Francis Wait answers Twenty Questions.



Francis Wait

Francis is author of The Survivalists – Getting There which is being launched on Friday 6th September. You can find this book on www.franciswait.com/ Francis has already had two of his intriguing short stories published as one of nine authors calling themselves ‘The We’re Not Dead Yet Writers’ in the much praised ‘Twists in the Tales’ (available on Amazon or through http://www.fantasyadventurebooks.com/).

1 When did you first start writing? I always wanted to write from an early age, and started when I was twenty but my writing was all in longhand and I wasn’t very successful.
 

2 How did you come to write your first book? I purchased a computer in 1995 and ideas I that had been floating around in my head suddenly became possible to get down on paper easily and quickly along with editing and changing the story line.

3 What’s the best thing about being an author? I like the power I have over the story line, if someone I speak to gives me another insight into a character I might change it to make the tale better, or I can do it myself if I wish.

4 And what’s the worst? The worst has to be editing, especially quotation marks. I had to take lessons on how to place them with the correct stops or commas.

5 Which was your favourite book as a child? I have no special book that was my favourite, but I liked the Biggles books when I was a child.

6 What do writers groups offer? Writers groups offer so much to budding writers with gentle criticism or praise it help them. Although I have both face book and twitter, I don’t tend to use them much.

7 Tell us about you working experience I have had several jobs, I worked as a storeman in an off licence, a re-upholsterer, I worked as a plasterer for most of my life and latterly as a builder. I was in the army in the 60’s for two years on National Service. I worked in Belgium for ten years and at that time I worked in France and Holland. In between I did several professions too numerous to mention. I did anything to bring money into my house to support my family.

8 Have you ever had an embarrassing moment?  Yes, many times. Probably the worst was when I was 17 and got caught in a garden shed with a girl, by her father.

9 What do writers need most? Experience; nothing can replace that. I use many of my life’s experiences in my books.

10 What are you reading at the moment? Books by an author called William Stuart Long, although I suspect he is probably a woman.

11 Who is your writing hero? My writing hero is Wilbur Smith, I think his books are the best read that I have ever had.

12 What did you want to be when you were twelve? When I was twelve I wanted to be a tennis star. I was quite proficient at it, but at that time it was quite a snobby pastime and I came from the wrong side of the tracks. Also there was no money in it as it was all amateur.

13 What is your proudest achievement? I gave up smoking about 25 years ago. I was on about 40 a day then. I bought my first brand new van with the money I saved.

14 What would you like to see happen in the future? There are too many to list here. My top desires would be to see immigration stopped, and make all immigrants pay for two years into the NHS before qualifying for free medical treatment. I’d like golden pensions to civil servants to cease. I’d ban all foreign aid to despots who buy 747’s to travel in and siphon off the money into private bank accounts.

15 What are your fondest memories? My fondest memories are going to my uncle’s farm for the summer holidays; I helped gather the harvest on hay wagons, milked cows and worked all summer. There is no greater pleasure than going down to the hen house in the morning and bringing back eggs for breakfast.

16 What do you think of other writers and authors? I like other authors and writers because they have a great deal of expertise in their chosen profession. I like their imagination and dedication in what is probably one of the poorest paid pastimes to have, yet they rarely give up.

17 Tell us about your hobbies away from writing. I live in sheltered housing where I organise entertainment for the other residents. I also try in my daily life to help as many people as I can.

18 Where do you hope to be when you’re 70? LOL. I’m 74 now. I want to be a really successful writer ASAP although time goes on.

19 What was your dream holiday? My dream holiday was a month in Australia marred by the fact that I was prosecuted for importing fruit into the country. Full story is in my book with changed characters.

20 What superpower would you like to have? I would like to have the superpower to change the world to make it a better place, but that would require too many different powers so it would be impossible.