I know what you're thinking - don't tell me Derek's ranting on again about trying to get one of his novels published. You can relax - that rant
is coming, but it's for another time. Today, my blog guest is writer and humorist Ben Hatch. Comments in blue are mine.
1. When did you first realise you were writing a book like this?
I am very slow-witted really. Incredibly thick. It wasn't actually my idea to
write a book about our trip. Basically I’d been commissioned to write a
guidebook for an American publisher called Frommers. I’d never written one
before. My background was in novels. The impulse to tell a story was difficult
to shake though. There was so much that had happened to us during the five
months we were on the road - physically and emotionally - I kept trying to crowbar
it into the guidebook. I’d be reviewing Lincoln Castle say as a family friendly
attraction and suddenly I'd slip in a reference to my having a kidney stone
diagnosed the week before. Basically I wanted to write this unique guidebook
that could be read also as a sort of travelogue. I had this fantasy that people
wouldn't just use it as a guidebook but would read it from cover to cover as a
story as well. Of course nobody would have done and my editor quite rightly cut
out a lot of the personal stories. It was a bit heartbreaking and he didn't like
doing this either because he liked the personal bits too. So in the end, after
firing me from writing guidebooks (he did it very nicely) he put me on touch
with my current editor at Summersdale. She liked the idea of a travelogue/memoir
about our 8000 mile journey round Britain. So that’s how it came about.
2. Did you experience any difficulties with writing
something so personal?
Yes. There was a terrible moment just before I handed it over to my editor. I
couldn’t sleep the night before. In a way, throughout writing the book, I’d
sort of seen myself as a character, someone apart from me. That had allowed me
to be completely honest about my feelings about my dad who is sick during the
course of the book and about what had happened to us; all the trails and
tribulations. But that night I woke up in this terrible cold sweat about it. I’d
never written non-fiction before and I was very worried because it was about my
family and I. I’d given so much away. I had no idea what people would make of
us all, and of me. They might hate us, or think I was a complete arsehole.
3. Describe your book for us if you would.
Tim Brooke-Taylor described it as “Outnumbered on wheels.”
Although a lovely twitter follower summed it up better than I ever could. It's
a memoir, disguised as a travelogue that reads like a novel. The book’s about
an 8000 mile road-trip round Britain that I went on with my family. Our kids
were 1 and 4 at the time and the title has a double meaning – it’s what they
say all the time, but it’s also a statement about like in general. Basically
it’s a book about being in a family. Being a kid in a family and being a parent
in a family. Hopefully it's moving but also funny. The book’s available in
Waterstones, on
Amazon, and on
Kindle for £1.99.
4. Are you affected by negative reviews?
No, not really. I don’t think too much about it. Not at all,
no. It is a little upsetting to get a bad review, of course, especially from
someone you admire or respect. I’ve been very lucky not to get too many bad
ones. When you do, which is inevitable, it helps to imagine the person who’s
written it is either a bitter, jealous rival or someone with warped and malign
hang ups that have made them incapable of seeing the true worth of your
writing. Perhaps they might even be classed as mentally ill. I also secretly
hope that one day those who give me bad reviews, having been magically restored
and righted as human beings by some religious miracle or touch of love,
suddenly become hugely regretful for what they’ve done. They might then track
me down, and humbly apologise in tears for having been so crass and disturbed. They
could give me gifts. Presents.
Cheese hampers. Crackers in tins, and wine. Like
I say, I don’t think about it that much
5. Do you plan to write more directly autobiographical
material?
Yes, I am working on a sequel to the next book called Road
to Rouen. It’s about a 10,000 road-trip around France. Let’s just say there are
quite a few tortoises in France.
6. What are your social tips for writers?
Social media tips or social tips? (Curse my typing skills!)
My social tips would mainly
be to be pleasant wherever possible, try and bathe every now and again, don’t
be late for appointments and if you’re meeting literary types wear a lot of
bottle green and sleeves with leather patches.* Social media tips? Who knows! Facebook
people, get on twitter, start up a blog. If you’re on twitter try not to boast
too much about your book. Some writers go on and on about their books with
links to Amazon etc. It’s very boring for others. I, of course, almost never do
this as anyone who follows me on twitter knows. Right, guys!
(I first 'met' Ben on Twitter and I can vouch for his
painful shyness. His handle is @BenHatch )
7. Are there any books or writers that have had a profound
impact upon you?
Lots of books. Mainly
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. Growing up, I wanted to be Holden Caulfield so
much. It was the book that made me want to become a writer. Other books that
have influenced me:
Adrian Mole (genius),
Lucky Jim,
Billy Liar,
Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas.
Everything by Bret Easton Ellis, Douglas Coupland. Graham
Greene, Evelyn Waugh, Patrick Hamilton, Dave Eggers, Anne Tyler, Barbara
Trapido. I’m also a big fan of Geoff Dyer and Richard Yates.
8. Is there anything you dislike about being a writer?
Lots of things. In particular the looks you get in the early
days when you tell your friends you've given up your job to write a book. It’s like
telling someone you've quit a promising career to try and turn mature cheddar** into gold. Also I am quite a sociable person, but being a writer is largely
anti-social which is why twitter is so great. It’s like having an office where
you can chat to people by the coffee machine, only you have an incredibly
frightening boss who’ll only allow you to do this in very short sentences of 140
characters.
9. Are there any questions you did not want to be asked?
I'm very glad you didn’t ask me about that embarrassing
incident involving the toothbrush in the book that I included at the last
minute when my editor wasn’t looking and which still causes me lots of problems
with relatives who can’t understand, WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS DOING.
Many thanks for the interview Derek. It’s been fun!
* So that's where I've been going wrong!
** Second cheese reference. Just thought I'd mention it.
