Monthly Archives: November 2021

Questions for Illustrators

by Big Bearded Bookseller | Leave a comment

Mum Me and the Mulberry Tree

Mum Me and the Mulberry Tree

There is already a really successful Author Interview series (90 so far and another 10 to transcribe and edit, always looking for more 😉) here on the blog and I started thinking about one of the major contributors who often get overlooked when it comes to the book world.

Illustrators, from striking graphic designs for literary covers to full picture books lovingly illustrating the whole story, illustrators are right there at the heart of what pulls us into the a book.

2023 saw the start of an Illustrator Interview, a series of interviews with book/cover illustrators/artists and I’m just finalising a series of questions for this, if you’re interested please email me.

I was thinking these could be the questions, any thoughts?

  • What’s your name, could you add lots of images and links
  • When did you know you wanted to become an illustrator?
  • How long does it typically take to make a page or cover for a book?
  • What’s your favourite piece of art equipment?
  • do you have a favourite colour scheme, if so what and why?
  • Who were your inspirations when starting out?
  • Do you have another job beside being an illustrator, if so what?
  • What do you do to overcome a creative block?
  • Do you have a favourite piece in your portfolio, if so could you share it and talk about it?
  • What was your first book related project?
  • What type of media do you prefer to work in and why?
  • Do you have a playlist you like working to? If so do you want to share it?
  • Do you have any rituals when working?
  • Do you have a favourite artist outside of the world of books, if so who and why?
  • Did the books you read as a child influence your work?
  • Has your illustration/art style changed over time?
  • How closely do you work with the author on developing the illustrations for a book?
  • If you could illustrate any classic book which would it be and why?
  • Which illustrated books in the last year have you loved?
  • If you can please tell us about your latest project and if not your last project
  • Do you have any events on in the near future?

An alphabetical list by surname of all the illustrator interviews, with date the interview was published.

  1. Rowena Aitken (24/10/23)
  2. Ian Archie Beck (15/02/23)
  3. Tom Brown (08/02/23)
  4. Karin Celestine (11/01/23)
  5. Jan Dolby (27/10/24)
  6. Olaf Falafel (01/02/23)
  7. Steve May (01/03/23)
  8. James Mayhew (05/01/23)
  9. Maria Oliver (25/01/23)
  10. Rikin Parekh (22/03/23)
  11. Keith Robinson (18/01/23)
  12. Lynne Russell (08/03/23)
  13. Mahendra Singh (26/11/24)
  14. Robyn Wilson-Owen (22/02/23)

Questions for Authors

by Big Bearded Bookseller | Leave a comment

Meet The Author

Meet The Author

The Author Q&A has been running for a few years now and there are 88 interviews on the blog.

There are still about ten interviews in the pipeline but I’m always on the lookout for more authors who would like to be involved so please contact me if you’re interested.

Here’s a list of questions, just answer what you want and feel comfortable with and feel free to adapt where necessary  🙂

The finished Q&A will go on my blog and a separate newsletter.

  • Tell me what inspired you to write your (debut) novel?
  • What came first the characters or the world?
  • How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?
  • How long did it take to write?
  • Do you have a writing playlist? If so do you want to share it?
  • How many publishers turned you down?
  • What kind of reactions have you had to your book?
  • What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?
  • What can you tell us about your next book?
  • Do you take notice of online reviews?
  • Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?
  • What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?
  • Which author(s) inspire you?
  • Which genres do you read yourself?
  • What is your biggest motivator?
  • What will always distract you?
  • How much (if any) say do you have in your book covers?
  • Were you a big reader as a child?
  • What were your favourite childhood books?
  • Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?
  • What books can you not resist buying?
  • Do you have any rituals when writing?
  • How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?
  • What is your current or latest read?
  • Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?
  • Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?
  • Any events in the near future?
  • and finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?

please remember to add your socials, a small bio, and a few photos and email the answers to bigbeardedbookseller@gmail.com

thanks

Stephen

and here’s an alphabetical list by surname of all the author interviews, with date the interview was published on.

  1. Alice Allan (13/11/24)
  2. Lulu Allison (17/06/22)
  3. Nicola Ashbrook (16/12/22)
  4. Lisette Auton (28/01/22)
  5. Sheila M. Averbuch (20/01/23)
  6. Timothy Baker (15/07/22)
  7. Lizzy Barber (03/06/22)
  8. Fiona Barker (23/09/22)
  9. Jon Barton (13/01/23)
  10. Jacey Bedford (24/03/23)
  11. Peter Bennett (18/11/22)
  12. Scott Berndt (11/03/25)
  13. Remington Blackstaff (21/04/23)
  14. Richard C. Bower (17/02/23)
  15. Steve Chambers (11/11/22)
  16. Jeevani Charika (15/04/22)
  17. Anne Coates (11/03/22)
  18. Dr Gabriel Constans (29/04/22)
  19. Kate and Liz Corr (12/08/22)
  20. Jon Cox (29/07/23)
  21. Stephen Cox (04/02/22)
  22. Annalisa Crawford (12/11/24)
  23. Paul Dalton (16/04/25)
  24. Ian Eagleton (25/03/23)
  25. Jeff Evans (06/01/23)
  26. Lissa Evans (31/03/23)
  27. Lisa Fantino (17/03/22)
  28. Victoria Goldman (20/03/23)
  29. Dana Goldstein (01/02/24)
  30. Anne Goodwin (22/07/22)
  31. April Grace (02/12/22)
  32. Drew Gummerson (29/07/22)
  33. James Harris (17/03/23)
  34. Stu Hennigan (02/09/22)
  35. Stu Hennigan (08/03/25)
  36. Andie Holman (04/06/25)
  37. Greg Howard (27/01/23)
  38. L.N. Hunter (21/08/23)
  39. Oli Jacobs (10/06/22)
  40. Amy Jeffs (28/10/22)
  41. Hettie Judah (10/03/23)
  42. Mathreyi Kamoor (05/05/23)
  43. Roxie Key (31/03/25)
  44. Janet Dean Knight (20/05/22)
  45. Laura Laakso (30/09/22)
  46. Ewan Lawrie (27/05/22)
  47. Amy McCaw (05/08/22)
  48. Juliet McKenna (10/02/23)
  49. Caron McKinlay (19/08/22)
  50. Anna McQuinn (04/02/22)
  51. Logan Macx (02/03/23)
  52. Sarah Manvell (25/03/22)
  53. Louise Morrish (30/12/22)
  54. Katie Munnik (24/10/24)
  55. Ivy Ngeow (01/07/22)
  56. Katharine Orton (25/11/22)
  57. Chris Parker (08/08/23)
  58. Rebecca Pert (08/07/22)
  59. Fi Phillips (15/03/23)
  60. Brian Pinkerton (08/03/25)
  61. Laure Van Rensburg (08/04/22)
  62. David Ross (03/03/23)
  63. Chrissie Sains (07/04/23)
  64. Ana Sampson (09/12/22)
  65. Jerry Simcock (23/12/22)
  66. Stephanie Sorrell (24/02/23)
  67. Steve Spithray (25/02/24)
  68. Nigel Stewart (13/05/22)
  69. Nigel Stewart (12/03/25)
  70. Sam Szanto (26/08/22)
  71. Sarah Tagholm (09/09/22)
  72. Hilary Tailor (22/04/22)
  73. Jodi Taylor (08/03/25)
  74. Deshan Tennekoon (14/10/22)
  75. Samantha Terrell (06/05/22)
  76. Anna Terreros-Martin (05/11/22)
  77. Gill Thompson (11/02/22)
  78. Laurie Ann Thompson (02/10/24)
  79. N.P. Thompson (02/10/23)
  80. Jennifer Walker (25/02/22)
  81. Louise Walters (16/09/22)
  82. Katie Ward (26/11/24)
  83. Mathew West (24/06/22)
  84. Eileen Wharton (14/04/23)
  85. Emma Whitehall (28/01/22)
  86. Tony Williams (21/10/23)
  87. Lorraine Wilson (03/02/23)
  88. Susan C Wilson (08/06/23)
  89. Kirsti Wishart (07/10/22)
  90. Nicole M. Wolverton (29/10/24)
  91. David Wragg (28/04/23)