1. What was the first great book you read? That's a tough one. I'm really not sure I would be able to answer it. How about the first great novel instead? That's easily "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", because it was a step away from the usual children's books I read at the time, which were undoubtedly quite fantastic in their own way. Still, Harry was the first character I could actually relate to even though he was much older than me at the time. 2. If you could go back in time and change any one thing, knowing that it could completely change everything in the future, what would you change? Cliché or not, I don't regret anything. 3. Do you believe a book could change the world? Yes. For example, "On the Origin of Species" changed more worlds than one. It certainly broke a lot of worlds. 4. What was your first piece of writing like? Now compare it to your last piece. The first piece, or rather two pieces, were a couple of consecutive poems I wrote one time in, if I remember correctly, 10th grade for no particular reason. Both of them were in English. One followed the theme of the seven deadly sins with a stanza for each one, while the other was a commentary on the state of the world. My last piece was a scene about a ghost that eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Not sure if there's an actual devolution there. 5. Whom does your favourite book remind you of? I don't have a favourite book. I do, however, have a favourite story, and that's the short story "The Tale of the Stairs" ("Приказка за стълбата") by Bulgarian writer Hristo Smirnenski. It's about an idealistic commoner who climbs the ladder of heaven in an attempt to change the poor fate of his fellow plebeians but loses his ideals along the way and in the end forsakes his brothers and sisters. It reminds me of everyone. 6. What is the longest piece of writing you have completed? It depends on what you mean by that. If we're talking about fiction, I've never completed any of my stories, since I would always lose interest in the narrative at some point. I can only write in short bursts, which is why I never have trouble completing my poems. My longest one was the first thing I posted in this forum, which was "The Little Boy and the Little Cat". If, however, it's about any kind of writing, then it would be an 11-page essay on atheist stereotyping in US media. 7. What genre would you least like to write a book in? A memoir. I don't want to bore myself to death. 8. What books would you read if you knew you only had a month left to live? I would probably try and write a book instead of reading one. 9. What’s something you are looking forward to as a writer? As a casual writer, I'm looking forward to publish that one novel that I've been miserably trying to put into writing since I conceptualized it 5 years ago. 10. Who is your favourite fictional character? Indiana Jones from the eponymous trilogy. It's a damn trilogy, OK!? From the moment I saw him in that eternal scene where he was frantically trying to outpace a hurtling boulder, I knew that this would be my favourite character for a very long time. He still is. Among other things, he inspired my life-long dream to travel the world and make a logbook while I'm at it. 11. What’s something you want to accomplish in the next 6 months? Get a part-time job.
1. What was the first great book you read? The Qura'n, if I were to consider it just a book...otherwise, hmm. I first story I remember to be pretty awesome and more than just a fairytale is Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. 2. If you could go back in time and change any one thing, knowing that it could completely change everything in the future, what would you change? Nothing. Whatever happens, happens for a reason and ultimately, has a net positive effect (a tad bit optimistic, but that's what I believe), so instead of working back, I'd work forward. 3. Do you believe a book could change the world? Yes. There's a reason that most of the influential religions have a Holy book. Moreover, from Freud's topsy turvy ideas on psychosexual stages to Darwin's Theory of Evolution, great books have had great influence on people. Closer to home, poetry by Allama Iqbal was a motivating force to propel Muslims in the subcontinent to adopt a politically conscious attitude and fight for independence, and books written in the time reiterated and affirmed the spirit. 4. What was your first piece of writing like? Now compare it to your last piece. Bwahahahaha it was horrible. Yet adorable. I don't have it anymore, mom probably got rid of it, it was a picture story about a mermaid I wrote when I was six. Based closely on Disney's The Thirteenth Year, except that the protagonist was female and the ending was happier. I sure hope my latest piece doesn't need pictures for description and has better dialogue. 5. Whom does your favourite book remind you of I'm not sure I have a favorite book (setting aside religious books to make it more objective). But The Christmas Carol reminds me of my late Uncle because I finished the book the day he passed away. 6. What is the longest piece of writing you have completed? 120,000+ words--a novel I wrote seven years ago. 7. What genre would you least like to write a book in? Erotica. Not a fan of sexing up stuff And probably fantasy. I'd much rather write a screenplay for it. 8. What books would you read if you knew you only had a month left to live? Uhh, (excluding religious books for objectivity) all the classics I can get my hands on. Probably a few modern novels in mystery and suspense genres. 9. What’s something you are looking forward to as a writer? Improving my ability to express myself effectively, to connect with myself and others at a safe distance, and make a difference. 10. Who is your favourite fictional character? Not sure I have one. If I had to pick...probably would pick a TV/movie character, which would be Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. 11. What’s something you want to accomplish in the next 6 months? Finish writing my current novel, Antebellum City, and then resume working on my other novel, Love and its Story, editing Antebellum City alongside. And, in general, polish my writing skills and make them outclass. Oh, and read a few novels in the mystery/suspense genres to hone my reading and writing repertoire.
1. What was the first great book you read? Oh, something in Dutch first then one of the 19c classics in ‘easy reader’ format: Huckleberry Finn or Moonraker. They were the only books available in Abadan where I was American for a couple of years, also had to read Dinosaurs and Tigers and Jimmy Carter. 2. If you could go back in time and change any one thing, knowing that it could completely change everything in the future, what would you change? Go get my Daddy back from Jesus. Maybe the Soviet Union invades US in 83. I am commissar of Colorado 2. Do you believe a book could change the world? Yes, the Koran and Tintin. Mrs Beaton's Recipes: an anthology for women. The UK example always always cited is returning troops reading ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists’ in '45 and they all voted Labour, deposing Churchill as PM, introduced NHS, heralding cash points decades later – it is a book so beautiful and perfect that it makes me yearn for paradise: hang priests and Tories, dig up Trotsky. 4. What was your first piece of writing like? One of those 14/20 ww1 peow peow trench warfare writes in the 3rd year. Now compare it to your last piece.It was the best thing I ever wroted. 5. Whom does your favourite book remind you of? Her majesty the Queen in 50 shades 6. What is the longest piece of writing you have completed? 6k, 6k, 6k plus 5k, 5k...etcetera, sometimes I squash them all together. 7. What genre would you least like to write a book in? Australian, how ghastly. 8. What books would you read if you knew you only had a month left to live? I’d stay on the internet to the end. 9. What’s something you are looking forward to as a writer? Cocktail parties where I make jokes about ‘writer forum?’ ...ha ha ha what scum.’ 10. Who is your favourite fictional character? Robin Hood, Turpin, Barry Lyndon 11. What’s something you want to accomplish in the next 6 months? A cheque from the New Yorker, and a big article entitled ‘The New Out is In: MW, he sits on his ass all day but is however quite brilliant. How can this be? He never gives interviews or facebooks, yet we must speculate...'etcetera...and they send a load of hot jocks to get me fit and surfing again, then I reappear on TV like a prune. I'd also like to stop the spread of Ebola in gyms. That image of rats on bicycles is symbolic of our bleh bleh. Euthanase males who masturbate over their rifles. Lead the free people of the world in the aftermath of this terrible war we are going to have...
Hello RainbowT, I am new as well, but here are my answers. I am curious what yours are, 1. What was the first great book you read? I can't honestly answer this as I read many in High School and forgot them all. Recently I have read a few, Harry Potter being one of them 2. If you could go back in time and change any one thing, knowing that it could completely change everything in the future, what would you change? I don't know. Anything changed would have unintended consequences I'm not sure I could live with. Even if Hitler were eliminated, many good people would have made different choices, and great truths may not be understood. In the face of great evil always stands great good, so I can't say I would be comfortable changing anything (I KNOW this is a cop-out, but it's what I believe at the moment. 3. Do you believe a book could change the world? I believe they have. The Bible, The Koran, The Vedas, the book that sparked WWJD, Mein Kampf, Das Kapital, etc. 4. What was your first piece of writing like? Now compare it to your last piece. Unfinished. It has the same status as the piece I am working at now. 5. Whom does your favourite book remind you of? Don't really understand the question. Though most good books I read make me want to interrogate - er, interview - the author. 6. What is the longest piece of writing you have completed? Currently I have about 20k written on my current piece. That's the most I've written on one piece so far. 7. What genre would you least like to write a book in? Erotic 8. What books would you read if you knew you only had a month left to live? As many as I could, probably starting with the classics 9. What’s something you are looking forward to as a writer? Eventually being published? Though I'm not 100% certain that will happen, or that I want it too. 10. Who is your favourite fictional character? I honestly don't have one other than maybe my main characters. 11. What’s something you want to accomplish in the next 6 months? I would like to finish the book I started.
1. What was the first great book you read? first GREAT book...erm! Depends what you class as great. One book I read when I was young and has stayed with me since was 'The secret garden' by Francis Hodgson Burnett. 2. If you could go back in time and change any one thing, knowing that it could completely change everything in the future, what would you change? Absolutely nothing. We all need stand by our decisions whether good or bad and learn take the consequences. 3. Do you believe a book could change the world? Yes. The bible. Mein kampf. 4. What was your first piece of writing like? Now compare it to your last piece. Ruddy awful. Full of spelling mistakes and tense muddles. Now, it's better. I make less mistakes and I have finally found my voice. 5. Whom does your favourite book remind you of? I don't understand the question? 6. What is the longest piece of writing you have completed? My novel is still unfinished. I'm writing short stories so around 3,000 words. 7. What genre would you least like to write a book in? Romance 8. What books would you read if you knew you only had a month left to live? War and peace by Leo Tolsoy 9. What’s something you are looking forward to as a writer? Getting published. 10. Who is your favourite fictional character? At the moment I'm reading Blacklight Blue by Peter May. The protag is called Enzo Macleod--he's a Scottish detective living in France. 11. What’s something you want to accomplish in the next 6 months? I want to motivate myself to write every day and finish all my writing projects.
