Writer's Forum: Tell us about Writers you have met

[AussieSim]

My DH has completely different taste in books to me. He likes fairly predictable writers often favoured by men (hope I don't offend anyone by saying so), like: John Grisham, Michael Crichton, Robert Ludlum, Matthew Reilly, Nelson DeMille and Jeffery Deaver. Mind you I am just so very happy that he is a reader at all, after most of the men in my life previously weren't that way inclined.

Just before his birthday in 2001 I read a notice in the paper that Jeffery Deaver was doing a book tour promoting The Stone Monkey, and was going to a local public library just up the road from my office in North Sydney. So along I went to get DH a signed copy. The room was full of the regular patrons of the library (lots of grey power in evidence), and I took a seat next to what looked like a uni student. After a brief introduction Deaver read a passage from his book and chatted about the research he had undertaken to write it (it is in the area of smuggling people from China to USA). Then it was Q&A which took an ugly turn when one lady started commenting on how Michael Connelly's recent books hadn't been so good. JD was v polite and said he wouldn't comment etc. I asked him about his writing process - whether he just sat down and went for it or whether he outlined etc. He gave quite a detailed answer which was very insightful. He talked about how he regards writing as his job and he likes to behave very professionally, meeting deadlines, having good communication with his publisher etc. He does very detailed outlines that get meatier and meatier. He has a goal to write a book every 2 years and every 2nd book is a Lincoln Rhyme Thriller (you know like Bone Collector with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie). It was a very intersting way to spend an hour or so. If you want to find out more about Jeffery Deaver and his books, here is a link .

I am really looking forward to going to more things like this when I get back to Australia. I had wanted to go to the Frankfurt Book Fair while I was here in Germany, but I think I have missed my chance.

Your Turn.

I was just about to write that I have never met any authors, but then I remembered that I went to a talk by Starhawk. She is a Californian witch who has authored several books about Paganism and a novel that I once read.

She did not talk at all about how she wrote her books. In fact, I was not that impressed with her compared to the enjoyment I had gained from her books.

I have been thinking alot about writing after posting the little ditties that I thought up the other day. It really does seem more approachable if you do outlines like you suggested AussieSim; and what you have mentioned about Jeffery Deaver and his methods for writing (I have never heard of him before).

Tell me what happens at the Frankfurt Book Fair?

I have not met any authors, but the ones i'd love to meet are: Elizabeth Knox (The Vintner's Luck - my favourite book ever, and Billie's Kiss), the author of Fugitive Pieces (I can't remember her name), A L Kennedy and Ian Banks. There are lots of others but these are the ones I'd really like to quiz about their work.

Frankfurt Book Fair (from their website )

From 6 - 10 October 2004, Frankfurt will once again be the venue for the world's largest trade fair for books, multimedia and communications. The Arabic World will be the new Guest of Honour.

Everyone who is anyone in the industry will be there: authors and publishers, booksellers and librarians, art dealers and illustrators, agents and journalists, information brokers and readers.

Not only is the Frankfurt Book Fair the meeting point for the business, it is also the world's largest marketplace for trading in publishing rights and licenses.

I used to work in a bookshop that organised regular literary lunches and so have met a few. Hilary Mantel stood out as I was reading everything she had written at the time and she had just written 'A place of greater safety' about the French revolution which I loved. Also Margaret Atwood - another favourite. Now I would love to meet AS Byatt - I have just read the four(?) books about Frederica Potter and love her all-round braininess...would love to talk to her about them.

Cosmopolitan magazine used to hold a book day once a year where authors would hold discussions, be interviewed or talk about and read from their work. Usually the day consisted of 20 or so authors taking part and all were available for signings. I went to this three or four times and began my collection of signed books, which I've since added to by attending signings in bookshops.

Among the authors I've met at these events, my favourites were Ben Elton, Lynda la Plante, Spike Milligan, Stephen Fry, Andrew Morton, John Cleese, Michael Bywater and Germaine Greer.

The two authors I admire the most and would love to meet are Helen Dunmore and Marge Piercy.

Sorry to barge in, but although this wasn't exactly a meeting, it was very interesting. I was on a train from Oxford to London a good few years ago (mid-eighties), and there was an elderly couple sitting across the aisle from me; the man was in animated conversation with a middle-aged man sitting opposite me. They were discussing the theatre, and it was really, really interesting. At one point the elderly man said "If we had had the equivalent of the National Theatre in the US I'm sure I would have got The Crucible staged much earlier than I did". I looked across, agog, and sure enough it was Arthur Miller. The woman with him was Inge Morath. They arranged to see the other man and the National Theatre the next day, and were clearly going to see Racing Demon, which I had tickets for later that week. Years later I saw a photo of David Hare and realised that he was the man opposite me, who Arthur Miller was talking to.

The most riveting train journey of my life (Naturally, all I could think was "What was Marilyn really like?", but luckily I stopped myself.)

I used to work with Christopher Awdry of 'Thomas' fame. I won't comment on his personality in case of lible.

Jimmychoos, I would love to hear more about Margart Atwood.

Amazing experience Tamum ...

I'm not sure it counts as 'meeting' as such but I did once bump into Ben Elton - quite literally! The poor man was appearing at City Hall in Newcastle and had stepped outside the stage door for a breather. I was in a hurry to get the bus home because it was getting dark and accidentally bumped into him. I was mortified! All I can really say about him was that he was a lot smaller than he appears to be on TV. Sorry, not very exciting...

I went to a talk given by Nikki Gemmell the other day here in Sydney. She lives in London, although she is an Aussie, and she has two toddler boys. I got her book The Bride Stripped Bare signed, and I told her about Mumsnet and she wrote down the address. Her talk was very open and honest. She was very 'real' and giving when answering questions. I have now finshed The Bride Stripped Bare as well as her first novel Shiver, which I just loved and I have bought her second novel Cleave.