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Q&A with author Rob Kennedy

8/12/2012

Rob Kennedy1. What was the inspiration for your novel?
I wrote Five Ways on its title alone, as it spoke to me of the many direction that are offer to us in our lives. Five Ways is a well-known junction in Paddington, Sydney. It’s a hip, happening place. The lead character Jo Southlake, exhibits similar qualities and she’s in a five way tussle with lovers, family, her job and another possibility that hits
her in the end. It’s a novelette of only 10,000 words.

2. When did you take up writing?
As the age of ten I began writing. I remember writing very short stories, half a
page. One day, my mother found some of these and then proceeded to read them out
aloud to the whole family. I remember being more surprised by my reaction than
my family’s response. I found that I had the power to make people sit up and
listen. Words change everything.

3. How important is setting/place in your writing?
It’s not. For me it’s characters. That’s why I write so much in first-person. I am not a great describer of place or people. If I’ve written something or someone with enough empathy, you will get a clear vision of what my place or character
will look like. For me, description is a waste of words.

4. Do you have a favourite character (s) in your current novel?
I got very attached to a yoga teacher in The Disease. She is light-hearted, caring, smart, sexy and very human. Incidentally, I have a partner who exhibits all these characteristics. And she’s a yoga teacher.

5. What’s the best piece of writing advice you were ever given?
It’s something I’ve developed myself. We’ve all heard “Write what you know.” Australian author Tony Park says, “Write what you read.” I’ve extended these saying, “Write what you’ve experienced.” This adage has helped improve how and
what I write.

6. Do you have a schedule for writing?
Yes. I do it when and where I can. Late at night, early morning and while I’m eating.

7. Are you a plotter or someone who tends to wing it?
Can’t plot. Don’t know how and don’t want to. I’ve never found developing stories difficult. This comes from how I first learned to play the piano. It was all improvised. It pretty much still is when I play or write. I think stories are easy to write. It is original ideas for stories that are hard.

8. Can you name three of four of your current favourite books?
I’ve read every writing manual that exists. My bank balance tells me I must have. The best manual I’ve ever read is, Thanks, But This Isn’t For Us by Jessica Page Morrell. I am currently reading A Movable Feast by Hemmingway. It’s
enthralling. Not a book of fiction, but it’s about his life in Paris in the 1920’s. This piece of non prose, is illuminating, touching and a great historical document. I read about twenty percent of Anna Funder’s All that I Am. That was all I could read. But that’s obviously not a favourite is it. I recently read Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island. It blew me away. I fell in love with the characters. He paints beautiful pictures of his people. He’s not just an action and adventure
guy. That Dead Man Dance by Kim Scott, will haunt me for most of my days.

9. Can you tell me a little bit about what you are working on now?
Tricky. Like with most of what I write, I think I’ve gone into another genre. I’ve written five books and most are in a different genre. Problem is, I’m not sure what this new one is. It’s a bit like a memoir, and it’s fictional. I don’t really want to say anything more other than it’s titled Role Reversal.

10. What advice would you give to a fledgling writer to assist them on their journey?
I don’t really feel qualified to answer this. I’ve such a long way to go.

You can find Rob’s books at
Website – http://www.robkennedy.co/
A link to Five Ways –
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Ways-ebook/dp/B008NV35UA/ref=la_B004G7XN6Q_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344379522&sr=1-1
Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rob-Kennedy/200918376590020?v=wall#!/Kenrob2000
Blog – http://robjkennedy.blogspot.com.au/
My Amazon Author Page – http://www.amazon.com/Rob-Kennedy/e/B004G7XN6Q/ref=sr_tc_ep?qid=1329125605
Twitter – @kenrob2037
Five Ways - Rob Kennedy - Cover
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