Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
Exclusive Interview with
Barry Smith
When did you start writing?
At school and university where I read history.
What makes writing your passion?
I AM A NATURAL FLANEUR AND USE WRITING TO RECORD AND REFLECT ON MY EXPERINCES AND TRAVELS
How long have you been writing?
60 YEARS
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
I imagine it's how a mother feels on producing her first baby. Is That mine? Did I actually create that?
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
Many are based on family members ,friends and historical figures
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
The amount of time and expense I have to commit to marketing and warding off deceptive marketing consultants
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
Keep writing until "they" talk
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
This is a major passion and helps me confirm my values and outlook.
Follow your heart rather than your head but don't ignore the latter or you may lose it and a lot of money.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Reading and writing will be the magic carpet that carries you into your future
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
Absorb any useful learning. There is no good without contrasting bad.
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
Try to keep a brake on my natural hubris.
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Constantly. I am somewhat like the ancient minstrels and druids who saved up and spread the word via stories about my experiences
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
Yes-I vary the depiction according to life stage-eg as my knees have been replaced I show empathy for that condition and seek to keep my characters as real as possible. Aging men can be heroes too.
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
I think it was Bryce Courtney who said "until someone picks it up and opens it, it's just a pile of paper, not a book" The cover is a vital enticement to pick it up in preference to others. I have spent many hours in libraries after work flitting through book covers to select my reading for the night.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
Love to talk about what and why I write and to hear what readers think about what I say. I was educated via the debate of a one on one tutorial system with the guy who wrote the "Penguin" book.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
justified in writing
Who is your favorite author? Why?
George Orwell. He both entertains and educates. He learned to write through hard slog and spending hundreds of gas meter pennies,
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
John le carre
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
No. You can't step into the same river twice . You mut move on to keep up with life and aging
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
George Johnston. Author of my brother jack
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
It's my book not yours.
What would you say to your readers?
Keep buying and reading.
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
Marvellous Melbourne. Twice divorced. No children. I like other other people's beyond the nappy stage.
What is your day job if you have one?
I am a retired HR and organisation change consultant
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
Ride an Ebike (simulates bush walking) learning to play the concertina.
learning to build dry stone walls. travelling and camping in the bush.
Putting back with Rotary.
Did you have a happy childhood?
Happiness is accepting ones lot. I had a strict and kindly upbringing. Annual Blackpool summer holiday, new clothes at easter, a bath once a week and well fed.
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
My Grandmother stopped reading to me.
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
France Fatale-based on proposition that Napoleon seized the fledgling NSW colony and hence Australia became Australie.
Henry 8th meets Donald Trump and debates the relative virtues and vices of their reigns.
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
Give them maximum freedom to explore and apply their imaginations.
Encourage them to learn from risk taking and survivable mistakes.
Teach real history as it happened.
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
end my life with a creative and loving muse
To have been a better rugby player
To have been more diligent in linear logic learning-maths, sciences, latin etc
What is your favorite music?
Buddy holly and Mahler
Share a secret with us 🙂
I hope to live another10 years