews, click here

Posted on: 11th October 2012
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