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Ask the Author: Bernie Mcgill

“I'll be answering one question per week for the next few months.� Bernie Mcgill

Answered Questions (7)

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I saw your latest book in Waterstones, Coleraine, and was interested enough to look up your work. I'd love to read the dark short stories in Sleepwalkers, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Would you recommend that I try This Train is For instead?
Bernie Mcgill Hi there, I'm afraid that Sleepwalkers has gone out of print. You may be able to get hold of a copy from No Alibis Bookstore, Botanic Avenue, Belfast. If not, I'd recommend that you try This Train is For. Thanks for the question.
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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Bernie Mcgill The current book, The Watch House, is set on Rathlin Island off the north coast of Ireland in 1898 at the time of the early wireless experiments by Marconi's engineers. I've visited Rathlin several times and heard snippets of the story over the years. I've always loved the idea of writing about it. It's a classic 'stranger comes to town' scenario. Things are bound to change, and they do.
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How do you get inspired to write?
Bernie Mcgill Inspiration is not the difficulty, ever. There are stories everywhere: on the radio, in the supermarket queue, in the newspapers, in the archives. Starting a story is the exciting part. Self-discipline and stamina are what you need to finish it.
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What are you currently working on?
Bernie Mcgill I'm working on some new short stories and a new novel is brewing. I'm just letting it simmer for now. When the lid of the pot begins to rattle, I'll go and take a look.
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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Bernie Mcgill Read, read, read. Write, write, write. Try not to be too hard on yourself on the first draft. Allow yourself to write freely but once that's done, be sure to let the bad cop in for the redrafts and the edits.
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What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Bernie Mcgill Being your own boss, working to your own schedule, spending time with other people who write and who understand that rather odd thing that you all do.
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How do you deal with writer’s block?
Bernie Mcgill I don't really believe in writer's block. There are certainly times when the writing comes more easily than others, but when it doesn't, you can always write something else or read something or go somewhere or talk to someone and all of those things are part of the process. If I get stuck with the novel, I work on short stories. They're my guilty pleasure.
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Bernie Mcgill
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