This Week's Reader Interview with Russ Brown

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a primary teacher in Cumbria, worked as a professional actor and now try to squeeze in writing children's fiction.

2. When and how did you discover that you love reading fiction?

I can always remember loving books, I enjoyed Dahl and all kinds of popular children's fiction of the late 70's and early 80's I remember always being given new books to read passed down from my brother.

3. What are some of your favorite books and who are some of your favorite authors?

Apart from you, you mean Mike!

As a teacher I love Roald Dahl and the slightly twisted humour of Paul Jennings, also love David Almond. As an adult I like fairly conventional main stream horror writers such as Stephen King and James Herbert although to be honest I feel their best work is their earliest materials. Also love the unlimited wealth of the Indie authors online.

4. What is your favorite thing about reading fiction?

A good fiction book completely envelopes the reader. You become the character or a watcher observing their every move, I often find a good fiction book impossible to put down.

5. Do you have any “pet peeves” about authors, something they do that really annoys you?

When they write a great piece of fiction and either end it too quickly or send it in a completely different direction, referring back to Stephen King for example a number of his more recent books start as traditional horror and then head off down the sci-fi alien genre. I also have a peeve when an author loses their passion and churns out formulaic nonsense.

6. Do you write fiction yourself?

I do I write children's picture books.

7. What do you think about ebooks vs. paper books?

Ebooks are the future, they are amazing things that give instant access to everyone and opens the door for anyone to share their work with the world, I am a strong advocate of the fact that paper books' days are numbered.

8. What is your favorite Mike Wells book and why?

Wild Child, it is like very early Stephen king that light fresh feel to it with a constant sense of foreboding.

9. Thank you for taking the time to give this interview, Russa.

Thanks for giving me the chance to chat to you and look forward to reading much more from you.

Russ can be contacted @russbrownauthor on twitter and through his website at www.russbrownauthor.co.uk