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An Interview With David Robinson

Tell us a bit about yourself. What would you like us to know about you?

I live on the edge of the moors above Manchester, in NW England. It’s a beautiful part of the world, with the city 11 miles to the west and a wilderness a mile to the east. I’m twice married, and I live with my wife and a crackpot West Highland White called Max. I suffer from osteoarthritis, which has hit my knees quite badly, and my only defence against the pain is a wicked, often cynical sense of humour. I’m politically incorrect to the nth degree, loud and outspoken, overweight, I smoke too much and don’t drink enough.

I have four children from my first marriage, all grown up, all calling me dad even though there’s never been a paternity test to prove it, and I have several grandchildren spread about the UK. As well as my writing efforts, I hold down a full time job, and like most Brits I’m underpaid and overworked.

What are you doing now? (Career? Married? Single? Children? Pets?)

A former trucker, about 12 years ago, I retrained as an adult education teacher, but the stress almost killed me, so I returned to the industry I knew best, transport.

Until recently I looked after the factory yard, where I was responsible for general, exterior maintenance of 60 tractor units and 300 trailers, as well as dealing with chemical deliveries (diesel fuel, additives, cleaning materials etc.) My knee problems meant I could no longer get about, so they moved me back onto the road where I now drive articulated trucks up and down the motorways of Great Britain. In my spare time, I write and write and write, always ensuring I meet my personal target of 1,000 words per day.

What is your favourite food?

Pork Pies and brown ale. To be savoured correctly, a pork pie should not be served with anything other than beer at room temperature.

What is your favourite colour?

Green. I don’t know why because I’m not particularly environmentally conscious, but there it is.

What is your favourite sound?

Classical guitar. I find the sounds of Rodrigo, Villa-Lobos et al, soothing and as background ambience when I’m writing, it allows me to concentrate on the words.

Who is your favourite person?

My wife. Over the last 30 years, she’s put up with everything from me, including the temper tantrums, the ill health, all the usual highs and lows, and she never complains (well she does, but I take no notice) and she has never stopped working.

What is your favourite place?

Brixham, Devon. A small resort/fishing port, I find it quaint and peaceful, and I love the slower pace of life there.

What is your favourite memory?

In 1966, I was in the back of my father’s car, coming across the North Yorkshire moors, close to the old Fylingdales Early Warning Station and I was listening to Dusty Springfield singing Goin’ Back. The solitary wilderness and Dusty’s superb interpretation of Carole King’s lyrics place it top of my memories.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

The fisherman’s friend. It’s a waistcoat type thing full of pockets, and when I’m on the move, I need all those pockets.

What is your favourite word?

I couldn’t print my favourite word here, because it’s a four-letter expletive, which you will never find in my Spookies tales.

My second favourite word is “why”. All writers should be constantly asking themselves this question as they churn out the story.

What is your favourite writers' quote and why?

Lord Chesterfield: Sex: pleasure is momentary, the position ridiculous, the expense damnable.

I love this quote, but not because it is linked to sex. It’s because it sums up the attributes of so many human activities. Like the guy who feels it necessary to scream past me at better than 70 mph in a 30mph zone, only to stop at the traffic lights half a mile ahead. What will he do with the two seconds he’s saved? This is just one example, and Chesterfield’s quote could be applied to so many aspects of human activity.

What is your most favourite quality about yourself?

My determination. I never give in. I have to absolutely beaten, crushed, ground into the earth before I will give in.

What is the least favourite quality about yourself?

Laziness. I have those days when I simply cannot be bothered and I turn out my mandatory 1000 words as nothing more than a mechanical process.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

Beijing, but only because I’m watching the Olympics as I deal with this interview. I’ve been round most of the world, and there isn’t much more of it I want to see.

What inspires you to write and why?

I’ve always written. As a 12-year-old, I was writing.

If I knew where the inspiration came from I’d probably bottle it and make a fortune selling it on.

I don’t turn out high-flying, world-changing fiction. I’m not trying to reflect real life. I’m simply trying to entertain and give free rein to my imagination.

What is your favourite book and why?

Office Life by Keith Waterhouse. It’s one of his lesser known novels, first published about 1976. His fine eye for detail picks out the tiniest facets of character which make Man the most bizarre species on the planet, and the underlying plot makes for the biggest conspiracy theory ever and this was at a time when the phrase hadn’t even been invented.

What is your favourite genre and why?

Humour. I check news feeds from all over the world daily, and this is a terrible, dangerous world. I am appalled at the sheer inhumanity of people, even in so-called civilised societies such as ours. We’ve reached a stage where life is cheap and there to be taken on a whim, whether by the actions of an individual or government. The only escape from it is to drop into humour, something that will make me laugh.

List your three favourite authors (any genre) and why?

Tom Sharpe; cynical humour at its best, written in prose that is both readable and intelligent.

Keith Waterhouse. Mr Waterhouse comes from the same area of Leeds , W. Yorks, where I grew up and he was one of my early heroes. I’ve always admired his ability to pull out the most cringworthy aspects of character.

JK Rowling: I read the entire Potter series, and while I don’t believe it was particularly challenging, Ms Rowling demonstrated an ability to develop complex plots that kept us all guessing until the final pages of the final book.

What do you think makes a writer successful?

As well as the basic skills in literacy and storytelling, all writers need a thick skin and determination. You’re going to get a lot of rejection and you need to develop an immunity to it. Without that immunity, without that doggedness that makes you carry on, you’ll never get there.

Whta is it that makes you successful as a writer?

I don’t know that I am successful. I’ve published three novels, but the first two sank without trace in a matter of months, along with the publisher.

As a blogger, I have a small following (and I mean small) as a novelist, I’ve created a few ripples in a tiny pond (most of which is the place where I work) but again it’s all down to a refusal to give in. I never ever give in. I am such stuff as idiots are made of.

What are your goals as a writer?

I want to create a series of novels with the Spookies team, and turn them into bestsellers. I already have five planned and theoretically, it could go on forever.

What is the best tip you can give to fellow writers?

I’ve come across those who say “I want to be a writer” and when you ask how much they’ve written, they use excuses like “well it’s finding the time.” You will never make it as a writer unless you actually write something. Thinking, daydreaming about it won’t make it happen.

When you do write, keep at it. If you believe you have a potential bestseller, don’t be put off. But if you don’t believe in your work, no one else will, so get yourself a proper job.

What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

Entertainment, pure and simple.

If you’re looking for some insight into la condition humaine, read Jean Paul Sartre, not Spookies.

This isn’t faction, it’s fiction. Even the locations don’t exist. It’s not a ghosthunter’s manual, it’s not a discussion on whether or not the Spirit World exists, it is pure escapism.

List your three favourite online writer-resource sites and why (include URLS).

Writelink
www.writelink.co.uk
I’ve been a member (and moderator) for 4 years now. I’ve made a lot of friends and learned a lot from them. The criticism is gentle, but for the beginner, I can’t think of anywhere better.

You Write On
www.youwriteon.com/
Sponsored by the British Arts Council, YWO will help your writing grow. Reviews are done on a one for one basis. You review a piece, you get a credit enabling someone else to review yours. Make it into the monthly top five and you get a critique from an industry professional

The Book Shed
www.bookshed.eu/
Started by writers for writers, time poverty meant I had to pull out of this site, but I learned a lot from them. These are some of the most imaginative and knowledgeable writers I have ever come across. There is an admissions process. If you’re not good enough, you don’t get in, and once you are in, be prepared for stern criticism. You need double insulated thick skin to stand it, but it will help you develop.

If you have published a book, tell us about your publishing success (title, publishing date and company, where it is available to purcahse).

The Haunting of Melmerby Manor was published as an e-book in May 2008 by Virtual Tales (USA). POD paperback is due out late summer, early autumn.

www.virtualtales.com ... Manor.html

How long did it take you to write your book(s)?

The first draft of any book takes about 2-3 months. After that comes the editing, rewriting, polishing, and with Melmerby Manor that took about a year. Once it went to the editor, there were more revisions, and those took a further 4 months. All up, I would guess about 2 years from first typing to publication. It’s a long process, but I hope to get it down to one year in the future.

What would you do differently if you could repeat the same publishing experience?

I would present a better first draft than I did last time. It wouldn’t have taken so long if I’d done a better job of the initial writing.

What have you learned about the publishing world?

It doesn’t matter what you think, it’s what the professionals think. You write a scene, you think it’s the best thing you’ve ever written, but if they pull it to bits, then you know you got it wrong. I also learned that you should take your editor’s advice seriously. These people are professionals, they know what does and doesn’t work.

This is your chance to 'Talk Back' to your readers. What would you like to say to them?

If you enjoyed it, tell your friends, if you didn’t tell me, and tell me why. I’m trying to entertain you, and if I don’t hit the mark, you’re going to be annoyed. I can’t put it right until you tell me what was wrong.

Also, is there anything you’d like to see in a Spookies book? Any setting, any type of character? As for settings, I live in England, so they will always be English, and I don’t do the sword and wand waving magicians, or vampires, or mythical monsters, but almost any kind of setting or character could be engaged in the books.

What's the one thing that you want them to know about your writing?

I’m trying to work on a “show don’t tell” basis, so if you’re looking for what makes the characters tick, it’s in there somewhere.

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