If I could pick just one writer to have tea with, it'd be Sir Terry Pratchett. I'm a big fan of his - especially of the Discworld novels.
There's something about his alternative universe that never fails to grab me - whether it's the humour, the larger-than-life characters, the poignancy of certain scenes, or the reinterpretation of modern life into something a little more medieval and magical which remains utterly believable. In fact, it's Sir Terry's ability to take the everyday and twist it that inspired my own story, Follow the Yellow Sick Toad; it was a deliberate attempt at 'Pratchettesque'. (If ever you read it, you'll have to let me know whether I succeeded; it's definitely not in Sir Terry's league, but I do know it raised a few laughs from some readers.)
Over a cup of Earl Grey and a toasted crumpet or two, I'd ask Sir Terry where he finds inspiration for his characters, and once they're born, how on earth does he keep track of them all? Could Ankh-Morpork host a Discworld Olympics to rival London 2012? Will Nanny Ogg make another fortune from her cookbook? And could Lord Vetinari ever be outwitted?
But that's me and Sir Terry - if you could have tea with any writer, living or dead, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Can I have a fictional character and meet Vimes or Granny Weatherwax? I don't care they aren't writers.
ReplyDeleteIf you absolutely insist it be a writer, then...I don't know. I thought of Neil Gaiman (as Sir Terry will be having tea with you and it is rude to crash a tea-party), then Tolkien, G.R.R.Martin, Wyndham, Simon Armitage, Dianna Wynne-Jones, Iain M Banks...
The problem I have is that the worlds and characters they create are so special that I almost don't want to hear their take on it. I am rather in love with my own interpretation.
Meeting them to talk about life and writing in general would bring up the issue that I am not sure I would actually speak so much as stare with a gormless expression. Ideally, I would run into them at the tea-shop and we would fall into conversation. Choosing to meet seems like too much pressure!
Shell, you can gatecrash my tea party! And as for fictional characters - so long as it's not Foul Ole Ron, any Pratchett character would be a hit. So long as we had banananana bread for the librarian!
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