The quick Q&A
Tell us one thing you loved or found fascinating about a place you have lived.
I love Dundee, this city on the side of a hill sloping down to the silvery Tay. I’m happiest when I’m close to water. I love that the city has a dragon and statues of famous cartoon characters as well as penguins. I love that love brought me here, to a city I never dreamed of having a home in—as my sweetie would say, “magic”.
What did you want to be when you grew up (other than a writer if that was an option)?
For a long time, I wanted to be a veterinarian after reading James Herriott’s books. I do love animals and am not too bothered by blood and oogey stuff, but eventually I realised that it wasn’t really about being a vet in Yorkshire (although yay, Yorkshire!) but about writing and it had always been about the writing.
Which super hero would you most like to be and why?
I suppose Buffy — not just because an internet quiz told me that because well, I love the series and hello? Fox Spirit Origin Story! But also because for all her kick ass ability she knew the most important thing was having friends and having their backs. And getting it on all kinky with Spike (wait, I didn’t say that!).
It’s finally happened! The zompoc is here! Name four things in your ‘go bag’ and your primary weapon.
I’d go with rope, an axe, a flask and a sustainable torch (one of those that you can shake to relight).
And I’d need some books or at least the collected works of Jane Austen. Or my shiny full of ebooks but wait! Apocalypse! No electricity I suppose. Oh god! Some blank journals and lots of pens—wait, how many things?
What is your go to comfort book or writer when you can’t settle into anything new?
So many, so many—Jane Austen I suppose, any of them. Wilkie Collins? Big 19th century novels like Elizabeth Gaskell’s or Anthony Trollope’s.
What is the single most important thing to your writing process?
Tea. Lots and lots of tea. My sweetie is the tea fairy who brings it to me and I am so lucky.
If you could collaborate with any author who would it be and what would you write together?
Oh, so hard to choose! Peter Cook, because all I would have to do would be type what he said between fits of laughter? We would write the funniest joke in the world and then everyone would die laughing—wait, that’s horrible! Laughter apocalypse—not with a bang but a titter. I better rethink this…
Interviews
The Overflowing Library hosts our lovely guest editor K.A.Laity