Exclusive Interview: Terry Cooper

"Colin did over nine hours in the studio, and I was just knocked out at his professionalism and attitude. He just ‘got’ the humour and characters right away."

Alwyn Ash: Hi Terry, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Terry Cooper: Hello! Well, I’m an artist and writer. I was born in an ambulance in North London, and I’ve managed to survive for forty years on this planet. So far so good! I’m often found in my alter-egos of Captain Jack Sparrow or an Imperial Stormtrooper, as I like to do charity events around the country as part of the UK Garrison costuming organisation. Clearly, I’m a giant Sci-Fi geek. Think of Simon Pegg from SPACED, minus skateboard, and that’s basically me.




Kangazang! is your début novel. How did the idea for Jeff Spooner and his adventures surface?

I moved into a house that had no telephone line, and therefore no internet to eat up the time, so I decided to see if I could formulate a story for ‘The Novel That All Of Us Have Inside Ourselves’, and it began to take shape. I started with a horror idea but it all got a bit ‘Garth Marenghi’, so I went back to my first love, which was Sci-Fi. I thoroughly recommend isolation from the Internet if you want to get that much-vaunted project done one of these days.




And the name Kangazang...?

It’s the name of the planet that our heroes are trying to get to. I wanted it to be a bit magical, like Shangri-La, Alakazam. It just popped into my head. The book was originally titled ‘Jeff Spooner And The Universal Remote’ or ‘Jeff Spooner And The Man From Kangazang’ – I was thinking of the Indy Jones and Harry Potter movie titles, I guess.




Colin Baker's involvement in your recent audio version was exciting news, how was he brought on board?

My publisher at Candy Jar, Shaun Russell, is the authority on all things Doctor Who, more so than me. We went through names of people who we’d like to read the audio, and Shaun suggested Colin. Initially I was a little unconvinced, but when I re-visited some of his Doctor Who episodes, especially his Big Finish Audios, and realised he was absolutely the best choice with his sense of humour and versatility.




Did you attend the recent signing with Colin at Forbidden Planet International in Cardiff?

Sadly, I didn’t. It would’ve been good to catch up with him, but I was doing my bit for sales and publicity over at the Starmania 2010 convention in Swansea that day. Colin went down a storm at the Cardiff signing though, and we’ll be doing more with him very soon. He’ll be at Dimensions in Newcastle soon, and I’d love to do something there with him. Stay tuned, as JNT used to say!




Besides the wonderful Mr Baker, are there any other famous Kangazangers that you know of?

Well, we have Claire Cage, who’s a brilliant and gorgeous actress from Cardiff. She’s been in all sorts of TV programmes, like ‘Life Bites’, Wire In The Blood for ITV, Torchwood, Sherlock and she even provided the on-set voice for Lady Cassandra in Doctor Who! Also, former Labour leader Neil Kinnock read the book and called it ‘truly comic’. Russell T Davies has a copy of it, and I’m still trying to get Bill Bailey to read it, as he was the inspiration for the Ray Scump character!

What was it like working with Colin on the audio version?

Colin did over nine hours in the studio, and I was just knocked out at his professionalism and attitude. He just ‘got’ the humour and characters right away. It was amazing to see him switch character voices instantly, self-edit and fix my unspotted script typos without stopping for breath. It was a really relaxed, fun day and I definitely want him to do Kangazang 2!




'Kangazang! Remote Possibilities' is the first in a trilogy. Can you tell us a little about what we can expect to see in the forthcoming episodes?

Of course! I’m pretty excited myself! I think Sci Fi is great in trilogies! Well, Kangazang 2 is subtitled, ‘Star Stuff’ and it’s almost finished. There’s trouble in store for Jeff and Ray, who both have to search for lost loved ones while their worst enemies from the past (book 1) join forces to find, humiliate and destroy them once and for all! Book three will round it all up, with the arrival of someone’s VERY disgruntled baby. I’ll say no more.




What is this I hear about you landing the role of Sherlock Holmes in a new Misfits Audio production?

Well, I do a lot of voice work, and I keep in practice by doing audio plays for many online sites. Misfits Audio wanted a Brit to play Holmes and asked me to audition. I was really happy to get it, as I’d recently watched the BBC’s Sherlock, and thought it was fantastic.




So do you have a favourite Sherlock of them all? Jeremy Brett perhaps, or Benedict Cumberbatch?

I watched a few Brett ones, years ago, and to me he’s the definitive Holmes. Note perfect. Cumberbatch is a natural successor – modern, sharp and also very funny. I can’t wait for the new series of Sherlock to start! Sadly, though I idolise Robert Downey Jr., his Holmes didn’t impress me at all. Stick to Tony Stark, Robert!




How was the Starmania Convention in Swansea?

Great fun! There’s a joke in Kangazang about Swansea being an awful place, but it’s not meant maliciously – I really liked it there. I got to chat to some of the actors from the classic trilogy and met some great people. Including my new girlfriend – she’s a bona fide Star Wars geek and that makes her the love of my life! It’s a seriously happy time for me right now.




Besides writing and acting, what else occupies your time?

I try to keep up the charity trooping events for the UKG wherever possible, and I spend weekends with my two daughters. My youngest is 9, and follows her old man in the love of Star Wars and Doctor Who, so I see her becoming a writer and artist like me too. I’m also writing and drawing a segment of the Welsh Comic Artists anthology, entitled ‘10thology’, due for release in February!




Strangetown Animation is an impressive company. Can you tell us a little about your work there?

Strangetown create CGI characters for adverts and suchlike. I do the character design and storyboards, and my partners David and Andy bring it all to life. Plus I get to do voices for them, which is the most enjoyable part.




What other projects do you have planned for 2011/12?

Like I say, the ‘10thology’ project will be out in February, and I’m working on Kangazang 2 after Christmas. In the works is a couple of short illustrated tales, in collaboration with my oldest mate, an artist called Craig Lewis. I have an idea for a couple of Kangazang spinoffs, such as a Hoppas children’s book, and a diary about Jeff Spooner’s intergalactic travels. These will be published by Candy Jar too. For any film producers reading this, we do have a screenplay for Kangazang, and the interest of quite a high-profile director, so give us a ring! Celluloid stardom beckons!



Thanks to Terry - Twitter
Terry Cooper interview copyright © Alwyn Ash 2010

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Exclusive Interview: Ruth Wheeler

"Tom Bowler is probably mostly like myself. He is easily embarrassed and blushes a lot and he is overly polite, but he isn't afraid of adventure."

Alwyn Ash: Hi Ruth, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Ruth Wheeler: I would describe myself as very creative - creativity just wants to escape from me anyway it can. My degree at Uni was in Fine Art and I have been working full time as a Graphic Designer since graduating 8 years ago. I also play bass guitar in my local church worship band and have been in 5 plays with my local amateur theatre group RATS in the past 5 years. Even the Martial Arts do not escape me - I recently achieved 6th Khan in Muay Thai which is great fun and an excellent way of keeping fit. I have recently discovered a love for Skydiving too after a charity jump in July of this year. I have an obsessive personality and love collecting scifi memorabilia, visiting conventions, filming locations and meeting up with like-minded people. I am always on the go and wondering what mad thing I can do next - I love having things to look forward to and take opportunities while I can - often whisking my friends into my whirlwind of a life as I go as experiences are best enjoyed when shared.




Your début novel for Truxxe, All Aliens Like Burgers, was published this year. What was your inspiration for the novel? And if you could explain a little about Truxxe...

My inspiration for AALB hit me on the way back from a surfing holiday in Newquay with friends. I was half asleep having been dozing in the back of the car and we had stopped at a motorway service station. I routinely bought food, used the facilities and took time out stretch my legs as one does at these places. It struck me that I had no idea where I was. I could be anywhere in the country. These places are all so similar - catering for people's needs; feed water and shelter them before they go on their merry way. I began thinking that what if there was a station on a different planet and they had to cater for the needs of different creatures? What kind of needs would need to be met? Would there be different types of toilets for example (toilet humour features a lot in my book)? Different fuel for different space craft? Maybe the planet could be stationed between galaxies rather than cities. Maybe the planet was made up of different fuels for all the different crafts and what else would it have?

The obligatory burger bar was the constant that I wanted to keep - the title is taken from a line one of my characters uses in the novel. I wanted to make my world very earth like in some ways but transpose all of the familiarities and places them as far away as possible. My thoughts just grew from there. The name Truxxe, incidentally, is taken from the term Truck Stop. I did toy with the idea of calling in Truxxe Toppe but in the end I settled on simply, Truxxe.




So did you create main character Tom Bowler with anyone in mind? And if yes, do they know?

Tom Bowler is probably mostly like myself. He is easily embarrassed and blushes a lot and he is overly polite, but he isn't afraid of adventure. I think his character is growing throughout the series - he is taking more risks, enjoying himself and going along for the ride although he can be quite serious at times and his strong bond with is family makes him miss home and Earth at times.




It's not always easy finding the right literary agent or publisher. Can you tell us how you managed to get your novel published? And do you have any advice for those thinking of following in your footsteps?

It is not an easy journey - I tried for several years to get published. It is a very frustrating process but if you want to find the publisher that is right for you then it really is worth all the hard work. I was fortunate enough to meet a publisher face to face who was just starting out so it is a journey on which we have both travelled together. They have since taken on many more authors and become successful which is great. Don't be disheartened - if your work is good enough then it will find it's market and the right publisher eventually. There are also many self-publishing options out there, but read up on the industry first and get clued up because writing the novel is only the start. Knowing about the industry and how to market your work is the hardest part.




Reviews of your work have been very positive. How much of that positivity helps when writing further...

I am really encouraged by the positive response I have had with my novel. I have also had some constructive criticism which is really helpful and definitely helps with writing the sequel.




So how is your second Truxxe novel coming along, and do you have a title for it yet?

Part two is called "Do Aliens Read Scifi" which is taken from one of Tom's thoughts in the novel. I am about 2/3 of the way into writing it and I will be launching it at a Scifi convention in LA in February 2011 which is all very exciting.



How different will it be to the first?

The novel will be different in that there will be less of the day to day details of Tom working in the burger bar itself and less time spent on Truxxe. Tom has grown up a bit and his relationship with his new friends has deepened. There will be more peril although I am still steering away from needless violence and large action scenes. The plot is getting more complex and there are a lot of ways the story could go. I don't want to give too much away so I shall stop here.

You're a huge fan of Doctor Who. Some might even say Douglas Adams too. How much of these worlds do you think plays an important part in shaping your imagination?

I am really flattered by comparisons I've had to Douglas Adams as he is my favourite writer. My very English central character being placed in such odd situations with very strange creatures is probably the main similarity and I do like to keep my story flowing and pepper it with humour, although our styles are different. I like the way that Douglas uses language - he doesn't use clichés in his writing and if he does he turns it on his head which makes you think about what the words actually mean. His words are very evocative. In the same way I try to not to use clichés either. I'm not sure how much Doctor Who influences my work but I'm sure it does somehow as my brain is so full of the Whooniverse. I like to add scientific explanations into the story and not just write about an adventure in space so perhaps the influence is in that side of my writing.




As a fan you must have visited Doctor Who conventions and gatherings, do you have any favourites?

I am indeed a huge fan of Doctor Who. I particularly like the weekend long conventions. It's hard to choose a favourite as they all have their charm. One of the nicest things is seeing some of the same people at each event and the whole atmosphere is amazing. I am looking forward to experiencing the LA convention next year (Gallifrey One) as I am so used to there being two or three hundred at an event whereas there there will be more like fifteen hundred. I am interested to discover the similarities and differences with UK events.




Do you have any literary plans beyond the Truxxe books series? Another creation that you are waiting to reveal?

I do have a novella which I wrote some years back, called The Loop. It is a much more serious scifi story set in a dystopian England. But it depends on my publisher whether he's happy to release this. It might not get published. I might just shelve it. I would definitely like to write something different between books two and three so that when I come round to writing book three it will seem fresher and I'll be full of ideas for it (although I do have a basic premise in mind) and also I will hopefully have had a lot more feedback from the first two novels by then.




What kinds of things did you find fascinating as a child, and which of these have transgressed into your adult life?

Interesting question! I'm sure I'll think of many more ways I can answer this once it's too late but I will note that, thinking about it now, it's no wonder I turned out how I did as I was brought up on a diet of Lost in Space, Red Dwarf, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Close Encounter and Doctor Who.




Do you have a favourite quote, Ruth?

My favourite quote is a Douglas Adams quote which puts things into perspective for me whenever I'm feeling stressed: "TIME IS AN ILLUSION. LUNCHTIME DOUBLY SO"




If you could visit any period of Earth's history, where would you travel and why?

I'd like to travel back to medieval England and watch some proper jousting and go to a feast or something. I'm sure it's not as glamorous as TV will have us believe and also a lot more smelly - I think it would be really interesting to see it first hand. Also I've always said I'd like to go back to the garden of Eden and change the entire course of human history by saying "Oi, Eve - NO! Put down that apple!"



Thanks to Ruth - Twitter
Ruth Wheeler interview copyright © Alwyn Ash 2010

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Exclusive Interview: Mark Morris

Article author: Alwyn Ash


"Those first four years when I was writing story after story and sending them out, and getting back rejection letter after rejection letter, seemed like an eternity..."

Alwyn Ash: Hi Mark, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Mark Morris: Hi. I'm married with two teenage kids, and have been a professional writer since 1988. I have seventeen novels to my name, mostly in the horror/thriller genres, and numerous short stories, articles and reviews, which have appeared in a huge variety of anthologies and magazines over the years.



What was your first published work, and how did you become interested in writing as a profession?

I've always written stories for fun (by the time I was 12 I had completed three full-length 'Doctor Who' novels, 'The Lizards', 'The Slime of Death' and 'Return of the Cybermen', which I still have to this day), so I didn't *become* interested in writing, it was just something that I always did naturally, like breathing. However, it wasn't until after I graduated in 1984 that I decided to make a go of it as a profession. I was then on the dole for four years before I eventually sold my first novel, 'Toady', the paperback of which hit the bestseller lists at number 7 on its first week of release. So I was off and running pretty quickly - not that there haven't subsequently been plenty of ups and downs along the way.



It's certainly not easy for some people, in the beginning, to get published. Did you encounter any knock backs or times when you just felt like giving up?

Oh yeah, those first four years when I was writing story after story and sending them out, and getting back rejection letter after rejection letter, seemed like an eternity. I'm quite stubborn, even pig-headed, though, added to which I had no idea what else I wanted to do, so I never seriously thought about giving up. There are times when I've been very down - when money's been tight, when publishers have decided not to renew my contract, when no one has seemed interested in my work - but nearly all writers go through that at various stages in their career, and if they've got anything about them, if they've got determination and faith in their ability and the wherewithall to just keep ploughing on, then they'll get through it eventually. Something always crops up.



Who were, and are, your inspirations?

There are lots of other writers whose work has thrilled and inspired me over the years - Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, John Wyndham, Dennis Etchison, Peter Straub, James Lee Burke, Jonathan Coe and... oh, many, many more. Plus I've been hugely inspired by TV shows, particularly those that I grew up with - 'Doctor Who', of course, and 'Sapphire and Steel', and Terry Nation's 'Survivors', and Brian Clemens' 'Thriller', and a huge amount of Nigel Kneale's output: 'Beasts' and the 'Quatermass' serials and 'The Woman in Black' and 'The Stone Tape'. I also love the cop and spy shows from the 60s and 70s, both the hard-hitting stuff like 'The Sweeney' and 'The Professionals', and the more fantasy-oriented stuff like 'The Avengers' and 'The Man From Uncle'. Even kids' TV back in the 70s was odd and challenging and disturbing. You'd get fantastic, eerie serials such as 'Ace of Wands' and 'The Changes' and 'Raven' and 'Children of the Stones'. What else? Oh, the Pan/Fontana/Armada ghost and horror story anthologies, which I devoured as a teenager, and lots of (mainly British) horror movies from the 60s and 70s, from the likes of Hammer and Amicus and Tigon, which from the age of about 12 I'd watch on Friday nights at 10:30pm on the 'Appointment With Fear' slot.



You've written for Torchwood and Doctor Who, and are known for your horror. I suppose the three are quite connected...

Well, *I* think so. As a kid, I remember being absolutely terrified by 'Doctor Who' - particularly the Yeti ambling down the mountainside in 'The Abominable Snowmen,' the Cybermen in the sewers in 'The Invasion' and the Autons coming to life in 'Spearhead From Space'. It was the remorselessness and the expressionlessness of these particular monsters that scared me, that 'dead men walking' kind of vibe, which for years afterwards meant that I was almost pathologically terrified of watching anything involving zombies (a fear which, I'm glad to say, I have now conquered, as there are so many great zombie movies out there I might have otherwise missed). But yes, 'Doctor Who', 'Torchwood' and horror movies are linked by many things - fear, tension, monsters, the constant threat of pain and death. It seemed to me a natural progression, therefore, when I was younger to move from watching 'Doctor Who' to watching Hammer movies, which offered the same kinds of visceral and cerebral thrills, but obviously with a more overtly 'adult' content - ie sex and gore.



What frightened you as a child?

Well, aside from the books I was reading and the TV shows and movies I was watching, as detailed above, I suppose my over-riding fear was the fear of violence, of being beaten up by bigger, rougher kids. There were a lot of tough, mean kids who lived nearby, and me and my mates would have run-ins with them now and again. In my late teens I was a punk, which meant that I wore a leather jacket and Doc Marten boots. However, although I might have looked tough, I wasn't really. I was into punk because of the music and the excitement and the camaraderie. I hated violence, and still do. It's vicious and ugly and depressing and frightening, and when you're on the receiving end of it, it bloody *hurts*.

I remember reading The Bodysnatchers. Doctor Who had been off our screens for what seemed like a lifetime and the only indulgence for us fans were the new BBC books featuring the Eighth Doctor and Sam. What was the inspiration for that novel?

I think the twin inspirations for that novel are very self-evident. The early Tom Baker years - which coincided with when I discovered Target novelisations at the age of 11 - are, for me and many others, 'Doctor Who's Golden Age. I therefore wanted to try to re-create that sense of Hammeresque excitement, and so decided to write a single sequel to two of my favourite stories from that era - 'Terror of the Zygons' and 'The Talons of Weng-Chiang'.



What is it about the Zygons that you think is so appealing?

They just *look* so brilliant! They and their technology are so fantastically conceived and executed, to the extent that they wouldn't look even remotely out of place in the shiny modern 'Who' of today. Also, 'Terror of the Zygons' is a brilliantly directed story, which enhances the creepiness of the Zygons themselves. All those shots of remote, windswept moors and cold, bleak shorelines are very (M.R.) Jamesian, and the incidental music is wonderfully sinister and doom-laden. Plus the actors who play the Zygons in their human forms are incredibly creepy. Lillias Walker is terrifying as Sister Lamont, and Ian Marter is great as evil Harry in the tense barn/pitchfork scene - a scene, incidentally, which wouldn't have looked out of place in any number of 'Beast in the Cellar/The Shuttered Room' type horror movies of the period.



Can you tell us about Cinema Macabre?

Cinema Macabre is a book of fifty horror movie essays by luminaries of the genre, which I edited back in 2006. The idea was for each contributor to choose their favourite (or *a* favourite) horror movie, and then write 1000 words saying why they liked the movie so much. The only rule was that everyone had to choose a different movie, so if you wanted to do, say, 'The Bride of Frankenstein', but someone else had already baggsied it, you had to do something else. Despite the fact that I could offer next to nothing in financial renumeration, the response to the project was overwhelming, and as such the list of contributors is incredibly impressive, boasting as it does the likes of Neil Gaiman, Simon Pegg, China Mieville, Mark Gatiss, and Jonathan Ross, who wrote the introduction. Incidentally, I'm now editing a science-fiction follow-up to 'Cinema Macabre', entitled 'Cinema Futura', which will be out from PS Publishing in September. Again, the (all-new) line-up, of sixty contributors this time, is extremely impressive. It includes people like Christopher Priest, author of 'The Prestige', Stephen 'Ghostwatch' Volk, and Rob Shearman, who, as 'Doctor Who' fans will know, wrote the episode 'Dalek', which re-introduced the metal meanies to a whole new generation of children.



So many people are asked who their favourite Doctor is - and I suppose this interview shouldn't disappoint. But instead, would you mind telling us, as short as you like, what you consider the strengths to be for each Doctor?

Oh, blimey. I'm not sure how to answer this question without resorting to cliche, and trotting out over-used words and phrases like 'mercurial' and 'bohemian' and 'cosmic hobo'. Instead, as a compromise, I'll list my favourite five Doctors. They are: 1) Tom Baker, 2) David Tennant, 3) Patrick Troughton, 4) Matt Smith, 5) Jon Pertwee. I feel I ought to qualify this by saying that I thought Matt was absolutely brilliant in his first season, and that he has the definite potential to climb higher, depending on what he does in the future. I would also like to make it clear that I love *all* the Doctors, even the ones that I like the least - not that I'm naming *them*, of course.



So who IS your favourite Doctor?

Weren't you listening? It's Tom Baker ;-)


[Haha, OK, swiftly moving on...]



You have also worked with Big Finish. Can you tell us a little about that?

I love Big Finish! Most of my dealings have been with Nick Briggs, Alan Barnes and David Richardson, all of whom are great blokes, and lovely to work with. They're all generous, patient and accommodating people, and they have done - and continue to do - astonishing things for such a small company. As 'Doctor Who' fans, we're incredibly lucky to have them, and I personally count myself extremely fortunate to be part of the BF 'team'. Alan and Nick showed great faith in my ability by commissioning me to write a script (the one-part McCoy story 'False Gods' on the four-story release, 'Forty Five'), even though I had never done any script work before. That first script was a baptism of fire (I was writing for experienced actors like Sylvester McCoy and Benedict Cumberbatch, for God's sake!), but Alan eased me through the process, smoothing over my gaffes and helping to mould my rough and ready efforts into a proper recordable piece of work. I have now just completed the first draft of my fifth BF script - and second four-parter - and genuinely do feel as though I'm getting better and better each time. This latest script is easily the best, and most ambitious, one I've done. That's not to say that Alan Barnes's input isn't still always invaluable. He's a superb script editor and frequently comes up with inspired suggestions to improve the work. We had an extremely productive ninety-minute chat about my latest script this morning, in fact, from which I came away buzzing with new approaches and ideas.



What projects do you have planned for the future that you can tell us about?

Apart from 'Cinema Futura' and the two forthcoming BF audios, which I can't go into details about as they haven't officially been announced yet, I've just completed a new novel called 'The Black', and am currently co-writing a YA horror novel with another writer friend of mine, Tim Lebbon. I have a new short story collection, 'Long Shadows, Nightmare Light', forthcoming from PS Publishing in 2011, and have three new short stories coming out in various anthologies over the next year or so. I also have plans to write a dark fantasy trilogy, and will hopefully be doing some more 'Doctor Who' work in the not too distant future.



Thanks to Mark - Twitter
Mark Morris interview copyright © Alwyn Ash 2010

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Exclusive Interview: Lee Binding

Article author: Alwyn Ash


"I think I'm most proud of being where I am and doing what I do for a living. Yeah, I know it's trite, but I am. So ner. Ha!"

Alwyn Ash: Hi Lee, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Lee Binding: Hello! I'm a 34-year-old graphic designer who works across the Doctor Who brand. I like nights in, long walks in the country and good senses of humour. Wait, this is a dating site, right? No?



How did your Tea Lady website come about?

Through necessity, really. I'm fortunate in that I'm often recommended for jobs by word of mouth, but what will often happen is that the client phone you up and say 'Hey, so-and-so says you're great. Is there anywhere where I can look at your work?' So its good to have a web presence. It needs updating actually; we've been working on 11th Doctor stuff for the past six months, and finally I can start revealing it. I'm working on stuff towards the end of the year already; it can be weird working on Christmas and we haven't had the summer yet...



Your client list is very impressive - BBC Worldwide, 2|Entertain, Random House, and Big Finish just to name a few. And after looking at the work on your website, I can see why you're so popular.

Thank you. They're all lovely people you get to work with, and I have a great time doing it.



Can you tell us a little about the process of design, is there a special approach to bringing out the best imagery for the right piece of work?

Oh yes, there's several ways you can attack it. If you get a good explanation from the client of what they want, you can try your best to bring to life what they expect. We're fortunate on Doctor Who in that they take great photographs of more or less everything. And I mean everything - I did some archiving over Christmas and backed up all the stuff for The Next Doctor - including over 40 images of the orphan children specially shot for the show. I mean, we're only ever likely to use one or two, but it's nice to think that I have 40 images of something that was only in the episode for about, what, two mins tops? Madness! So we're always brilliantly served by Production on the images we have, and they don't often need any touching-up at all.



There must be times when something doesn't go just quite to plan...?

Hahaha. Oh more times than you can imagine. Sometimes it's just so easy and falls into place; sometimes it can drag on for weeks. You just have to roll with it.



What keeps you more focused: professionalism or humour?

Fun, actually! As long as its fun, then I'm happy. And how much fun is it to be working on Doctor Who every day?



I take it you're a huge Doctor Who fan then (or have I just embarrassed myself here)?

Oh no. I love it! It's the best show on television. Fact.



Of course, Doctor Who is only one of the many programmes/dramas you design for. Is there anything that, given the opportunity, you would really like to sink your teeth into?

I still want to do a big film poster. I've done a couple of indie films and foreign films, and helped out on some big titles. But to have something you designed on a billboard or Tube poster - how cool would that be?!

In addition to design and photography, do you have any other interests?

I like to do a bit of writing too, when I get the time. I do work quite a lot, and for long hours - but its enjoyable coming up with something that you know will work and look great on a cover or t-shirt or something that you don't really mind the time that goes into it. I still can't get my head around that sometimes my work turns up on lunchboxes or towels or alarm clocks or Easter eggs. That's still boggling seeing something on a shelf in a shop that was on your screen about a month ago.



What are you most proud of so far in your career?

I think I'm most proud of being where I am and doing what I do for a living. Yeah, I know it's trite, but I am. So ner. Ha!



Do you have any upcoming projects?

Loads! Unfortunately, you can never speak about them in anything but general terms! The Who book covers will carry on, there's more updates on the Retro Who product lines. There's posters coming out, jigsaws - all the usual paraphernalia!



What advice would you give to anyone who might like to take up design, photography, or both as a career?

I'd give the advice I'd give to anyone trying to get anywhere: keep practising, and try and surround yourself with people who are like-minded and encouraging.



To finish off with, is there anything that you would like to add? A favourite quote perhaps, or just a note to your fans?

I'm mostly amused with the idea that I might have fans! I'm sure I don't, you know..! But if there is anyone out there who ever looked at something I did and thought it was a lovely design, then thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.



Thanks to Lee - Twitter
Lee Binding interview copyright © Alwyn Ash 2010

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Exclusive Interview: Simon Guerrier

"TV is a complex thing to write for – with technical nuts and bolts very different from prose or audio"

Author and script writer, Simon Guerrier is without doubt a sci-fi fan, having written novels for Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, and Primeval. His work with Big Finish has been extensive - he has contributed to their Doctor Who and Bernice Summerfield ranges, including other audio dramas such as UNIT (The Coup is available for FREE download), Graceless and Robin Hood. We Catch up with him...

Photograph: Lisa Bowerman

Alwyn Ash: Hi Simon, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Simon Guerrier: Um. I am 33, six foot three (that's 1.92 metres, says the internet) and got married in a genuine Doctor Who location. (It's where the Seventh Doctor and Leela foil the Rani's evil plan.)



What was your first published work for Doctor Who, and how do you think it compares to your recent novel, The Slitheen Excursion?

My first published Doctor Who adventure was a short story. “The Switching” appeared in Short Trips – Zodiac in 2002 and saw the Master swapping brains with the third Doctor. I'm still desperately pleased with it – and grateful to my friend Jonathan Morris and editor Jacqueline Rayner who both worked so hard to make me look good.

I'm probably the last person able to judge how much my writing has come on since then. Both “The Switching” and “The Slitheen Excursion” are quite fun and lively, but then I've also written much darker, weirder stuff too. So, um, pass.



You're also linked with Big Finish. How does audio storytelling differ from the novel form?

There are technical things to be considered when you write in different media – the nuts and bolts stuff of how you lay down a story. Prose relies solely on the words themselves to conjure sights and tastes and smells. With audio, you can set a tone with the background sounds. The same scene will be completely different when set against explosions or soft music or a hurricane. Then there's how the actor delivers the words. I'm astounded by Caroline John in my recent Doctor Who audio “Shadow of the Past”. She took what I wrote and made it so affecting – a brilliant and moving performance, as much to do with her skills as anything I put down on paper.



Can you tell us a little more about your work for Big Finish?

Big Finish gave me my first break in writing fiction when they let me write “The Switching” in 2002. Since then, I've written all sorts for them – a load of short stories and audio plays for all manner of their ranges. I've edited and produced for them, played a few monsters and walk-ons, been taken to conventions in the UK and USA, and generally had a brilliant time of it. I've got six audio plays out with them this year alone. They are fine and handsome people who know I'm quick and cheap.



It has been a fantastic time for Doctor Who over the years, and the series has finally discovered a new lease of life with its return in 2005. What do you think it is about the series that has gained so much love and support from its myriad of fans?

At it's best, it's a funny, clever, exciting and terrifying show, continually rich and rewarding. What's not to love?



What were your first thoughts on new Doctor Matt Smith?

I knew he was going to be great because Lisa Bowerman said so. Lisa's got a brilliant eye and ear for casting – it's worked wonders on the Big Finish stories she's directed. She had seen Matt Smith and had taken his photograph, and she said he'd be a brilliant Doctor. And, as always, she was right.



Is there any possibility that you will be asked to write a Doctor Who script for the television medium?

Well, I suppose there's a remote possibility but I've never written for TV. As far as I can think of, in all new Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures, only one writer hadn't done TV before. Joseph Lidster well deserves to be the exception – he's utterly brilliant, the swine.

TV is a complex thing to write for – with technical nuts and bolts very different from prose or audio. So my previous writing for Doctor Who doesn't mean I'd write good Doctor Who for the telly. I expect I'd need lots of TV experience before anyone considered me. If nothing else, they've plenty of other much better qualified writers to consider first.

You've written for, amongst other things, Sapphire & Steel, Robin Hood, Primeval, Being Human and Bernice Summerfield. Do you have a wish list?

I can't think of a series I'm desperate to write for at the moment, though I've longed to write a James Bond film for about as long as I've longed to write Doctor Who. So my wish list is more about people I'd like to work with. And obviously to get some TV work.



Is there any advice that you can give to the new writer? I'm sure there are plenty of fans out there who would love to write for their favourite show. Maybe even something of their very own too!

Terrance Dicks has said before that there's no such thing as a 'Doctor Who writer'. Instead, there are writers who write all sorts of things, which sometimes includes Doctor Who. You'll save a lot of time and disappointment if you can understand that.

If you still want to be a writer, then write as much as possible, finish as much of it as possible, and read as much as possible. Read widely, challenge yourself, try stuff you'd never normally look at and like. Keep a notebook. Keep your old notebooks safe. Collect rejection letters like they are medals. Make sure you can pay your bills.

You don't have to be a writer. There are much easier hobbies and jobs. So make sure you enjoy writing and that the hard graft is worth it.



Who or what inspires you mostly?

My wife is a good source of inspiration as I'll be in trouble with her if I don't get paid. She also tells me good things to read or watch, and points out when I get stuff wrong in my stories. But writing is like an affliction or disease – I write because I *have to*.



And finally, do you have any work in the pipeline? Advertise away...

Plenty in the pipeline but not many I can speak of just yet. I've just delivered a new something to Big Finish which hasn't been announced yet, and I'm working on a short film that I hope will be shot over the summer. In the meantime, my Doctor Who audio “Shadow of the Past” is out this month, with “The Guardian of the Solar System” out in July and my mini-series “Graceless” in October. I have rewrites to do on one episode of that, so that'll probably be my next effort...



Update: 22 April 2010 - just received a follow-up email from Simon:

Oh! I am wrong! James Moran's first TV work was his script for Torchwood series 2 - though he'd written movies and things before that. And I think Clayton Hickman made his TV debut with the Sarah Jane / Comic Relief sketch. So ignore everything I said. I will be writing for TV tomorrow.



Thanks to Simon - Twitter
Simon Guerrier interview copyright © Alwyn Ash 2010

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Exclusive Interview: Daniel Blythe

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Article author: Alwyn Ash
"At the right time, in the right light, everything is extraordinary"

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"I wish it hadn't been away for so long. But it couldn't really have come back with more of a vengeance. When people knock the new series I just want to sit them down in a room and ask them what, in fact, they actually *want*?"

Best known for his Doctor Who work including Virgin New Adventures and BBC Books, Daniel has also written novels I Hate Christmas and This is the Day for Allison & Busby. The author kindly spoke to us about his career, inspirations and Autonomy...

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Alwyn Ash: Hi Daniel, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Daniel Blythe: I was born in Maidstone in 1969 and went to Maidstone Grammar School and then to Oxford. Worked in a variety of jobs, mostly charity/ voluntary sector and in education, but always combining with writing.

These days I work on average 4 days a week on my writing and have a day or two a week where I'm out doing something else related to writing - a school visit, a workshop either freelance or with an arts organisation, etc. I also teach a regular Writing A Novel class. It's lovely to be asked to do all this extra stuff, and it's also really useful!

I'm married to Rachel, who is a teacher - we've been married for 11 years and have two children, Elinor, who is 9 and Sam, who will be 7 by the time people read this! Both big DW fans - they didn't really have a choice!



What are your earliest memories of Doctor Who?

Jon Pertwee turning into Tom Baker. I was aware right from the start that the Doctor could change his face. I was always too frightened to watch when I was a pre-schooler, but as soon as I started in Bottom Infants (as it was known then) everyone watched it - a birthday party I went to stopped for part 3 of Robot to be watched, in the dark!... And that sort of thing happens again now. My daughter's 8th birthday was on the day "The Doctor's Daughter" was shown. We had a living-room full of 8-year-olds all watching Doctor Who.



Have you ever visited a Doctor Who convention / event?

When I was much younger I went to a couple and enjoyed the panels and the videos but didn't really mingle much. I only started going to the famous Fitzroy Tavern because a couple of fellow New Adventures writers dragged me along - I've not been much since! Recently I went to NovelCon at the award-winning Lass O'Gowrie pub in Manchester, as a guest, and that was great fun - I just turned into one of those people who stands in the bar and chats to everyone. Really enjoyed that.



Who, or what, inspires you?

All sorts of things really. I imagine scenarios that might have happened if people had taken different routes in life. I'm inspired by everything I read and absorb aspects of writers' voices, I'm sure. I think after a decade and a half of being published I am still a beginner, still learning. I like to think I am not even halfway through my publishing career yet.

I was interviewing a young pop group for a potential new project the other day and we were all talking about this question of what drives people in the creative industries, when there are so many people out there ready to knock you and often so little reward at first. You have to have a real self-belief and want to do it no matter what.



Congratulations on Autonomy becoming a No1 bestseller! So what was the inspiration for your 2009 novel?

Justin Richards asked me if I fancied writing a book featuring the Nestenes. I said yes straight away because there is so much scope for playfulness as a writer - they aren't one-note villains, they exist in so many different manifestations and they have that wonderful dark Robert Holmes sense of the macabre.

It's a great privilege and great fun. I loved writing for the Doctor and trying to capture his character. It's great to be able to take ideas that older writers have come up with and develop them. I imagined how an entity which controls plastic might work in a 21st-century leisure and shopping complex - I especially enjoyed writing a really nasty scene where a pushy journalist is swallowed by her 'living plastic' boots and dress. That was inspired by the plastic chair scene from 'Terror' , of course.

How have you grown artistically/creatively since writing your first Doctor Who novel, The Dimension Riders, for Virgin Books in 1993?

I like to think I have learned a lot. I'm less visual as a writer and more character-driven. I like to think my writing is tighter and less showy. I wrote two of the 1990s New Adventures novels, 'The Dimension Riders' and "Infinite Requiem', featuring the 7th Doctor. I also wrote a short story for 'Decalog 2' featuring the Fifth Doctor and a short story for the Marvel DW yearbook featuring the Fourth Doctor. 'Autonomy' was exciting for me, as it was my first DW novel in 13 years and also my first for the tenth Doctor - and the first for which I was asked to write my own take on an old enemy.

But Doctor Who's just part of my writing. I've written three novels for adults, non-fiction on subjects as diverse as parenting and 80s pop, and various articles for magazines and so on. I've recently been paid to develop a scenario for an internet-based story which schoolchildren will contribute to and develop - another first for me! I'm always looking for new avenues and new ways to promote myself. I've had a website for four years now - www.danielblythe.com - and I'm on Facebook. Not yet been lured on to Twitter, but maybe it's only a matter of time!...



Do you have a favourite Doctor(s)?

Tom Baker is the Doctor I grew up with, and so he'll always be my favourite, I think. I've had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times. He'll always be the Doctor for me. His episodes are the ones I return to most often on DVD. But I'm really enjoying a lot of the 1980s stories again with the benefit of distance - especially Peter Davison's work.



What are your thoughts on the return of the series (2005-present)? Had it gained anything by its absence from television?

I wish it hadn't been away for so long. But it couldn't really have come back with more of a vengeance. When people knock the new series I just want to sit them down in a room and ask them what, in fact, they actually *want*? We've got a new series of 13 episodes a year, getting some of the highest ratings ever, with the best British writing and directing talent, schoolkids all over the country being Daleks in the playground again and carrying Cyberman rucksacks and Ood pencil-cases around... I mean, this is a golden age, isn't it? No episode is perfect, we know that, but there isn't a figurative "alternative" new Doctor Who waiting in the wings in case this one fails. This is what we have. Do people really want to go back to the 1990s when all we had to get excited about was books, audios and a webcast??



Besides writing, what else do you enjoy?

Spending time with my children and enjoying the lovely scenery - and pubs! - of the Peak District on my doorstep. I keep meaning to take up more exercise and get out and about and see it more. I'm interested in politics and have an unashamed love of pop music old and new. I write a politics blog at www.xmarksthebox.co.uk



Do you have any projects/books planned for 2010?

I have two books coming out this year. The first is "X Marks The Box", which is more or less out now - it's a book about politics and voting and will, I hope, get people engaged with politics again if they are disillusioned. The second is a nostalgia book for Pen and Sword, called "Gadgets, Games and Heroes" - that'll be out later in the year. I'm doing another for them called "Famous Robots", to be out in 2011.

I'm also working on a new novel, and I've got a children's novel with my agent, potentially the first in a series, and we are talking to various publishers about that. Several other non-fiction ideas in development too. Always something on the go!



Thanks to Daniel - Twitter
Daniel Blythe interview copyright © Alwyn Ash 2010

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