Sj Heckscher-Marquis interview

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Dorking and raised in Leatherhead, both towns in Surrey, England.

What was it that first got you into writing and when did you start writing?

I started writing at school. I wanted to be a journalist, but what with one thing or another, it didn't happen. I then rather left writing alone for a while. The thing that really brought me back into writing, was fanfiction. I've been writing it for about the last twelve years or so. I know a lot of people frown on it, and it is true that an awful lot of it is appallingly badly written, but it's an excellent training ground. I've met a lot of people through my fan stories, some of whom are interested enough in my writing to follow my original work.

Which writers have influenced you the most?

I am very, very wary of "influence". It has a lot to answer for. Fantasy went through a very bad patch as a genre due to people trying to emulate Tolkien. It didn't work. Then along came Terry Pratchett and fantasy was rather wrested back onto the rails again. If I'm influenced by anyone, it's the story tellers. Alastair Maclean, Dan Brown, Clive Cussler and Raymond Chandler. Galloping good yarns that tell a story fast, easy to get into...

What kind of things do you write?

I write romantic comedies for fun, romantic thrillers with a twist and my dark and dirty erotic romances for the thrill of it. Romance of a kind does play quite a big part in my work.

What are you working on now?

An erotic thriller for a fic challenge, a short story for a competition, and two full length novels which I want to put through to publishers at some point.

What is your writing day like?

Hectic. At present I have my 81 year old mother and my pets to factor into the equation.

What’s the most exciting thing about writing for you?

The words. I can lose myself in the images they create without the slightest difficulty for hours on end.

What’s the most frustrating thing about writing for you?

Peace and quiet. Or lack of it.

What’s the best piece of feedback that you’ve had from your audience?

For a fanfiction story that is still ongoing. A young woman wrote to me about a part of the story concerning self harm. She felt moved by my story, that I'd captured the feelings exactly the way she felt about her problems, and that it helped her to see that she was not alone. If I never sell a book, that one comment alone will have made it all worthwhile.

Do you write for a particular audience, or is your first priority to satisfy your own creativity?

I write to amuse my friends. If it isn't fun, and doesn't make someone smile or laugh or feel moved, it wasn't worth the writing.

Do you have a homepage? Do you have any short stories or poems published online? (If so, please provide the URLs):

http://mock-ing-bird.blogspot.com

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