Author Interview: Claire Buss

Today we are going to be talking to fellow author and deputy editor for Write On! magazine, Claire Buss. If you haven’t heard of her and her extensive collection of written works, go and check her out right now! In fact, check out The Rose Thief and The Interspecies Poker Tournament.

Writing Related:

1. When did you know writing was what you wanted to do?

I’ve always enjoyed writing stories ever since I was little. I remember writing a story called Santa Claws and I couldn’t understand why my parents laughed so much – there was no cat in the story… lol. I didn’t write for a long time due to various life events, but it was after the birth of my son that I saw a poster advertising a writing workshop at my local library. I decided to go for it, that was in 2015 and I haven’t looked back.

2. Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

I get inspiration from all over the place – random ideas that pop into my head, watching TV shows and movies, reading, people watching and odd dreams lol. I have a notepad app on my phone for jotting these down and I periodically round them all up and see whether any story ideas appear. Keep everything!

3. Tell us a little bit about your next project (or current project).

I am almost finished with the first draft of The Silk Thief. This is my second humorous fantasy novel set in Roshaven and following a team of Thief Catchers and follows on after The Rose Thief. It’s very much in the same vein as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld.

4. If your favorite character came into our world, who would it be and where would you take them to dinner?

Oh wow, that’s a tough question. I recently read The Little Paris Bookshop and the main character Jean Perdu is so lovely, I would love to have dinner with him on his canal boat in rural France.

5. If you had to give up either snacks and drinks during writing sessions, or music, which would you find more difficult to say goodbye to?

At the moment I am writing whilst listening to movie soundtracks so I’d have to say goodbye to snacks and drinks. But it’s only temporary, right? Not forever… because snacks and drinks is vital for editing and that is coming up.

6. Which is your favorite season to write in, and why?

I love all the seasons although I often get sad when one moves into the other but there are so many great things in each, you can’t stay sad for long. I go through cycles of writing, sometimes I write thousands of words a day, other times I can’t write anything at all.

7. If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?

New Zealand. I didn’t even have to think about that answer.

8. Do you feel like it’s most important to have A) Strong characters B) Mind-blowing Plot twists or C) Epic settings?

Strong characters drive great plots and if the characters are awesome, you don’t care so much about the setting, that’s like icing on top of a yummy cake.

9. Do you feel like you’d be a better writer if you wore sparkly socks during your writing sessions?

Haha – well now I do. Where can I get some?

10. What is the funniest typo you’ve ever written?

Um… I have typos all the time. I’ll be sure to let you know about the next amusing one.

Non-Writing Related:

1. You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be and why?

Purple, which is weird because that’s the colour that popped into my head reading your question, yet my favourite colour is yellow. Oh brain, how I love you.

2. What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?

Well, I don’t have a car so that’s my first obstacle and I have two small kids so even if I did have a car, I’d never be alone in it lol.

3. What’s your favorite ’90s jam?

Hmm I always loved the NOW That’s What I Call Music CD compilations so it would be a mix of everything. I’ve always had a very eclectic taste in music.

4. How many times does it take for you to listen to a song that you love before you actually hate it instead?

I don’t think that’s ever happened. I tend to move on to a new obsession musically.

5. If you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island, but all your human needs—such as food and water—were taken care of, what two items would you want to have with you?

My kindle, it has over 2000 books on it and of course I would make sure there was some kind of solar powered battery option. Although at first the idea of being alone on a desert island sounds wonderful, I am sure I would miss my husband and kids horribly so I’ll take my family with me as my second choice.

6. Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?

OMG I love that question. A giant duck is pretty scary and a very small horse would be so cute however all those hooves… I think I could run away from a giant duck. Maybe.

7. If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I am currently loving my ring tone, Back in Black by AC/DC. I could live with walking into a room to that for the rest of my life.

8. If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you and why?

Hmm… Emma Stone would be very cool. She seems kinda down to earth and has that naturally sunny disposition I strive towards.

9. If you were to trade places someone else for one month, living or dead, famous or not, fictional or real, whom would you like that person to be?

I’d trade places with my mum. She lost both her legs and is wheelchair bound so I’d love her to have the opportunity to walk, run and play with her grandkids.

10. If you could pick one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why?

More than I care to admit. 😉 One food for the rest of my life?? These questions are so hard. Fruit. Potentially lame answer but there’s lots of variety and I nearly every kind of fruit, except for melon. I don’t think I could eat the exact same thing over and over again, forever.

About the author

Claire is a multi-genre author and poet. She wanted to be Lois Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening. Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition in 2015 setting her writing career in motion.

Claire is also Deputy Editor for Write On! magazine.