Astrosaurs author Steve Cole was unfortunately unable to come to Christchurch last week for the launch of the Christchurch Kids Blog. Luckily, I still got the chance to have a chat with Steve and I asked him about his books, writing, Doctor Who, and jamming with his band.
How do you keep track of the different series that you write?
“It’s a bit like going around and spending time at a friend’s house. I like to enjoy the different worlds, whether it’s Trashland with The Slime Squad, deep space with the Astrosaurs or Farmer Barmer’s farm with the Cows in Action. It’s quite good to find yourself back there and I enjoy playing with those characters. It’s always a bit scary inventing a new scene – the Slime Squad took about 3 goes to get it right. The websites that fans create also help me to keep track of the characters and what is happening.”
Why did you want to be a writer?
“You get to make things up and people give you money for it. When I was little I would make things up and get into trouble, but now I get rewarded. It’s really good fun to be able to use your imagination and create characters, places, monsters, baddies and adventures.”
What’s the best thing and the worst thing about being a writer?
“The best thing is that you don’t have to get dressed in the morning, and you can work whenever you choose. The worst thing is that it can be pretty lonely, just you and your computer or pad of paper, scribbling away frantically. That’s why I really enjoy going to festivals and schools so I can meet the children I’m writing for.”
You’ve written some of the Doctor Who book as well as your books for children. Who is your favourite Doctor?
“I really like the new one (Matt Smith) and I didn’t think that anybody could beat David Tennant. My all-time favourite is probably Tom Baker because he’s the one I grew up with.”
What were your favourite books when you were a kid?
“Doctor Who books, Spiderman comics, Peanuts cartoons, Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl.”
You’ve written books for all ages. What’s your favourite age to write for?
“It’s nice being able to vary it. My favourite though is the younger fiction series like Astrosaurs, Cows in Action and Slime Squad. You have a free reign with your imagination and you can take the kids on a wild ride to a completely bizarre place against completely bizarre baddies.”
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
“Grow a very thick skin and ask for criticism. Listening to criticism can help you to write better. Also, write as much as possible – the more you do, the better you get.”
What do you do when you’re not writing?
“I like to visit other places and talk about my books. My hobby is making music and I’m in a pop/rock band.”
What person from the past would you most like to meet?
“If I had a Cows in Action style time machine I would go back with a video recorder and tape all the old Doctor Who stories from the 1960s. The BBC got rid of a lot of those so they’ll never be seen again. It annoys me that I can’t watch all those old stories. I’d bring them back and we could all watch them.”
Interviews, book reviews and prizes on the Christchurch Kids Blog « Christchurch City Libraries Blog said,
September 13, 2010 @ 3:27 pm
[...] Steve Cole, the author of Astrosaurs, Cows in Action and Slime Squad was one of the authors who was going to join us for the blog launch, but he was unable to make it. Luckily, I still got the chance to ask Steve some questions about his books, Doctor Who, and what he does when he’s not writing. [...]
Writing Tip of the Week – Steve Cole « Christchurch Kids Blog said,
September 17, 2010 @ 9:22 am
[...] can read our interview with Steve Cole here on the blog. Also, check out Steve’s website for more information about his books, [...]