The Very British Blog Tour

Welcome to my latest blog. I am mixing it up again this week with an interview tagged to me by Alice Huskisson – see her blog here.

Q. Where were you born and where do you live at the moment?

A. I was born in the Fenland market town of Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, very close to the Norfolk and Lincolnshire boarders. I live in Wisbech but spend a lot of time travelling, especially in the Baltics and most particularly Lithuania.

Q. Have you always lived and worked in Britain or are you based elsewhere at the moment?

A. Whoops, I seem to have answered this question with my previous answer!

Q. Which is your favourite part of Britain?

A. Very hard to answer! I love Norfolk for so many reasons and have deep roots there. My maternal grandmother was born in the King William pub in Sedgeford and her father was the signalman at Wolferton station. My daughter lives in Kings Lynn and as a child I spent almost every summer weekend in Heacham and Hunstanton. When I left school I spent two wonderful years living and working in the village of Reepham, near Norwich.

So if pushed, I would say Norfolk, but there are so very many other places of note – Not least the Peak District, the New Forest and I have always loved Blackpool!

Q. Have you ‘highlighted’ or ‘showcased’ any particular part of Britain in your books? For example, a town or city; a county, a monument or some well-known place or event?

A. Yes, actually all of the above feature in my book “Me, My world and I” and I am currently writing a travel book “Postcards” which gives mention to a number of other locations besides.

Q. There is an illusion – or myth if you wish – about British people that I would like you to discuss. Many see the ‘Brits’ as ‘stiff upper lip’. Is that correct?

A. I don’t think so! But I do think that British people are respected for their manners and known for a make do and mend (never say die) bull dog spirit. Spending a lot of time abroad I find I am able to make comparisons and for sure, us Brits are certainly different!

Q. Do any of the characters in your books carry the ‘stiff upper lip’? Or are they all ‘British Bulldog’ and unique in their own way?

A. Well my books thus far have not been fiction and thus do not have characters but my works often reflect the nature of life in Britain and the people who live there.

That all said, my coming new book with Maree Ward Russell, Lion Hearts, does have a number of characters that might be described as being the epitome of the bull dog spirit. But you will have to wait and see!

Q. Tell us about one of your recent books

A. I currently have only one published title, “Me, My World and I”, which is sort of a biography on life through the eyes of Joe average. There are 50 chapters, each with one poem, one photo and two pages of prose.

The book was written over a year and captures everything from debate on all matters controversial, to my struggle with mid life. I look backwards, forwards and sideways in hope of finding a way through while holding nothing back.

My hope is that people reading the book will be able to associate with at least some of the chapters, and so far from the reviews and feedback I have seen, this is indeed the case.

Q. What are you currently working on?

A. Well I am working on so many things at the moment I sometimes have to use both hands to count. I have two titles out later this year, my travel book, “Postcards” and “Memento” which is a compilation of my blogged essays along with a number written specifically for the book.

Extensive work is also underway, in preparation of Lion Hearts, my collaborative adventure with popular novelist Maree Ward Russell. Work officially begins in August but we already have reams of historical research, a back story and no less than 16 published supporting essays.

In addition I am working on a collaborative project, “Black & White”, with my friend – poet and author, Kelvin Fowler. This is a poetry book with each chapter consisting of a subject turned to verse and contrasted through our very different styles. This title is for release some time in 2014.

Q. How do you spend your leisure time?

A. What little I get is usually spent reading, listening to music and watching DVD’s. In the summer I like to play football (though my body is really starting to protest quite loudly about this) and am also a keen angler.

I like to spend time with friends and love to cook, especially Italian, Indian and British cuisine. In more recent times though, I like nothing more than a Sunday afternoon of quiet, a glass of brandy and some poetry.

Q. Do you write for a local audience or a global audience?

A. I write for anybody who would find a connection with my words. I write from my heart and am a part of the lines, their rhythm, as my heart beat, their phrase, my thoughts.

Q. Can you provide links to your work?

A. There are a few!
My official Website click here
My blog click here
The home page for my current book click here
The Lion Hearts Fan Page click here
My Facebook page click here
Goodreads click here

Im also on Twitter here: @authorAVBarber

Please leave comments, ask questions etc…

The tour was started by Paul Anthony – see his blog here! If you are a British writer or poet and would like to be tagged and take part in this tour, please leave me a comment and I will send you all the required details.