Interview with Simon carr
Author of Noobs
satirical science fiction writer from Blackburn in the north of England.
Buy this book
How would you describe Noobs to a new reader?
- It's sort of a love child of Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey and Ready Player One, it is aimed at younger people or gamers but there should be something in there for everyone.
What was the inspiration behind Noobs ?
- Well, I have just spent over a year in lockdown with my kids who just played video games relentlessly and as very little else was happening I thought I would write about video games as I already wrote several books during lockdown about an apocalypse and the end of the world, I was getting a bit fed up of apocalypses.
Which authors do you admire? How have they influenced your writing style?
- Douglas Adams and Steven Moffet
Can you tell us a little about the locations in your book?
- Obviously, they are video games, half of the fun of the book is trying to work out which game they are in next so I won't spoil that by listing them all.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- Grow a thick skin, when you are not being rejected by publishers or literary agents you are being savaged by a reviewer, you need to be single-minded and know when to take criticism and advice and when to ignore it.
What's your writing process?
- it's very rapid, I get a concept, usually before I finish the book I'm already working on, I then jot down a rough outline in a notepad that I will keep next to my pc while writing it, I then write at least one chapter a day until its finished, no procrastinating or loafing around waiting for a muse, I just plow through it and then start the next one.
Which character in Noobs has had the greatest impact on readers?
- It's a bit of a toss-up between the Grim Reaper and Villager Number Three, both have been big favorites with my beta readers for their comic contributions.
If Noobs were to be adapted for TV or film, who would you see in the lead role? Who did you have in your mind’s eye when you wrote him/her?
- I saw a film a few years ago called, The Young Offenders, I had the two young actors from that in my mind's eye while writing it as Chris and Steve, I have no clue what their names are but they are fantastic.
How have readers responded to Noobs?
- my beta readers love it, I was worried as I had never written a book aimed at young people or children before, my books are usually very adult-oriented with adult humor so I was worried people who read my books would find it a bit too far removed from what they are used to from me, but they love it.
Where next? What are you working on now?
- I have just started it today, it's my second zombie horror-comedy but very different from Spice, Zombie, Apocolpsye, this one centers around a small zombie outbreak in the Welsh Valleys with the focus on the village residents rather than the zombies, it's back to being a bit rude I am afraid, its working title is, A Zombie bit Mywfannie.
