An Alternative Author Interview:

TCL’s Countdown Questions.

These are the questions I’m asking authors to answer, as I think they’ll give insight into them as people, as well as who they are as writers:

• If you could visit five (5) places you’ve never been, where would you go and why?
• Name four (4) foods or dishes that you enjoy so much that they’ve practically become part of your personality.
• There is the past, the present, and the future – if you could choose, which of these three (3) would you prefer to live in, and why?
• Best and worst – you choose which – name two (2) of either your best moments of your life, worst moments of your life, or one of each.
• Name one (1) book you’ve read in the past year (or so) that you wish you had written, and why.

This week I’m featuring the author of “Chocolat” and many other fantastic novels, the one and only

Joanne Harris!

So… how does an essentially unknown book review blog like this one get a world-famous, international best selling, multiple award winning author and MBE like Joanne Harris to participate in her little alternative author interviews? Well, first you follow her on twitter (and then get very excited when she follows you back). Then you “chat” with her there on a few things – both literary and non (particularly her thread praising book bloggers and reviewers). Then you “say, by the way…” send her a message and ask her if she’s interested in participating. That’s how! Of course, it does help that I’ve read and reviewed several of her books. So let’s see how this oh-so-very-lovely author who writes like an angel, answers my questions.

• If you could visit five (5) places you’ve never been, where would you go and why?

1. Iceland, to walk in the footsteps of Snorri and to read his Eddas in the original.
2. Easter Island, for the solitude.
3. Tahiti, which I knew from stories as a child, and always longed to visit.
4. Mexico, for the Day of the Dead.
5. Mars.

• Name four (4) foods or dishes that you enjoy so much that they’ve practically become part of your personality.

1. Chilli hot chocolate
2. Chilli nachos
3. Huevos rancheros with chilli
4. Yeah, basically chilli.

• There is the past, the present, and the future – if you could choose, which of these three (3) would you prefer to live in, and why?

The past. Because you can never die there, nor lose the people you love.

• Best and worst – you choose which – name two (2) of either your best moments of your life, worst moments of your life, or one of each.

Best: the birth of my daughter.
Worst: the death of my grandfather.

• Name one (1) book you’ve read in the past year (or so) that you wish you had written, and why.

Elif Shafak: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World: because it’s inclusive, important, compassionate and true.

Thanks Joanne! I like that they’re short and to the point answers. That was my intention – fast and fun! (Chilli, huh? And here I thought you would have said chocolate!)

Joanne Harris (MBE) was born in Barnsley in 1964, of a French mother and an English father. She studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at Cambridge and was a teacher for fifteen years, during which time she published three novels, including Chocolat (1999), which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche .

Since then, she has written 15 more novels, two novellas, two collections of short stories, a Dr Who novella, guest episodes for the game Zombies, Run, the libretti for two short operas, several screenplays, a musical and three cookbooks. Her books are now published in over 50 countries and have won a number of British and international awards. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, has honorary doctorates in literature from the universities of Sheffield and Huddersfield, and has been a judge for the Whitbread Prize, the Orange Prize, the Desmond Elliott Prize and the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science, as well as for the Fragrance Foundation awards for perfume and perfume journalism (for which she also received an award in 2017) .

Her hobbies are listed in Who’s Who as: “mooching, lounging, strutting, strumming, priest-baiting and quiet subversion of the system”, although she also enjoys obfuscation, sleaze, rebellion, witchcraft, armed robbery, tea and biscuits. She is not above bribery and would not necessarily refuse an offer involving perfume, diamonds, exotic travel or pink champagne. She works from a shed in her garden, plays bass in the band she first joined when she was 16, is currently co-writing a stage musical and lives with her husband in a little wood in Yorkshire.

You can find my reviews of her books here:

• Chocolat
• Blackberry Wine
• Five Quarters of the Orange
• Gentlemen and Players
• Different Class
• blueeyedboy