Tuesday, 25 September 2012

55 Reading Questions.

1.    Favourite childhood book?

Any of the Rupert annuals.

2.    What are you reading right now?

Dark Melodies by William Meikle


None. Everything I read I buy.

4.    Bad book habit?

Terrible. I'm an addict.


The art of pre-supposition and ignoring answers during an interview. (See answer 3.)

6.    Do you have an e-reader?



One at a time.

8.   Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

I'm probably more analytical when reading, worried about having to come up with something intelligent to say. I try not to let this spoil the experience.

9.    Least favourite book you read this year?

A collection I won't name. It was everything I expected it to be. If I really don't like something I won't slag it off in a review as I'm very aware everyone's tastes are different and doing so is usually just an ego-trip on the reviewer's part. This wasn't to my taste.

10.    Favourite book you've read this year?

Novel has to be The Faceless by Simon Bestwick, best book overall has been Stephen Bacon's collection Peel Back The Sky.

11.    How often do you read outside your comfort zone?

Rarely. I know what I like and tend to stick to that. Fortunately horror is a broad church so there's plenty variety in the genre to keep me interested.

12.    What is your reading comfort zone?


13.    Can you read on the bus?

Yes. And frequently do. (But more often on the train which is my way of commuting).

14.    Favourite place to read?

At home, stretched out on the sofa in front of the fire.

15.   What is your policy on book lending?


16.    Do you ever dog-ear books?

No, and anyone who does should be summarily executed.


Ditto answer 16.

18.   Not even with text books?

What if I'd said yes to question 17?

19.    What is your favourite language to read in?

English. Books written in other languages make for very short  reading experiences.

20.   What makes you love a book?

Usually something intangible that I can't put my finger on. Being moved by what I've read. No dog ears.

21.   What will inspire you to recommend a book?

Usually something... (see above). (Not the dog ears bit though).

22.    Favourite genre?



There are many genres I rarely read - some not at all. I don't feel as if I'm missing out though.

24.    Favourite biography?

Love All The People. (Bill Hicks).

25.   Have you ever read a self-help book?

Err... yes. In retrospect it didn't help.

26.    Favourite cookbook?

What makes one list of recipes better than another list of recipes?

27.    Most inspirational book you've read this year?

Most books I read inspire me to be a better writer. One day...

28.   Favourite reading snack?

Having to think of an answer to this leads me to the sad conclusion that I don't snack when reading, I'm too engrossed. (I will stuff food into my face at every other opportunity though).


It's never been ruined. I might have thought "that wasn't as good as they said" but that's not ruining anything.


More often than not. Which is about right, we all have different tastes.

31.    How do you feel about giving bad or negative reviews?

Not good, so I try and avoid it. I still buy everything I review so I can choose which books I'll post about. I read a lot of collections and anthologies which are often - as they should be - a mixed bag so not liking a story within them and reviewing them is sometimes unavoidable.

32.    If you could read in a foreign language, what language would you choose?


33.    Most intimidating book you ever read?

I'm from the North East and therefore dead hard. It would take more than a book to intimidate me.

34.   Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?

I'm from the North... etc. etc. Seriously, they're books. If I'm interested, I'll read it, if not I won't.

35.    Favourite poet?

Simon Armitage.

36.    How many books do you have checked out of the library at any given time?

I refer to my earlier answers about absence of library activity.

38.    Favourite fictional character?

Charlie Parker in John Connolly's books.

39.    Favourite fictional villain?

Too many to number. The villains are always more interesting.

40.    Books you're most likely to bring on vacation?

Small paperbacks. Oh - horror naturally.

41.    The longest I've gone without reading?

Days, tops.

42.    Name a book you could/would not finish.

Can't remember which one it was but it was something by Dean Koontz. I used to love Dean Koontz but then I read Ticktock and hated it passionately. Despite that I read another of his afterwards but got so hacked off with more tales of Golden Retrievers and feisty heroines escaping abusive backgrounds I had to stop.

43.    What distracts you when you're reading?

Distractions. I may be too engrossed to eat when I read but if the phone rings or the house starts to burn down I reckon I'll notice it.

44.    Favourite film adaptation of a novel?

The Road. Or maybe Fight Club.

45.    Most disappointing film adaptation?

No one film springs to mind. Films and books are different beasts, they work on us differently. The Road was great because it captured the feel of the novel, I guess that's where many films fall down.

46.    The most money I've ever spent in a bookstore at one time?

Probably around £70


Once, briefly before actually reading it. I always read the blurbs and introductions though.


If I thought it was shit. Or I died.

49.    Do you like to keep your books organised?

Organisation and me do not go together. They're in bookcases, that's about it.


I'm a keeper generally. A while ago I was overcome with altruism (and a loft that couldn't take any more) and gave some books away to friends (who I knew would cherish them...)

51.    Are there any books you've been avoiding?

No. I'm from the North East. I'm hard. I'm not scared of books.

52.    Name a book that made you angry.

How To Get Angry in ten easy steps. If there'd been a novelisation of that film The Iron Lady and I'd read it, that would have done it as just the sight of Meryl Streep on the sides of buses advertising it made me angry. Except I'd never have read it in the first place. I don't know, I threw Ticktock at a wall when I finished it, that's about as angry as I've ever gotten with a book.


As I said, I buy the books that I review on the blog so I wouldn't buy something I wasn't expecting to like.

54.    A book that you expected to like but didn't?

Can't think of any. Some books haven't been as good as I thought they might but I can't remember not actually liking them. (The collection I mentioned earlier and Mr Koontz's offerings I wasn't expecting to like in the first place).

55.    Favourite guilt-free pleasure reading?

All my reading is for pleasure. All my guilt is kept for the bodies under the patio.

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