Monday, July 11, 2011

I Have A Guest So Be Nice!...

Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will have my first ever Guest Blog. His name is Anthony Fox and he is an author. I figured that before he just popped up here and said, "Boo!" you could get to know him just a little bit. I asked him just a couple of questions, so here you go. Everyone, meet Anthony. Anthony, meet everyone!

First of all, when is your release date and title of your book?

Within the next 2-3 months, I am not sure about the exact release date. The title is: How to Pass a Degree with Confidence.

Where did you attend college and study Artificial Intelligence?

I went to Plymouth University and gained an Honours degree in Computing and gained a Master's degree in software engineering studying artificial intelligence at Sunderland University.

We are all drawn to writing because we have a story to tell, is this why you became a writer?

Yes, I have many stories to tell. It all began as a boy growing up in America. Even then I wanted to be a writer, but most of my life I have been trying to figure out what I wanted, but it's always been there. Interestingly, all this time I have kept scraps of paper with the words I have written. I am often reminded by the lyrics of Baz Lurhmann Everybody's Free (To Wear) Sunscreen "Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life... the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds still don't." Well that has been me in the past. Now, I am busy working on my next book.

(I'm 40 and still have no clue what I want to be when I grow up! ~ Mel)

What are your favourite genres to read?

I do not have any favourites because it's the story that is important. It can be science fiction, crime, romance, and so on, but it always comes back to the story. Ernest Hemingway talked about the 'iceberg theory', as a writer you can omit certain elements, but the story holds our attention. Each page we turn we want to know more as we identify with the characters leading us to the end of the story.

Do you have a favourite author and why?

I could list so many and miss out so many, because there are numerous good writers out there now and in the past. Paulo Coelho, for example, his book "The Alchemist" is a story about a shepherd boy on a quest, but it's also about love and much more. Hidden within the story is a moral similar to 'Jesus and his parables' and what Hemingway used in many of his books the 'Iceberg Theory'.

And now for something completely random, what is your favorite animal?

I have always loved animals especially dogs, ever since I can remember. Once on a trip as a boy to the zoo I remember seeing an ape in what appeared a small enclosure. I remember staring into the eyes of the ape and wondering what the ape was thinking, but me wishing all animals were free...

Thanks so much Anthony, for taking the time to answer these questions! I look forward to your guest post on Tuesday. You can visit Anthony's blog and get to know him a little better for yourself.

4 comments:

Anthony Fox said...

thanks, Mel,
I hope readers enjoy what I have to say.

Anyway good luck!

Anthony

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I like the idea behind the iceberg theory.

Mel Chesley said...

Thanks so much for offering to guest post, Anthony!

And I agree, Alex. :D

Jamie Gibbs said...

Welcome, Anthony! I like Hemmingway's Iceberg theory; I'll have to read up a little more on that.