Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Author Interview – Steven O’Connor

at 1:30 AM

If you could study any subject at university what would you pick? Experimental sound production, would you believe! I have no idea if there is such a subject. But surely there is somewhere! You can study almost anything at Universities these days. I have often wished I could play a music instrument with at least some degree of proficiency. Now with sampling techniques and sound production software more readily available, I would love to explore this area more. Perhaps I will one day. I have a Soundcloud site where I am trying to come up with things. I’ve only managed one audio recording so far. It’s called Little Readings, and it’s here, if you feel like checking it out: http://stevenoconnorwriting.com/little-readings/

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? I used to say London, where I was born close to. But I was recently in NYC and I cannot believe what they’ve done with the place. I was there in 1988, and while I liked the city, it was also scary. Not anymore. It’s now a vibrant and safe city. Safer than where I live, in Melbourne, Australia. And terrific bands never leave it off their world tour schedules either!

Tell us about your new book? What’s it about and why did you write it? My latest book, published several months ago, is called MonuMental. Before my publishing house fell into trouble and decided to drop their young adult fiction list, they asked me to write it – so I did. I loved writing it, but I wish I’d asked for a contract at that time. (You live and learn.) While MonuMental is a follow up to Elemental, it’s possible to read it as a standalone story too. In the book I explore the whole notion of confusion of identity. For example: ‘Am I me? Or am I the avatar?’ And ‘Do I exist, or am I just a video game character?’ I love playing around with things like that.

If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask? My father. Just him. Some dinner party! But seriously, I never got to know him. And then suddenly he was gone.

What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel? I hope my books will thrill them and make them laugh. And then, later, I hope they will think more deeply about some of the other things I was also saying, beneath the surface.

How do you feel about social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter? Are they a good thing? I do feel as if I am in a constant battle with Facebook and Twitter. As if they are trying to control me and I am trying to control them. It’s an endless tussle. I have l already been thrown off Twitter twice. And I wasn’t spamming or anything. I hate spam! Though I was joyously telling people about my book, which was free at that time. Perhaps I got carried away?

I won’t say whether they’re good or not. They just are.

If you could do any job in the world what would you do? Easy. Like everybody else, I’d be an astronaut. But NASA (or whoever) would regret it. Because I’d never come down. I’d just refuse to. I’d stay out there, looking down on everyone. Hopefully there would be plenty of stuff to read and TV to watch. (Surely, since the satellites would be my neighbors.) I’d be all right for music, as I would have brought a heap up with me in the first place.

Elemental-cvr-low-res

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Young Adult / Science Fiction

Rating –PG

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Steven O’Connor on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://stevenoconnorwriting.com/

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