AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What is your name, where were you born and where do you
live now?
I’m Tony Newton, I was born in Cambridge in the UK, and I
live in Essex at present.
Did you always
want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
Yes, I have always wanted to be a writer. I knew whatever
my future held it would have something to do with my passion for reading.
When did you
first consider yourself as a "writer"?
I think really when I started writing for a few hours at
least every day without fail.
Did it take a
long time to get your first book published?
Not as long as I anticipated.
Do you work
another job as well as your writing work?
Yes I work in Brand creation and logo design.
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to
summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
The Zombie Rule Book A Zombie Apocalypse Survival Guide,
Rules and tips for surviving the zombie apocalypse. Rules and tips for
surviving the Zombie war!
Who is your
publisher? or do you self publish?
My Publisher is the fantastic Cosmic Egg Books, I think
if you can’t find a publisher these days there are other great options like CreateSpace
to get your work out there.
Do you have a
"lucky charm" or "lucky routine" you follow when waiting
for your book to be accepted by a publisher?
No just to check the emails and always check your spam
folders.
How long does it
usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing
it?
It really does depend on the individual project. Some
shorter books would take me a matter of months and long ones (over fifty
thousand words) could take up to a year.
Which of your
books were easier/harder to write than the others?
I think the zombie book I am working on at present is the
hardest. I’m telling stories from different points of view from people of
different ages and genders.
What can we
expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of
a different genre?
It sounds crazy but I like writers who are like musicians,
you don’t want the same sound every time on every album and it’s the same with
writers. I am currently working on a
self-motivation book which couldn’t be further away from the zombie fiction
I’ve written previously. I think it’s great to write about subjects and
situations that you enjoy reading about, that way you always have passion for
what you’re writing about. As for what you can expect from me in the future, you
can expect a wide range of titles of all different genres .
Do you have
plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
This book is not part of a series although I have enough
material to do a second book, so who knows in the future.
What genre would
you place your books into?
Horror, zombie fiction, dystopian, self help.
What made you
decide to write that genre of book?
Ever since reading horror and getting scared at a young
age I knew I would love to write in that genre.
Do you have a
favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?
The Zombie Rule Book is my favourite, although it’s not a
huge piece of work I had the most fun putting it together.
Do you have a
favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
I think Layne from the zombie book I am working on now,
he is very interesting.
If you had to
choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and
why?
I would be a Zombie for sure all that roaming around
walking and hunting after brains.
How long have
you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I have been writing one thing or another since I can
remember but only recently decided to take it further.
Where do you get
your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
They just come to me, sometimes while I’m out roaming the
countryside and other times whilst I’m getting creative in the kitchen.
Do you have a
certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain
chair?
I always listen to jazz music and sit in my favourite
chair or couch with a flask of strong coffee and the odd biscuit or two.
Do you have
anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release
them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Yes I do get family and friends to read through first
kind of like a beta test.
Do you gift
books to readers to do reviews?
Yes
Do you read all
the reviews of your book/books?
No, everyone has their own opinion, you could drive yourself
crazy doing that.
What was the
toughest/best review you have ever had?
None are really that tough, just that persons opinion on
your work. You can’t please all of the people all of the time.
Would you ever
ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your
book/books?
No an honest review is helpful all round.
How do you come
up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover
of your books?
The title is always the fun part, but making sure no one
else has already used it is the hard part.
Do you choose a
title first, or write the book then choose the title?
No, always write the book then the title.
How do you come
up with characters names and place names in your books?
They come naturally to me and they just feel right.
Are character
names and place names decided after there creation? or do you pick a
character/place name and then invent them?
I always invent them, they come as I write.
Do you decide on
character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or
as you go along?
No, as I go along it seems to works better. The
characters grow and change as I write.
Do you basic
plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you
let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
Yes I always have a basic plot then I go from there.
How do you
market/promote your books?
Through social media and word of mouth.
What do you
think makes a book a really good/bestseller ?
Good content.
Have you ever
suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the
"block"?
No, luckily I’ve never suffered from writers block.
What do you do
to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
I love to read, and collect old books and unusual
antiques.
Have you ever
based characters on people you know or based events on things that have
happened to you?
No characters but definitely some events.
Are there any
hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops
Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Not yet but I will do something like that in the future.
I love the idea of it just like C.S Lewis did.
Is there a
certain Author that influenced you in writing?
Ray Bradbury has always
been a huge influence to me, his writing is phenomenal, I wrote a letter
to him once and asked him if there was a secret to writing he sent me back a
hand written note saying “Just Write It!” the message has pride of place in my
sitting room.
Which format of
book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?
I much prefer paperback books, but do enjoy reading the
kindle on journeys or holidays.
What is your
favourite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?
My favourite book is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I
love the idea of it, I have read it many times over.
Do you think
books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst book to movie
transfer?
I did enjoy The Road movie but as is often the case the
book The Road by Cormac McCarthy was far superior, the imagination is far
greater than any movie can be.
What are you
currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or
paperback)
I am currently reading Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep which
is one of the best Stephen King books I’ve read in a long time.
Do you think
ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
Yes I think they will eventually, they’ll be like vinyl
records are now.
Do you think
children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do
Imaginative writing?
Yes there are a lot of great schemes encouraging young
readers to read and write.
Did you read a
lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in
your life?
Yes I loved the library even then I was always reading
and wring short stories.
Did you have a
favourite author as a child?
My favourite author as a child was Roald Dahl his books
were and still are amazing, what a genius.
Do you have a
treasured book from your childhood? If yes, what is it?
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, it is an
amazing book, one of the first I remember it really stood out to me.
Do you have a
favourite genre of book?
Horror, dystopian, sci-fi, motivational.
Is there a book
you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't
finish?
No I am open to anything whether I’ll read the whole
thing or not is another story though.
Are there any
New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we
watch out for them?
Kathleen MacMahon
Is there
anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it
be?
No not really. Always
have a good edit never look back only look to the future.
What do you
think about book trailers?
I love the idea of them they look pretty but I’ve heard
they’re not as productive as they could be so don’t spend a lot of money on
them.
What piece of
advice would you give to a new writer?
Never Give Up – like Ray Bradbury said Just Right It! And
back up all your work.
Do you or would
you ever use a pen name?
I don’t but who knows in the future.
If you could
invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy
chatting with?
Living writers would be Chuck Palahniuk, Brett Easton
Ellis, Stephen King, and Clive Barker but I’m not footing the drinks bill!
Where
can readers follow you?
@TonyNewton1
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7083697.Tony_Newton
MY REVIEW
ISBN: 9781782793342
Publisher: Cosmic Egg
Pages/File Size: 132pages
Formats Available: Paperback, E-Book
Release Date: 7th January 2014
BLURB from Goodreads
Rules and tips for surviving the zombie apocalypse. The following information may save your life. This book is designed to fit perfectly in your bug-out bag! If you are prepared for the zombie apocalypse you are prepared for anything! Throughout this book you will learn how to survive in the event of a zombie apocalypse and learn how to be a survivor! Use the following information to your advantage. Think like a survivor - when the zombie apocalypse descends upon us you will be a few steps ahead of the rest. Read, re-read, practice and apply, train hard and always think smart, you are a born survivor. This book of zombie survival rules will be a great asset to anyone preparing themselves for the zombie apocalypse.
INITIAL THOUGHTS
I only got into the whole "zombie" genre around the middle of this year so there's lots for me to read and catch up with. Approaching this book, I expect it to be humorous, though I'm unsure what format the book will take. Will it be lists of rules? or In a kind of diary with scenarios and rules?
MY REVIEW
I received this book directly from the Author via publicist Maria Barry. The cover is definitely eye catching with its right yellow. The book also has a gory feel to it with all the blood splatters featured on the book too. I think using the yellow which looks very much like the hazardous colour symbols is an excellent idea. So would the cover make me pick it up in a book store? Yes I would be attracted enough to pick up the book.
So the book is basically what it say's on the cover A Zombie Survival Rule Book. It's basically a tongue in cheek, yet highly practical list of tips and rules and advice to follow in the event that there ever is a zombie apocalypse. There's survival advice on what you should keep in your "bug-out" bag such as fairly obvious things like a supply of tinned food, a first aid kit and perhaps things you may not think of like those foil sheets that are placed around marathon runners shoulders to keep heat in etc.
I admit to being slightly disappointed as I expected more too the book. I wanted more scenarios, perhaps with characters. I kind of wanted this "handbook" to be part of a post apocalyptic series. I think it may have worked better as part of a series, as I feel as a standalone "handbook" it remains a bit stilted and maybe even a little odd. It does have some small bits of humour, but not as much as could have been incorporated. As part of a series the rules could have been referenced to the individual characters like "things could have been so different if Jane had used her knife instead of her gun etc etc."
I can't really say anymore about the book without just revealing some of the rules therefore spoiling the book.
So did I enjoy the book? Yes but I felt it could have been so much more. Would I recommend the book? Yes, but I feel I would have to point out that it is literally a Rule Book. Would I read other books by Tony Newton? Yes especially if they were apocalyptic novels!
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