Webchat with Jack Reacher author, Lee Child: Wednesday 16 November, 9-10pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Jack Reacher fans will be thrilled to hear that author Lee Child will be joining us for a webchat on Wednesday (16 November) evening between 9 and 10pm.

Lee penned his first novel (Killing Floor) at the age of 40 after his career at Granada Television came to an end. Since then Jack Reacher has become a global phenomena with 21 books published and two films with Tom Cruise taking the leading role. This month the latest film Never Go Back, is on general release and the 21st book, Night School, has just been published.

Come and chat to Lee and ask him all your burning questions on Wednesday (16 November) between 9 and 10pm. Everyone who joins will be entered into a draw to win a SIGNED copy of Jack Reacher: Night School.

What's the book with Reacher and Brennan?

When you realised Tom cruise was taking the role of jack reacher on a scale of 1-10 how disappointed where you, that the casting team had clearly never read the bloody book or even the description of jack reacher?

Hi Lee, my father put me onto your books as good 'escape' reads. They certainly are. Thank you!

I like the way your female characters are strong and determined. Where do you draw your inspiration for these characters? Are they women you've met or your idea of what a strong woman should be?

With an already long running (and fantastic!) series of books, do you have a future view on Jack, his future and next plots? How far in advance do you look or is it book by book?

Do you / did you get any influence on which books would be used for the movies? What book/s would you make into a movie if the choice was entirely yours?

Another recent fan here- I'm listening to Persuader at the moment and can see it as a fantastic film- action/regret/ interesting characters and locations. I love how nerdy Reacher is about the guns.

I can't help wondering how he entertains himself when not getting into scrapes- how do you imagine Reacher on a prosaic day?

I am a big fan of the Jack Reacher books and would like to ask Lee how he decided on the name of the hero himself, and how he decides on the names of the other characters in his books, as their names all seem to "fit" their characters so remarkably well.

Best name of all being Jack Reacher of course...

Is Reacher based on anyone in particular?

I'm not entirely sure that Reacher has prosaic days, Furby.

I remember when I was 17 and lived on my own for the first time. I used to watch The Equaliser with Edward Woodward because it made me feel safe (first time living alone) to think that there was someone who was keeping the streets safe (I know, I know ). Now I'm 50 I feel the same about Jack Reacher, like he's out there, looking out for me.

Also, I LOVE the way you write with really short sentences. It means I never lose track of what's going on. I also noticed you'd stopped writing that he buys his clothes in goodwill as realistically the chance of him getting 6ft5 length trousers in the arse end of the boondocks is slim.

Looking forward to reading the new book and hope dh buys it for me himself this christmas

^ obv that makes me sound weird, I'm not. Honestly

I absolutely love your books, and have read them all. When I moved house last year and had to massively downsize my book collection my Lee Child collection was the only one to survive the cull unscathed!

I too am interested in the strong female characters in your books, as well as the technical detail that makes the first ?5-6 books so interesting IMO. I notice that has reduced a little over the last few books - is there a reason for this? I quite like Reacher's propensity for maths and logic.

I'm on call tomorrow evening and desperately hoping I don't get called out so I can follow this webchat!!

Tom Cruise is too short to be Reacher in my opinion.

Have you based Reacher around someone you know or is he a complete fabrication?

I adore your books. I love Jack Reacher although at times he's pretty grumpy.

How many hours/days a week do you spend writing? (and when you take a break, do you have black coffee like Jack? And what biscuit do you like with it?)

I've read two of your books while recovering from my surgery and I'm hoping to get Night School as a Christmas Present from you

My teenage son and I share the same taste in reading and we both look forward to the next Jack Reacher. We often make up plot lines not that they're a tiny bit predicable.
I can't imagine there is any financial need for you to produce a new book every year, so what makes you keep writing? Please don't stop!!

Long time fan of the Reacher books. Thank you so much for writing them.

My questions are pretty similar to everyone else:
Did you base Reacher on anyone in particular?
Do you spend a lot of time traveling around the US now to gather research on the small towns Reacher tends to find himself in?
Who would you have picked to play Reacher in the films if you had the choice of anyone?
Which of the books would you like to see made into a film?
Do you know how you want Reacher's story to end?

Me and dh do that too leonard . We make parodies up - keeps us amused for hours. Like sending Jack Reacher to Aldi for a bottle of Toro Loco. "Reacher approached the building slowly. The automatic doors opened just like he anticipated. There were people inside, wandering aimlessly about - mostly women and some of them were fine-looking. His senses were on red alert, he could see unexpected things, workbenches, rattan birds, pouffes. This place was hostile, he could feel it. Ignoring the sensory overload he focussed on his mission....."

Are you planning to set your novels in all 50 US states? You seem to be covering the map pretty comprehensively.

Dull one, sorry: I haven't read all your novels yet, but my favourite so far is The Enemy. Do you have a favourite?

I'm hoplessly addicted to your novels - damn you, but also thank you!

I also wanted to say thank you for many hours of reading pleasure.

Might you set another one in the UK?

And might we one day find out more about people he has met previously- I love Neagleys reappearances, but there are loads of other fab minor characters that would be so good to see again.

Thank you again!

Tanaqui - I'd like to see Jodie Garber again briefly!

I see your point cosy but I think furby's question is a great one even if in fact his timeline is stuffed with action. Does Reacher himself anticipate that there will be prosaic days? How would he see them?

That's true.

One of the things I love about Reacher is his lack of domestic responsibility and entanglement. He never has to take a child to an appointment or send a birthday card. DH says that I read your work as a kind of ' no domestic duties porn'.
Do you think that Reacher's pared down life is part of his appeal to your female readership?

Place marking while I think of a good question...

DH and I are big fans of Jack Reacher. DH often considers what Jack Reacher would do when we're faced with a problem.

How much planning do you do when writing a new novel? Do you set up a plot in your head or work more spontaneously?