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Revision as of 17:14, 17 December 2010
, 17:14, 17 December 2010moved The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Philip Theadneedle to The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Philip Threadneedle
Also another grown-up, Chloë - who checked my penultimate draft for errors and was really nice about it - and Rachel, who was the first actual young person to read it. I was very nervous about letting her have it, but she tore through it in two sittings and gave me some really good feedback, so high five for Rachel.
* '''BB: ''The Astronaut's Apprentice'' is a hoot of a jaunt. Where did you get your inspiration?'''
* '''BB: What made you want to be an author?'''
PT: I think it was probably the [[The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis|Narnia books ]] that set me off. When I was very small, I told my classmates I was writing a book about a magical land called Vortongo. I think I wrote a few sentences and drew a unicorn. I dare say I had a pop at doing the map that would go inside the front cover.
Then another boy casually informed us that he was writing a book about a magical land called Borvongo. I was incandescant with rage, but there was nothing I could do, because I couldn't prove that he was copying. That's a really old memory, so I guess I've wanted to write for as long as I can remember.
There were a couple of things that motivated me to write The Astronaut's Apprentice and do something with it, but I'm afraid they're very mundane. I started writing it because I had a hangover and wanted to cheer myself up. I eventually dusted it off and did something with it because I wanted to impress a girl, and I thought it might help if I had my own book out.
* '''BB: Which books inspired you as a child and are there any you think every child should read? Do you still have copies of your childhood books?'''
PT: I do have copies of my childhood books, and I often re-read them. I love the ''Little Vampire '' books by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg. The beginning of the first one partly inspired Grandpa's appearance at the window. I think the series is still going strong in German, and not all of the books were translated into English, so I have a new year's resolution to order the lot and work through them as I learn a second language.
I also rate [[The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis|Narnia]], [[The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien|The Hobbit]], [[The Worst Witchto the Rescue by Jill Murphy|The Worst Witch]], and [[:Category:Roald Dahl|Roald Dahl]]. Every child should get stuck into those. I think the biggest influences on The Astronaut's Apprentice were probably [[George's Marvellous Medicineby Roald Dahl|George's Marvellous Medicine]], ''Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator'', and ''The Little Vampire''.
I actually got back into children's books when I caught the first Harry Potter film on TV. I was so excited by the plot and characters that I nicked my little sister's Chamber of Secrets to see what happened next. The next time I was in Waterstones, I checked out the children's section and couldn't believe how many fun-looking books there were. I've never looked back.
* '''BB: What are you reading now and what do you think of it?'''
PT: I've just got stuck into [[:Category:Eoin Colfer|Artemis Fowl ]] and I think it's cracking.
* '''BB: Where and how do you work?'''
PT: I usually write in bed. During the recent cold spell I wrote some words in a tent that I put up in the living room, because my heating broke and it seemed like the best way to keep warm.
* '''BB: If you weren't an author, what would you do for the day job?'''
* '''BB: What's next for Philip Threadneedle?'''
PT: I'm working on a new adventure for Bradley and Grandpa called ''City of Meteors''. I'm about to spend Christmas up north with my family so might try to write some of it during the day. Or, I might just veg out and watch the telly instead. Happy Christmas, Bookbag!
* '''BB: Oh that's gret news! We'll keep an eye out for it. Thanks so much for the fascinating responses and we hope that you have a great Christmas.'''
