Interview with Cate Tiernan, author of BALEFIRE

A native of New Orleans, Cate Tiernan is the author of the young adult fantasy series, Sweep, Balefire and Immortal Beloved. She's here today to talk about her books, writing, inspiration and the challenges she faces as a writer, among other things.

Thanks for this interview, Cate. As a child, you used to explore cemeteries in New Orleans. Surely not the usual pastime for a child! What about cemeteries fascinated you?

Oh, is that not normal? Cemeteries in New Orleans are called “Cities of the Dead” because people are usually buried in little concrete mausoleums, aboveground. I loved looking at the family names and the dates—you could put together a whole story of who married whom, when they had kids, whether catastrophe hit their family. I still love looking at tombstones in any new city or country I’m in, the older, the better.

What was your inspiration for Balefire?

I wanted to set something in New Orleans, because I love the city and thought the setting would be evocative and mysterious. I was writing the fourth book of Balefire when Katrina hit, and I had to keep writing, describing the city as it would never be again. I sat there and cried—it was hard to finish that book.

Do you plot your novels in advance or do the stories and characters develop as you write?

Both. In general I work from an outline, but the outline is often a bit vague, just reminding me of certain elements I have to put in or develop. But I try to get the structure in place, so I can be sure to end up where I need to end up. But the characters and the book’s universe always develop more and more as I go, and become more real, and therefore more self-determining. I’ve been really surprised by some of the decisions some characters make.
Who is your favorite character in Balefire? Why?

I love the twins, of course, and it was their story I wanted to tell. But I developed a real fondness for Richard, even though he was abrasive and emotionally unavailable and calculating. I still love Riche.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing this novel?

Having to suddenly wrap up all the plot lines in book 4, when I hadn’t expected to. (And readers noticed, and weren’t thrilled about it.) With Sweep, it was planned to be only four books, but then it went going, and the story wasn’t necessarily structured to keep going. So I always feel like the books after #4 felt a little patchwork. So for Balefire, I set it all up to go on for 12 or 15 books, gave myself lots of characters and plot material to work with, but then it was decided to end it after four books, and I had to cram a lot into the last book, so it feels kind of clumsy and unfinished. Still kind of bummed about that, but those are the realities of publishing.

Did you keep a disciplined schedule? How long did it take you to write it?

I do work just about every day, and I do sit at my desk and try to make my page quota so I can turn in the manuscript on time. But it’s not like I work every day, 9 to 5, without fail. Sometimes I work at night or on the weekends, on vacations, etc., and sometimes I have to take a day off to deal with all the rest of my life. I don’t remember how long it took me to write. More than a year. Two years? Almost three?

Please share with my readers a bit about your road to publication. Was it easy or difficult?

It was weirdly easy, so I’m not a good role model of what to expect or how to go about it. I was an assistant at Random House, in the juvenile department, and so reading lots of kids’ books. I thought, “Oh, I could do this,” so I locked myself in my office for ten days at lunchtime and wrote a book, and submitted it to another publisher (I thought it would be tacky to submit it to RH; later I found out that they felt just the opposite). And they bought it and I revised it and then they bought my next three books. And from there I just made more connections and got other writing jobs. This method would not work in general, and I can’t recommend it.

What is your greatest challenge as an author?

Getting it done. My life is really full and busy and there’s always a million things that need doing. And I love thinking about the book and doing research—the actual writing, while it can be fun and is usually satisfying, is a bit more of an uphill slog sometimes. Not always. But I love it when I’m finished and happy with a book, and I feel proud of it.

What is the single most important tip of advice you’d give new writers?

Clarify for yourself what audience you’re writing for. Clarify for yourself what the message is that you’re trying to get across. Writing a book because it feeds your soul is often not enough, actually. Writing is communication: what are you trying to communicate, and why, and to whom? I guess that’s two tips. Third tip: everyone needs an editor. No one, no matter how genius of a writer, does not need editing. I’ve been lucky with my editors, and feel they’ve greatly enhanced my work.

What is the best writing advice you have ever received?

Don’t just put in everything cool you can think of because you like it—understand why you’re writing it, and make sure every sentence forwards the plot or character development and isn’t just a fabulous one-liner you’re dying to use. I do tend to overwrite. Still.

New Orleans is also the hometown of author Anne Rice. Are you her fan and have you ever had the opportunity to meet her?

I thought Interview With a Vampire was incredible—I’ve reread it several times. But I haven’t been able to get into any of her other books, though she has millions of fans and people have raved about her work. I’ve never met her.

I hear you have a new book coming out this fall, Immortal Beloved. Leave us with a little hook!

Immortal Beloved is the first book of a trilogy, and I’m having a great time with it. Love, love these characters and this story. I’ve previewed about ten pages on my website, but in a nutshell, it’s the story of an immortal, Nastasya, who has finally hit a wall, after 459 years. She can find nothing positive or of worth in her life, including herself. A desperate instinct for survival forces her to try to reclaim her life and her soul, rehabilitating all the beliefs and actions of her past. But is she even worth the effort it will take? Plus of course aching, unrequited love; a shocking, secret family legacy; much magick; stolen kisses; friends and enemies; and the painful exploration of a life that hasn’t seen light of day in four centuries. Whew! I love it.

[Via http://thedarkphantom.wordpress.com]

Stones on a Roll

“We’ve got a thing for the industrial old building vibe.”

Down a long dusty road in the far distance, blurred by the heat, two bare-footed siblings gradually traipse into focus. The sister slinks casually in her sundress and wide-brimmed hat, gazing at the sky; the brother hides shyly behind a beard, bearing the masculine, weather-worn skin of a beach bum. This is how one might visualise ANGUS & JULIA STONE; world weary, laden with burdens and emotional baggage but tempered by their uplifting globetrotting experiences.

In his travels, Angus Stone seems to have adopted a local town’s quirks for his solo project, Lady of the Sunshine, evidenced by the recording of the album, Smoking Gun, in a concrete silo. Once again, with Julia this time for their new album Down the Way, it seems that recording in a less than conventional space is par for the course. “We’ve got a thing for the industrial old building vibe,” he admits. “There’s a place called Golant; it’s on a river fort and the only way to get to the [sawmill] studio is by boat on mid-tide, or you walk along the railway track. You walk in a line and it’s a bit like Stand By Me. That studio had a lot of moments and you could feel its presence.”

Angus displays a chameleon-like approach to touring, which may stem from his willingness to engage in cultural and musical events, sharing, “I think it’s important for you, as someone that’s playing the songs and doing the shows, to voice that you want some time after or before [performing] to chill and get to know the place or the music that’s being played.”

This approach seems to have given the duo enough focus and experience to naturally produce a second ethereal work of art. Angus explains, “sometimes you’re so close [to the album’s songs] it’s blurred. I think when you’re that close it’s because you’re focussing on the songs individually. That’s good because you’re really looking hard at the songs and asking how they make you feel… when you go in and you haven’t focussed on how you’re going to work the song, it’s naïve and raw and there’s a lot of honesty that comes through from that.”

Following last year’s quiet release of Smoking Gun it’s rewarding to see that true to his chameleon form, the dynamic with Julia has only strengthened. As Angus puts it, “we write so much, Julia and I, that with Lady of the Sunshine I had a couple of bags of songs that suited certain styles… I was keeping them stored for myself. But I think with Julia and I, anything we do with writing is only going to help.”

Angus and Julia have certainly proven their worth in musical weight with a beautiful follow up release. While the recording of the video clip for Big Jet Plane commences and triple j frequently rotates Black Crow, it’s easy to see that the coming year will be another goodie for the Stones.

Angus & Julia Stone perform at the ANU Bar on Tuesday March 16. Tickets through Ticketek.

Author: Peter Rosewarne

Angus & Julia Stone – Silver Coin

[Via http://ahasbeenthatneverwas.com]

TeenHollywood - New Robert Pattinson Interview

Between Twilight films, gorgeous, hot actor Robert Pattinson tries to take on other roles that challenge him. No matter what the story is, he likes to play “intense” characters!

Now, in New York, Rob is telling us that his character Tyler, in the new romantic drama Remember Me, a volatile NYU student trying to cope with a family loss and reaching out to the daughter of the man responsible reflected his own need to grow up and mature. He admits he was “a bit of an idiot” when younger and his “actorly” swagger tended to make people want to beat him up!

Robert confides that he’s known a lot of troubled teens in his life and really seems to “get” it.

Rob’s leading lady, “Lost’s” Emilie de Ravin was very impressed with him saying that he brought “all these intricate details” to the role. She thought, “how do you come up with these things?” One of those “things” was literally beating himself up in frustration on camera.. but the moment was cut from the film.

Rob says he was thrilled to be out of his pale vampire make-up for a while but admits that all the crowds gathering in New York to see him shoot “drove me insane” for a while until he learned to just mentally block them out in order to focus on his character. When asked if he is worried about continually playing brooding, worried young men, he just kids that ‘maybe I am brooding and wounded’.

TeenHollywood: Was it refreshing to be in a film where you didn’t have to bite someone?

Rob Pattinson: Oh, I’ve bit people in this (laughs). No I didn’t. It’s different. I feel like I’m missing out on something. It’s nice. It’s kind of a relief especially not having all the make-up on. That was one of the main things.

TeenHollywood: What attracted you to the role of Tyler in this film?

Rob: I read it after the first Twilight film and I always kind of liked it. It was always in the back of my mind and the opportunity came up in between the second and third ones; only a small period of time so you can only do a certain type of movie. I was trying to remember all the little things that I’d read and that was kind of perfect.

It didn’t need any real prep time or anything and there was something different about it. It didn’t fit into a typical teen movie type of thing. I hadn’t really read a script like it and it seemed quite realistic and I found the character to be very accessible for me. I’d always really connected to it and I don’t really know why (laughs).

TeenHollywood: The character has anger issues and is tormented and has issues with his parents. Do you have any of these issues in your own life?

Rob: (laughs) Not really. But, at the same time, I connected especially to who they cast for the family around Tyler. I knew a lot of kids who were troubled teenagers and you meet their families and they’re all just saying ‘I don’t know what his problem is’. All of the families seem really nice and supportive around them and it’s this unknown.

You have this energy and you don’t know where to place it. I think the reason he has a problem with his father and not his mother is he knows his mother is not strong enough to take it. If he suddenly started attacking her, she’d just break and Charles, his father, is still a fighter so he’s always going to fight against him. But, I don’t think I have any particular problems myself in that respect.

TeenHollywood: The relationship between you and your little sister in the film, played by Ruby Jerins, seemed very natural. Can you talk about working with her and forging that relationship?

Rob: Yeah. She was amazing. Right from the first day, she was kind of completely at ease with me. I remember sitting around with Alan and Emilie and Ruby and we’re all talking about relationships and I asked her just to be kind of nice, ‘what do you think (your character) Caroline would think?’ And she said ‘well’ and went off on this whole diatribe about her character’s whole backstory and stuff and I thought ‘oh, okay. I won’t patronize you anymore at all’ (he laughs). But, she’s an amazing improviser as well and just seemed so completely at ease. She didn’t seem like an ‘actory’ kid either so I loved it. Anytime I was working with her, you just knew you didn’t have to worry about anything. I’d just kind of look at her and it was always interesting what she did.

TeenHollywood: You play an NYU student and the apartment and other locales seem very real. What did being in the actual places do for you performance-wise?

Rob: I always felt, if this is a typical NYU student’s apartment then (wow!) He’s living in the East Village in this really nice apartment, just a little bit messy, I always thought that was a little bit much. It looked like a million dollar apartment (to me).

But it did help. Before I went to New York, I thought it was going to be really easy and I could just hang out there and pick up on a lot of New Yorker’s mannerisms but it ended up being a more kind of circus than I thought it was going to be (laughs). But, yeah, it definitely was (helpful).

(It was helpful) especially shooting at NYU. I knew quite a few people who went there as well so that was easier and I think the script helped as well because you always see college movies and there is always like beer pong which is like ‘this can’t be real’. Maybe it is. I have no idea (laughing).

TeenHollywood: Was it hard to get in character with all the (fan) craziness around you in New York while filming?

Rob: Kind of. At the beginning it was. Then about halfway through, I just suddenly had an epiphany about it. I don’t know what happened, but it’s just learning to block things out. But at the beginning it was just driving me insane especially for a character who is lost and supposed to be looking for things all the time and you can’t look up because suddenly all the (camera) shutters accelerate and you can’t smile or behave normally but you’ve just got to be more disciplined about it.

TeenHollywood: What do you think if people say you remind them of classic Hollywood icon James Dean?

Rob: I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Do you? I mean that would be great. I don’t know if they will but I think James Dean was one of the most influential people on young guys, especially actors, definitely in the last fifty years I’m not ashamed to say, ‘yeah, I am very much influenced by him’.

TeenHollywood: This character does bear a few similarities to Edward Cullen. I wonder are you worried about being typecast as the brooding, wounded hero?

Rob: Maybe I just am brooding and wounded. I’m just realizing that. Nah, I’m not. You just take little steps. I’m always aware of how people are going to view things so you’ve kind of got to go halfway. If I did something playing a 400-pound woman people are probably going to judge it more harshly than other people who have been doing character parts for twenty years. Not in a calculated way but all of the projects I’m doing seem like little baby steps toward other things. The thing I’m doing now (Bel Ami) is completely different in some ways but, at the same time, it’s got a lot of intensity. It’s what I like in characters.

TeenHollywood: Do people judge your work differently after the Twilight films?

Rob: Yeah, I think people do judge things differently after the Twilight films. They view it differently but I mean there’s nothing you can really do about that. I do take that into account more now than I used to. Doing the Dali thing (Little Ashes), when I was doing it, I didn’t think anyone was ever going to see it. It’s a very different place to be at when you think you’re making a movie which nobody is going to see; you’re not afraid to experiment with things.

TeenHollywood: Do you feel that you were able to bring your all to this role in Remember Me?

Rob: I don’t know. I don’t know what my ‘all’ is. I always felt very connected to it right from the beginning when I first read the script.

TeenHollywood: How so? We’re dealing with random violence in this film. Was there something from your own past that you could bring?

Rob: No. It was more about the reactions after (the random violence). The way he dealt with random events. Little bits were cut out of it but I remember after the first fight with Chris Cooper’s character, his mother was saying ‘you need to sue the police force’ and I was like ‘for what?’ He doesn’t really care. ‘Well, at least, get an apology’ and I was like ‘I don’t think you can sue the police force for an apology’.

It was kind of this blasé attitude, even when it’s been him who’s been the one who is harmed. I always related to that. Looking back into the past and bearing grudges, I don’t really do that. The way that his violence comes out as well, it’s illogical. It’s not against really legitimate targets. I kind of relate to that. When you have a spasm of rage it goes, almost inevitably, to the complete wrong target and it causes you more problems. So, it’s better to keep it chained up all the time.

TeenHollywood: A lot of that anger goes against the dad character played by Pierce Brosnan. What was it like acting with him? And is your relationship wit your own dad, anything like that?

Rob: (laughs) I think my relationship with my dad is the opposite. With Pierce, the part was written as much more controlling. He was incredibly arrogant in the script. And, Pierce seems like a really nice guy and he read the character as ‘he’s not a horrible man. He’s not a monster’ and that completely changed what Tyler’s relationship is with him. You’re looking at a guy where you know the audience is going to be thinking ‘he’s all right’ which is kind of interesting.

This guy Tyler is rebelling against nothing. You’re only attacking because you know he can be attacked and he’s going to keep standing afterwards but Pierce was great. I had no idea who they weren’t going to cast in that part and when (they told me) I was like ‘that’s a tough act to follow’. But I think he was kind of perfect for it.

TeenHollywood: Did you enjoy your fight scenes; acting with fists not words?

Rob: Yeah. I loved it. It’s completely different. I never do stuff like that in reality so it’s quite like cathartic in a lot of ways.

TeenHollywood: Was it daunting working with Chris Cooper as Emilie’s character’s tough dad?

Rob: Yeah, I don’t know how I’d feel if I really had any fighting back to do. I was continually beaten up by him (laughs). But, yeah, it was quite daunting. It’s very hard being strangled. It’s really difficult to look like it’s actually happening because he was kind of doing it as well. If you’re just being strangled nothing really happens. You just kind of stand there. I was experimenting with myself just before we shot it. I don’t really know what the face is to represent being strangled.

TeenHollywood: Have you been in a fight before?

Rob: Well, I’ve been beaten up a few times. I was a bit of an idiot when I was younger. Always unprovoked, in my eyes anyway. It was just after I first started acting and I liked to behave like an actor and that generally provoked a lot of people into hitting me.

TeenHollywood: Were you hurt in that particular fight scene?

Rob: Oh no, not at all. The only thing that I hurt myself on was a bit they cut out of the movie where I kind of flipped out afterwards out of my own impotence in this fight. You walk into the big confrontation and end up getting completely destroyed by your competitor. I was hitting myself afterwards in a little spur of the moment thing which they cut out of the movie. I hit myself so hard, I was in so much pain for the rest of the shoot. It was the most stupid thing I’ve ever done (laughs).

TeenHollywood: When you go crazy in the school room it’s pretty intense too. The young actress opposite you looks scared.

Rob: There was one take of that they had to cut out because it looked like I’d not only be charged with vandalism but in jail for child abuse because I spun that desk around and it fell over and she just ran away out of the classroom (laughs) and I’m supposed to continue on with the scene and I’m like ‘oh my God, I’m actually going to get arrested for this’. It was great. She looked absolutely terrified afterwards which was quite fun.

TeenHollywood: Did you have any trouble with the New York Bronx accent?

Rob: I grew up watching American movies. I learned how to act, to whatever extent, by watching American movies way more than English ones so I kind of, in a lot of ways, feel more comfortable speaking in an American accent. It feels more real to me in a lot of ways.

TeenHollywood: In the Twilight saga you are working with a lot of younger actors. Other than Emilie, the actors in this film are a bit older. Is it different working with older actors?

Rob: Yeah. In a lot of ways, it’s different because when you’re working with young people it’s like you’re going on the journey together. Everything is fresh to you. Whereas if you’re working with experienced people, they’re much clearer about what they want to do or bring to the job right from the beginning which is really good in some ways. But, at the same time, they’re very willing. Chris and I were rewriting the scene when we fought each other during the lunch break just before. I never worked with anyone who is really tied down to what they want to do and that’s that. It’s really good either way.

Source

[Via http://twilightbritneyfan.com]

Why do we "diet" during Lent?

What exactly are we trying to accomplish during Great Lent? Is it simply to attend services and change our diet? Or are these a means to an end?

Of course, this question is as generic as it is important.  In recent weeks, there has been a wave of opinions in Russian-language internet publications (including Pravoslavie i mir) claiming that Great Lent should not be about food, that there is a higher purpose, that if you want to have oil, or fish, or milk–go right ahead, so long as you fulfil the spiritual obligations of Lent or at least do not quarrel with your neighbor…  Unfortunately, these articles are often read by people who do not fast anyway, and now have a reason not to even try to fast.  Fortunately, these “theologumena,” even when coming from respected Moscovite priests, are not likely to affect those people who are really trying to fast and have experienced the profound spiritual benefits of fasting.

We cannot but agree with the statement that Great Lent is not about dieting.  Indeed, the Church usually tells us what something is about right within its services.  During the Lenten period, we have the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, that of the Prodigal Son, the Forgiveness Sunday, the Sunday of Orthodoxy and one of St. Gregory Palamas, the Veneration of the Cross, the Sunday of St. John of the Ladder and of St. Mary of Egypt, Palm Sunday–nowhere do we see a Raw-Vegetable Sunday or a Pickles-and-Bread Sunday.  Dieting is certainly (at least, according to the Orthodox Church) not the point of Great Lent.

This, however, does not mean that the “dietary” part of Great Lent is not important.  If we think of the dietary part as a tool–a hammer, for example–then we can clearly say that the point of building something is not so one can have a chance to use his hammer.  The point of building is in a temple or a house or a shed, and in their final use.  In the same way, dietary restrictions are merely a tool, a “hammer,” but not the building.  But try pounding nails in with your bare hands!  Sure, some (very few) people can do this at a carnival, but most of us really need the hammer.  In the same way, I am certain that some people can build the temple of the Holy Spirit in their soul without any “dieting,” but most of us can really use this very effective tool…  And the Fathers seem to agree.

I prefer to think of fasting as an exercise.  Before winning a gold medal at the Olympics, an athlete does a lot of warm-ups, workouts, and–yes–proper eating–none of which is the goal in and of itself: it’s the medal that the athlete wants.  But without all of this training, he or she cannot hope to win anything at all!  Sure, it is the heavenly crowns that we all want, but if we are but slaves to our bellies, if we cannot even make the first step and instead desperately keep looking for excuses to please our gut–oil in glass bottles is somehow ”lenten,” and lobster tails are “lenten,” and who-knows-what-else is also “lenten”–can we truly hope to win anything other than a seat on a couch in front of the television set, watching others get the crowns as we munch on our chips and pop-corn?!  Nothing in this comment is meant to diminish the role of reason, pastoral guidance, and plain common sense.  But if you want that gold, you just have to get on those skis or skates and push youself… 

 

Orthodoxy and the World  http://www.pravmir.com/article_890.html

[Via http://frsergei.wordpress.com]

Pictures of Rob from The View

[Via http://robsten411.wordpress.com]

Meet @Granni_Annie

Name: Annie

Birthdate: November 11th

Nickname: Grannie Belle

Personal Bio: Flunked Bio in the 9th grade. My teacher was hot, though.

What brought you to Twitter & when was that?: I think it was in August ‘09…I don’t really remember…but I wanted to see what all the excitement was about,  so I signed on.  It was disappointing, it felt lame to post crap no one else would care to see.  When I got my first follower, it scared me.  I didn’t know that’s how it worked– so I deleted my account immediately.  My daughter talked me into trying it out again, and if I hadn’t found True Blood RP’s I wouldn’t have stayed. But I am a True Blood fanatic, and once I found @SookieBonTemps and everyone else, I became a Twitter junkie.  It was on Twitter that I found out about the Sookie books, and I read them all in about three weeks.

How did you choose your @ name?: I was always referring to myself as a “granny” anyway, and then one night… @VampireBill spoke to me *chills* I could actually almost hear his voice… and asked me if he could call me “Grannie” and it just sounded so right…and I was swooning…… um…back to the story…so I decided right then that I would change my @ name to Granni_Annie.

RavnVoice @VampireBill *sniff* please don’t cry honey….

VampireBill @RavnVoice Grannie Annie. May I call you that? *grins*

Granni_Annie ATTENTION: I have changed my username… formerly @RavnVoice is now @Granni_Annie! It’s still me, sweeties!!

Why is Bill your Vamp?: He’s kind, courteous, and a true gentleman. I just love that about him.  No matter how risque’ the conversation becomes, he never crosses the line and is never disrespectful to any of the ladies….  that turns me on more than any crotch shot of bonerpants, though I do appreciate the eye candy.  I’m very much like Bill in the sense that Sookie re-awakend him…Bill re-awakened something in me that I thought was all dried up and full of moths. *blushes*  It’s not all about the sex, either…it’s all in the delivery of the words, the look in his eyes…the body language.  *looking off in a daydream*  I wouldn’t mind one bit to have 3 pounds of graveyard dirt in my crack, lets put it that way!

Favorite Bill book/show quote: The look of awe in his face when he and Sookie first make love…when he realizes that he is her first…  I’m no good at quotes. I have a real bad memory in that department…but when Bill and Sookie split up and she goes with Eric…I hate to admit it, but I was glad…I never really felt like she deserved him.

Favorite Bill photo: I don’t have any photos of Bill, I usually look at yours, so pick one, any one–they’re all good!

Favorite character from the books/show aside from Bill: I adore Pam, she’s outspoken and her wit is so cutting you don’t even realize when she’s drawn blood.

Favorite @VampireBill moment: I love it when the Belles are all on at once with Bill, each one backing him into a corner almost…and all he can come up with is *ROARING LAUGHTER*  cause he knows he’s outnumbered.

What would you like to see happen on Twitter before season 3 of True Blood?: I really miss the skits. But mostly I just wish @VampireBill was on more often, and would call me “Granny” again…*sigh*

Who is your favorite @ character? Other than Bill, of course: @FangtasiaGinger she’s a hoot with her lucite high heels.  My favorite tweet of hers was “It’s FA-REEZIN’ !!”

Naturally, we needed a little girl picture of our Grannie Belle. Welcome Aboard!

[Via http://billsbelles.wordpress.com]

Interview with a friend

So this is my first interview for 2010 with my new black book! I like to keep it anonymous so I won’t tell you who it is with (don’t worry they said I could publish their answers on here), it’s just interesting to find out other points of view. Enjoy!

1. What would your first question be if you were to interview me?
A: Did you like that play I did in year 12?
Me: Yeah and I got a better mark than you!
A: Fuck you!

2. What would your first question be if you were to interview an Eskimo?
A: Do you run out of water?

3. What is your favourite book? Why?
A: Kings in Grass Castles. When I was little it was basically what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a farmer, but run the shit. Be the boss. unfortunately I turned out to be a city boy. Closely followed by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

4. Vegemite or Jam.
A. Vegemite – No question. A little bit of Vegemite, butter and cheese! I actually have a photo of one I made the other day.
Me: That’s terrible.
A: It was a competition I had with a girl… She won.

5. If you were going to write a song what would it be about.
A: I always write songs. I’ve always wanted to write 1 song, I think I’ve told you this. Keeping a mystery in a relationship, not knowing everything about a person from day one. That songs not going so well.

6. What troubles you the most?
A: Right now, or overall?
Me: Right now.
A: I just need to find a house (laughs). No I lie, actually number 1 problem, the girl I want to be with has a boyfriend.
Me: (Laughs) Ok let’s try for overall:
I really don’t have overall problem, I’m all about the moment. What’s yours?
Me: I’m bored. I don’t ever feel fulfilled in what I do.

7. What is more important. A question or an answer?
A: An answer. Call me Confucius! (laughs)
Me: But without a question there would be no need to answer!
A: Answers sometimes don’t come from questions

8.  When do you think you’ll be satisfied or feel complete fulfillment?
A: The day I complete my degree. It will be the most content I’ll ever be, I’ll be the happiest person in the world.

9. Eyes or lips? Face or body?
A: Eyes without a doubt. If a girl has green eyes. WOW! Sometimes you have to look for them. Do you have green eyes?
Me: Yeah. So Face or body?
A: Face – body, I don’t give a shit about as long as she’s not fat (laughs). I’m just a sucker for a cute face. I’m completely useless.

10. Knowledge is important but are you any wiser by reading newspapers and contemporary authors?
A: To a degree, you do gain some sort of knowledge but then you’re being fed what other people what you to know. Put it this way by reading Harry Potter – I now appreciate the little things.
Me: Why I ask this is because Einstein thought you weren’t, that it couldn’t promote original thought.
A: I guess what we have to do then is to define wise. No it probably wouldn’t promote original thought because there were guys hundreds of years ahead of us so they had the chance to discover and create theories, we now go off what they have proved. Back to Harry Potter. It’s a kids book. But its’ made me a more open person, it’s taught me lessons. It’s changed my perspective to a positive degree and that’s a good thing.

11. How to you practice belief/religion?
A: By being a good person, doing the right thing by people. I’m catholic and I haven’t been to church in three years. My i-phone is my religion. It’s a dream boat.

12. If you had to make an outfit how would you go about it and what would it look lie?
A: Ideal outfit? It would not be something I’m making! (laughs) If I had to make something… Have you seen the Last Samurai with Tom Cruise?
Me: Yeah
A: I’d be Tom Cruise with all that metal stuff. No-one would mess with me. Or an Avatar. I’d have to be capable.

13. What is your personal style?
A: Limited. I dare say I dress less casual than I should. I wear long sleeves everywhere I go. I wear long sleeves to the bathroom. I’m pretty generic, but I don’t gain solace by wearing original stuff or through showing my personality through my clothes. I just wear whatever will get me that brunette with green eyes.

14: Any last words?
A: I should say something profound here. But I’m not really a profound person. You’re looking very nice today.

Ends-

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