MICHAEL WHYATT BROOKES
Michael Whatt Brookes
Books
MICHAEL WHYATT BROOKES
The author has been an RAF officer, the Deputy Director of a regional local government body, and co-partner in a company offering management development and leadership training.
He has lived in England, France, Cyprus and Nigeria and has generally travelled widely. Past interests have included mountaineering, flying, gliding, skiing and motorcycling. Now he writes, paints, learns Italian, improves his French and keeps fit in a local gym and swimming pool.
Q. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO NEW AUTHORS THAT YOU WISHED YOU HAD RECEIVED YOURSELF WHEN YOU STARTED?
A.
- You need to spend as much time on marketing as writing
- First, prepare a plan, but not too detailed.
Q. DO YOU VIEW YOUR WRITING AS A KIND OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE?
A. Writing is a creative process involving imagination, attitudes, feelings, knowledge, and a good deal of work. I’m not sure I would call any of that spiritual.
Q. WHEN YOU READ YOUR BOOK REVIEWS HOW DO YOU HANDLE THE BAD ONES?
A. Honestly, not great, but you can’t have good without the bad and it makes me try that much harder even though, and to quote the Borg in Star Trek, ‘resistance is futile,’ because you will never make everyone happy.
Q. HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU DO GET A GOOD REVIEW?
A. I’m pleased that I’ve given someone some pleasure.
Q. HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDER WRITING UNDER A PSEUDONYM?
A. No.
Q. ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE EACH BOOK STAND ON ITS OWN OR ARE YOU TRYING TO BUILD A BODY OF WORK WITH CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EACH BOOK?
A. My three novels to date are all independent but I am considering sequels to two of them.
Q. DO YOU WRITE EVERY DAY? HOW MANY HOURS A DAY DO YOU WRITE?
A. No. I’m currently having a complete break from writing, using the time to concentrate on marketing and more reading.
Q. HOW MUCH OF YOUR PERSONAL LIFE DO YOU INCORPORATE INTO YOUR WRITING OR DO YOU MAKE UP EVERYTHING?
A. I tend to rely fairly heavily on previous experience because I believe it sounds more authentic. Nevertheless, I do a good amount of research and checking of facts.
Q. HOW DO YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR READERS? DO YOU OFFER THEM A FREE BOOK? DO YOU OFFER THEM A NEWSLETTER?
A. I’m new to publicity and now trying to get up to speed. I have been giving away some free books.
Q. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE AUTHOR? CAN YOU TELL US WHY? EVERYTHING?
A. No but there are many I enjoy, including Dickens, Wilbur Smith, Tolstoy, Graham Greene, Hemingway, and Austen. I like a good plot and strong characterisation.
Q. HOW LONG DO YOU RESEARCH BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR NEXT BOOK?
A. It depends on how much knowledge I already have. However, I prefer to over-research than to do enough.
Q. WHAT ARE THE ETHICS OF WRITING ABOUT HISTORICAL FIGURES?
A. I’ve never written about historical figures but I feel strongly that that every effort should be made to portray them accurately and honestly
Q. WOULD YOU GO BACK AND REWRITE ANY OF YOUR BOOKS? WHY?
A. Not so far, except to correct typographical errors or factual mistakes
Q. IF YOU COULD GIVE UP ONE THING TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
A. I’m retired and don’t feel the need to give up anything but I do try constantly to improve my writing.
Q. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. ARE YOU MARRIED? HAVE CHILDREN/GRANDCHILDREN? IS THERE A SPECIAL DOG/CAT/BIRD IN YOUR LIFE?
A. Married twice. Five children, of whom one was adopted. Five grandchildren.
Q. DO YOU HAVE A DAY JOB OR ARE YOU A FULL-TIME WRITER?
A. I’m retired and I am not a full-time writer
Q. ANY HOBBIES? DO THEY HELP YOU IN YOUR WRITING?
A. My hobbies are writing, reading, learning Italian, improving my French, painting and keeping fit. Previous hobbies included mountaineering, motorcycling, flying, gliding and skiing. These latter hobbies are particularly useful for my writing.
A. DID YOU JUST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER OR DID YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE THAT MADE YOU WANT TO START WRITING?
A. My first degree was in English and I did at that time think about writing. Instead, I joined the RAF and didn’t have the time, although I did buy a typewriter in Cyprus when I was posted there with every intention of writing a novel. I finally started writing fiction once I retired. I did write countless business reports during my career.
Q. WHAT IS CURRENTLY LACKING IN OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION TODAY IN YOUR COUNTRY?
A. Discipline and a sound knowledge of history, arithmetic/maths, grammar.
Q. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK?
A. Treasure Island
Q. HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLES FOR YOUR BOOKS?
A. The first one was suggested by a publisher and it was a mistake. The others seemed to suggest themselves.
Q. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP THREE FAVORITE TYPES OF MUSIC? DO THEY HELP YOU WITH YOUR WRITING?
A.
- Classical – Beethoven, Debussy, Greig.
- Older popular music, such as jazz and swing, of the 40s and 50s.
- Some music of the 60s.
Q. WHAT DOES YOUR WRITING SPACE LOOK LIKE?
A. A cramped office in a converted bedroom
Q. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART FOR YOU WHEN IT COMES TO WRITING?
A. Finding the time among my other interests and not leaving my partner too long on her own.
Q. WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK ABOUT YOUR WRITING?
A. Some are enthusiastic and some seem indifferent
Q. IF YOU COULD PICK ONE OF YOUR BOOKS TO BECOME A MOVIE BLOCKBUSTER, WHICH BOOK WOULD THAT BE AND WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY THE CHARACTERS?
A. My last novel, ‘A Final Fling’, which is a comedy. Unfortunately, most of the good comic actors are dead and today’s ‘woke’ culture kills off much humour
Q. WHEN WRITING DO YOU TRY TO GIVE YOUR READERS WHAT THEY WANT OR DO YOU GO FOR ORIGINALITY?
A. I prefer to write what I find interesting and then find an appropriate readership. I think I could write to please others if I had to do it for a living but it wouldn’t be as much fun
Q. AS A WRITER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE AS YOUR MASCOT/AVATAR/SPIRIT ANIMAL? WHY?
A. An eagle. It’s bold, majestic, mobile, has excellent vision and it can sweep across the horizon or dive like a thunderbolt.
Q. HOW DO YOU MARKET YOUR BOOKS? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY? WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE WAY?
A. I don’t know. This is the area I’m just getting into.
Q. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN AUTHOR OR A WRITER FIRST? WHY?
A. Perhaps I’m in transit. I’ve been a writer of sorts all my life in a range of appointments. I’ve been an author only since retirement.
Q. WHO DO YOU TRUST TO GIVE YOU OBJECTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OF YOUR WRITING?
A. A friend and two daughters
Q. HOW LONG, ON AVERAGE, DOES IT TAKE YOU TO WRITE A BOOK?
A. Perhaps a year, on and off
Q. DO YOU OUTLINE YOUR BOOK BEFORE WRITING IT OR DO YOU JUST PLOT ALONG AND HOPE FOR THE BEST?
A. I prepare a plan. Initially my planning was too detailed. Now I think I’ve found the correct level of detail, accepting that a novel can take a life of its own once you get underway.
Q. WHEN YOU WRITE YOUR BOOK DO YOU WRITE FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF YOUR YOUTH, MIDDLE AGE OR GOLDEN YEARS IN MIND?
A. All.
Q. HAVE YOU PUBLISHED IN A TRADITIONAL WAY, OR SELF-PUBLISHED OR BOTH? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS METHOD?
A. I self-published initially but sought professional help thereafter.
Q. DOES WRITING EXHAUST YOU OR ENERGIZE YOU? HOW?
A. I enjoy it and don’t find it exhausting
Q. WHAT WAS THE FIRST BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY?
A. I’ve yet to find one. An upbring in Manchester, wartime and post-war, plus a first career in the military, was not conducive to crying.
Q. DO YOU HAVE OTHER WRITERS THAT HAVE HELPED YOU ALONG YOUR WAY? HOW?
A. No.
Q. WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR FIRST BOOK ADVANCE MONEY?
A. I’ve never had one.
Q. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND SELF-PUBLISHING TO NEW AUTHORS? WHY?
A. I would recommend assisted self-publishing, e.g. Publishing Push.
Q. WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING YOU HAVE FOUND WHEN WRITING CHARACTERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
A. Nothing in particular, although that doesn’t mean I have nothing to learn.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON PROFANITY IN BOOKS TODAY? IS IT OK TO USE? WHY?
A. It should be used very sparingly, if at all. An isolated use in particularly stressful situations might be appropriate and could be used to effect. More than that and it loses its impact and becomes simply moronic
Q. ARE YOUR CHARACTERS ‘REAL’ OR DO THEY COME OUT OF YOUR IMAGINATION OR DO YOU BASE THEM ON SOMEONE YOU KNOW?
A. I do use my imagination but I often create composite characters from bits of people I’ve known. I don’t think I’ve ever done a straight lift.
Q. WHEN DID YOU START WRITING?
A. I wrote a short play for a family gathering when I was about eight or nine.
Q. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BOOK.
A.
James Winchester. An episodic novel covering 50 years in the life of the eponymous character – a pilot, adventurer and romantic
Corruption. A detective novel involving murder, kidnapping and corruption in a local government setting,
A Final Fling. A group of retired English villagers make a coach tour of France, visiting many famous places and most of the main wine regions. They argue, discuss, fall in love and often behave quite inappropriately for people of their age. It’s a comedy.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR WRITING KRYPTONITE?
A. Finding the time to write.
Q. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE YOUR CHARACTERS?
A. They seem to choose themselves
Q. WHAT DID YOU EDIT OUT OF YOUR LATEST NOVEL? A SCENE? A CHARACTER? A SUBPLOT? WHY?
A. Typographical errors only
Q. AN AUTHOR'S PATH IS NEVER EASY. WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?
A. I enjoy writing.
Q. DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING RITUALS YOU DO BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER YOU WRITE?
A. No.
Q. 52. DO YOU CONNECT WITH YOUR CHARACTERS? THAT IS, DO YOURSELF IN THE CHARACTER OR SOME OF YOUR TRAITS?
A. Sometimes.
Q. ARE THERE SPECIAL WAYS YOU LIKE TO GET RID OF YOUR VILLANS? POISON, GUN? PISTOL?
A. No.
