Today, I am talking to Colin R. Parsons, writer of children's stories and sweeping fantasy. It was great to find another author living and working so close to home. Since discovering Colin and the amazing event he organises every year (and we all know how hard it is to organise anything in the literary world), I've not only found a future outlet for my own works in the future but a whole nest of local writers I had no idea existed. So, I would like to start by saying thank you to Colin for all his hard work and his vision that looks beyond the narrow confines of the valleys.
Let’s start by telling us,
in twenty words, or less, what your book’s about.
Valusha has been taken
over by Jenta-Lor. He’s banished all wizards. The quest is to find Obsidian and
restore balance.
What was it that led you
to write in the genre(s)?
I write in many genres.
Mythical fantasy is just one of the many paths I take. This particular book was
bubbling away in the back of my mind. I started my writing career with a
children’s book about wizards and so fifteen years later I went back to my
roots. This time I made a story that was a bit more modern.
Are your books character
led or plot led, or both?
I would say both. The
plots and the characters intertwine like any adventure should. Sometimes the
plot sways one way and takes on a life of its own. Great characters are born
and they tell me where they want to go.
What is your favourite
part of the writing process?
My favourite part is
creating something from a spark of an idea. It has to thrill and excite me, but
also pull at all the other emotions from within.
What is your least
favourite part of the writing process?
There are two. Editing,
yuck. And fight scenes. Editing is laborious but necessary. Putting together
the choreography for a battle scene is way too difficult. Doing the
Choreography for a one-to-one sequence is even worse.
I am one of those weird people who actually likes editing. I'm with you on the fight scenes though.
Where do you get your
inspiration for your characters?
Easy-Peasy… absolutely
anywhere and everywhere. Friends, family and strangers.
Tell us a little about the
characters in your book and their story. You can use more than twenty words
this time.
There are many and I don’t
want to give too much away.
Red is a young boy who has a secret even he doesn’t
know about. He wants to learn, but is a pain in the bum to the older characters
in the story.
Rhidian is an engineer who is self-obsessed with his work, until
he realises what he’s lost and wants to mend his ways.
Rebus is a wizard with
only one goal in mind and he doesn’t care how he gets it.
If you could have one wish
what would it be?
World peace and hoping
everyone has a healthy life is too easy. I wish that I don’t lose my
creativity.
What's your deepest fear?
Being buried alive! Having
that thing that you’re clinically dead, but you’re alive and can’t do anything
to stop it.
(Noooo not that. Anything but that!!!! This is my deepest fear too)
If I came to dinner what
would you feed me?
My speciality – sausage
and chips. Sorry if you are a veggie.
Nope, not a veggie and I love sausage and chips. Maybe it's a valleys thing.
Which of your characters
would you like to be sharing the dinner table with us?
Killian Spooks from my
book Ghosted. He’s a supernatural and loves beer and pub food. He’d make great
conversation and I would listen for hours.
Tell us in the character’s
own words, what he/she would have to say about you.
Let me see. ‘You’re a
great writer but you could have given me a girlfriend dude.’
Yours are a lot more polite than mine.
What would they say (again
in their own words) about themselves, and their story that will make us want to
read about it?
‘I never thought I’d work
alongside kids, that’s not my thing. But once I trained them up to fight
against the enemies that awaited in the land of the dead – that gave me so much
self belief.’
Which other fictional
character(s) would you like to be present at the dinner party?
Ebenezer Scrooge. Skulduggery
Pleasant. George Wells (Inventor of the Time Machine - HG Wells). China Sorrows
(Skulduggery Pleasant books). Gollum. Crasmont (wizard from my book Wizards’
Kingdom).
I would definitely want to come to that dinner party.
What other authors would
you say have either influenced your writing or you would like to emulate?
Definitely, Neil Gaiman –
The Graveyard Book was totally inspirational. Kenneth Oppel is an amazing
author and influenced my writing for Wizards’ Exile. Philip Pullman for his
vision.
Which character from
literature, would you most like to have invented?
Ebenezer Scrooge.
What do you prefer
writing. A one off novel, a series or short stories?
I love writing novels, but
short stories take on a life of their own and you can finish and just go on to
the next one.
What kind of books do you
read (if you have time to read)?
Mostly children’s and teen
fantasy fiction. Sometimes a biography.
Where do you see yourself
personally and professionally in 5 years time?
I would like to see myself
still writing and cutting a career as a Youtuber.
Do you have any other
projects in the offing we should look out for?
I’ve a book of short
stories coming out in 2020. I’m editing a manuscript for a publisher as I write
this. I have a half-done manuscript which a publisher is interested in.
Where can we find you?
Deep in the heart of one
of my books! And my website:
If you are anywhere near the Rhondda Valleys this coming weekend, then come and visit the book fair. I won't be there all day but I'll be popping in and there are plenty more exciting things going on.
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