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Oct142010
All Hallows Eve: ‘Where Stories Are Made’ with "Spooks" author, Joseph Delaney
by Carolyn • Posted in Uncategorized
‘Where Stories Are Made‘ is a new feature here at Book Chick City. It’s where the author takes us on a tour of their writing place, be it an office, coffee shop or park and tells us about their writing day and rituals.
My guest today is young adult author Joseph Delaney…
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My stories are made inside my head; the place where I write has now become irrelevant. Once I always wrote on a desk-top computer in my study, which was my son’s bedroom before he left home. I would get up at 6 am and write for an hour before I went to work. I felt comfortable there. It has a desk, posters on the walls, two filing cabinets and lots and lots of my favourite books.
But in recent years I have travelled a lot, particularly to New Zealand spending months there at a time. For that purpose I bought a laptop and quickly realised that I was capable of writing anywhere.
On a sunny day (we don’t get many of those in Lancashire) I go into the garden and write with pen and paper typing my words into the computer afterwards. But I’ll say it again – the stories are made inside my head. By that I mean that I do most of my ‘writing’ without the use of computer, pen or paper. The plot and character ideas come when I am doing something else: watching TV, walking or just relaxing. As a result when I sit down to write most of the work has already been done and is stored inside my head; on a good day it’s just a matter of recording it.
Music can affect my moods and become inspirational. So can watching a film. Even a special time such as Halloween can bring dark ideas bubbling to the surface of my mind like thumb-bones in a witch’s cauldron. The important thing is to jot down those ideas lest they are forgotten. That’s why I always use notebooks. They are by my side when I settle down to write. My aim is to produce about a thousand words a day. Occasionally it goes well and my output is completed in a few hours. Other days it is more difficult and I pace up and down revising my ideas.
Yes, my stories are made inside my head but some days that is not the best place to be. But I am an optimistic person. A bad day today means a good day tomorrow!
I usually celebrate Halloween in a bookshop, library or school! As I write dark fantasy I am often asked to give talks and sign at that time. I would love to celebrate Halloween in a haunted house – maybe one day I’ll get the chance.
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Make sure you stop by later today when I will be giving away the entire set of the ‘Spooks’ series!!
The Spooks Bestiary: Out Now
You can find out more about this feature HERE
If you’re an author and would like to be featured on ‘Where Stories Are Made‘ please email me: HERE
**Next time on ‘Where Stories Are Made’: David Wellington**
View Shedule Page for full author listing!
37 Comments
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
We have had enough rain here to feel like we know what British weather is like.
Good luck with Spooks.
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Great new feature idea
Thanks, from a miserable Yorkshire!
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Thanks for an interesting post – particularly the part where you mention writing some of your books longhand!
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Great post. I usually forget all my ideas which I'm sure would've been the next big thing lol. Do you get writer's block and how do you resolve it if you do?
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I think that's cool/interesting that your ideas come when you are doing other things. I love hearing how inspiration hits the individual author.
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I'd love to spend Halloween in a haunted house as well. Perfect.
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This was really interesting to read, thank you!
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Joseph must be a great person to see on Halloween. I wish he was appearing at a book shop near me. I have read the first four Spook books and have loved them. They are superb for this time of year. I am so pleased to know I have a few more to read in the series.
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Brilliant post! I agree, I would love to celebrate Halloween in a haunted house, but unfortunately have never had the chance. Maybe next year…
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Spending halloween in a bookshop sounds just about perfect. Great post!
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"Even a special time such as Halloween can bring dark ideas bubbling to the surface of my mind like thumb-bones in a witch’s cauldron."
Fabulous feature!
xx,
E.J.
From the Shadows
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I've family in Lancashire and every time they come South they bring the rain with them! Love the Spooks books, keep going!
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I think Halloween in a haunted house would be awesome. Maybe someday!! Thanks for the great post, I enjoyed reading it!!
rosie0512 @ hotmail . com
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I enjoyed the post. I think a lot more authors are taking their laptops and writing wherever they want to these days. I guess it's nice to have the freedom to go anywhere and still get the words out of your head.
Celebrating Halloween in a haunted house sounds grand, hope you get the chance.
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I love that you don't have to force your ideas onto paper that they just form in your head when you are doing other things!
What first inspired you to write?
thanks, from a cold, cloudy, miserable day in Staffordshire!
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Thanks for the post. It's great that you can form your ideas in your head without writing them down right away. I forget things pretty easily if I don't write them down. I haven't read your books, but they sound great and I'd love to give them a try.
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I love this feature… it really gives insight into the author's creative process… I started out writing books in longhand when I was a kid, maybe there's hope for me yet…
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Love the books can`t wait for the return of Grimalkin!
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Great post, Joseph.
Let's hope one day you WILL get to spend Halloween in a haunted house, with that environment and your imagination, it'll draw inspiration for you to perhaps create the ultimate dark fantasy book.
All the best,
Rob.
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Great post. Rainy days can be inspirational to some heh.
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Thanks for the comp.
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Fab post!
Really looking forward to starting this series soon, the books look awesome!
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Interesting reading how you 'write', i.e. most of your writing is done in your head beforehand. Is this a skill that you have developed over time and have you ever forgotten a brilliant story?
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The sun always shines on Suffolk.
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Thank you for the very interesting insight into your method of writing.
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Wow. Celebrating at bookshop? That is totally cool.
p/s: i love the hand!
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Cool
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I think New Zealand would be a great place to write. It is so beautiful.
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I'd probably die of a heart attack in a haunted house! I'm not as brave as Tom… but then again I'm not the seventh son of a seventh son…
Cherry Mischievous
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I write inside my head as well, the difference being when I come to write it down its gone.
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I love to write inside my head as well, the difference being I forget if I go to write it down.
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Great to hear how someone writes their books. They look great.
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Really interesting article
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A fascinating insight into how you get your ideas onto paper. I'm not sure what's rattling around in my head would make much sense!
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I'd love to have the skill to be able to visualise what I was going to write in my head!
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Love your books, I live in the Highlands of Scotland and would love to find a haunted house to spend the night in.
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THANKS FOR THE GREAT COMP
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