Author interview: ROB DONOVAN

Rob thanks so much for being willing to share something of yourself. I think people will enjoy getting to know you a little better.

Thank you so much for having me.

What made you decide to sit down and start writing? What made you say to yourself "this is what I want to do"?

There are two answers I can give to this. I usually provide an answer which prompted me to write my first published novel. In 2009 my wife was pregnant with our first child and ill. When she gave birth and became seriously ill, I was naturally doing all of the night feeds. During this period, I had read three excellent books, Robert McCammon’s, Speak the Nightbird, Stephen King’s, Wolves of Calla and George RR Martin’s, A Storm of Swords. I thought all were fantastic but all had elements I wished had turned out slightly differently. One night around 3am, a scene popped into my head about a humble man having to visit a witch in a forest at night and beg for his daughter’s life. The scene was so vivid that I ended up writing it down and then every night I added to it until my first novel, Ritual of the Stones took shape.

The other answer goes back all the way to my early years in secondary school. We were asked to do a writing exercise that had a sci-fi/fantasy element. One of my best friends received a mark of 10/10 for his short story and it was read out to the whole school. I received a mark of 8/10 for my story and whilst I was humble enough to appreciate my friend’s prose was far better than mine, I thought his story was incredibly dull in comparison. It ignited something in me to improve my writing style and so I carried on writing as a hobby.

Is there a genre you don't write in that you are a fan of, that you might consider writing in one day? If so, which one?

Crime, definitely Crime. Outside of fantasy it is the genre I read most of. I love John Connolly’s Charlie Parker series with the supernatural elements added to mix, but I am also a big fan of Chris Carter, Harlan Coben, Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter. Also, although it is fashionable to deride James Patterson, I love his easy going, fast-paced style.

I plan on writing in the genre one day soon. I have been toying with an original idea for a number of years now. I have the main character fleshed out in my mind; I am just exploring how I want to turn it into a series.

Who are some of your favourite writers? Either inspirational or just for entertainment?

John Connolly, I have already mentioned. It depends what I am in the mood for. No one writes characters and dialogue like Stephen King, no one does political intrigue like George RR Martin. In the fantasy genre I love Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson is fast becoming a favourite and I loved Nicholas Eames’ first two novels.  Away from fantasy, I like Bernard Cornwell too. Recently I loved Lisa Jewell’s The night she disappeared and Colleen Hoover’s Verity. But my all-time favourite author is Robert McCammon. Swan Song and Boy’s Life are my favourite books and I love the Matthew Corbett series.

We always hear the expression write what you know. How much of you is in your book/s?

I think my humour is definitely included in my novels. I like to see the fun side in every situation and often if I am writing a serious scene, I will include something sarcastic or humorous that occurs to me as I take a step back from the character’s point of view.  In general, I think it is impossible not to have an element of “you” in your writing but it is fun to create characters that have completely opposite views to yours too.

Are there any trends in current Sci-fi and Fantasy you aren't a big fan of? And conversely, trends you are really into.

I am a massive fan of Grimdark as a sub-genre, I love the gritty story, gallows’ humour and morally ambiguous, grey characters, however, I am not too keen on the reaction it has generated amongst some fans. It is almost as if every character now has to be “grey” in order for the novel to be considered a great story. I miss stories when it really is good vs evil. Villains were bad just because they are. They don’t need believable explanations for their actions all the time. Sometimes I just want to read a straightforward story. Sauron had no redeeming features, nor did the Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars yet these are two stories that are hugely popular with cartoonish villains. I miss that.

For any wannabe writers out there what’s the most useful thing you’ve learned?

There is a wealth of information out there which has helped me along the way. The two things that I have learned that have really struck me are 1) a passage from Stephen King’s On Writing where he writes two identical scenes in different genres to illustrate that the story is really about the characters and also when describing the scene such as a character walking into a room you only need to describe the first three things, they might first notice i.e. the dimly lit bar with the barman slumped against it as he stares at a small black and white TV. Or the maroon, ripped cushions in the booth in which the yellow sponge spills through. 2) Other writers are not in competition with you. Everyone really wants you to succeed. The more you sell, the more people read and the more people read the more they are likely to try new books. It is a win/win scenario for everyone involved.    

Are you a plotter or a pantser (make it up as you go)?

I’ve always been a pantser for the first 60% or so of my novel. At that point, I tend to pause and take stock, make sure I am working towards a conclusion and it all ties together. Plotting a novel is great but after a while I find it begins to feel a little like homework used to feel. I much prefer the creative side of things.

Tell us a little bit about your latest project and the challenges you’ve faced putting it all together?

My latest novel is called “Mirror.” I am approaching the last few chapters of the first draft. I’ve really enjoyed writing it, but it has been challenging to say the least. It is only the third novel I have written in first person and it is also the first novel I have written outside the fantasy genre. It is a coming-of-age story with a fantasy element. Whereas all my 8 of my novels so far have taken place in worlds I have created, this is the first novel set in the real world (set in the 90s). Going back to an earlier question, there is a lot of “me” in this one.  Some of the main character’s experiences are very loosely based on my experiences including the disastrous first date he has!

What’s your favourite fantasy/sci-fi franchise?

Star Wars, I have always loved Lord of the Rings before the films came out and loved Game of Thrones before the TV series, but Star Wars is my one true love. The original trilogy is the best but I think that is a generational thing. I also love the prequel and sequel trilogies (although I was not particularly happy about the Last Jedi – decent film but thought there was no need to destroy the plot thread the Force Awakens had set up. There were a few things in the film that also didn’t feel like Star Wars to me). But as a franchise it has everything.