What genre would you
say your novels fall into, or do they defy classification?
I’ve never really been particularly comfortable with
pigeonholing novels into genres, but Zeus of Ithome is undoubtedly a historical novel – it weaves the lives of
fictional (and some real) characters around events that actually took place. It certainly won’t be my last historical
novel, but I don’t see myself as writing only historical fiction – indeed, the
one I’m writing now (see below) is quite different, and rather difficult to
classify.
What made you choose
that genre?
Well, it really chose me!
I knew a little about the ancient Messenians, and had never given them
very much thought, but when I learned more about their long struggle to retain
their identity and regain their freedom through centuries of domination by
Sparta, it struck me that their story was just crying out to be told.
How long does it take
you to write a book?
It varies, but I would say on average about a year.
What is your work
schedule like when you're writing?
I like to set aside days for writing and on those days I aim
to produce a minimum of 1000 words of reasonable quality text that fits within
the rough plan I have for the book (I always work to a plan, though it may
change in the writing). I usually manage
more than that, though I am not one of those people who can produce thousands
of words in a day. As for how many
writing days I get in a week, that depends upon what else I have to do at the
same time. Not as many as I would like,
at the moment! As well as fiction, I
write poetry and academic non-fiction, and teach part time at Leeds University,
so I have to divide up my time.
Where do you get your
ideas for your books?
There is no single source – sometimes they just pop into my
head, but in the case of Zeus of Ithome, the idea came to me after reading
a history book – ironically, a book about the Spartans (very much the bad guys
in this book).
When did you write
your first book and how old were you?
I wrote my first (unpublished) novel in about 1986, when I
was 26.
What do you like to
do when you're not writing?
I love to play music – guitar and a bit of piano. I have been in bands in the past, though
these days I mostly play solo acoustic guitar (and some electric) at open mic
nights and the like. I have fourteen
guitars! I also like hill walking, when
I get the chance, and, of course, general relaxing with my family.
What was one of the
most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
The historical events that take place at the end of Zeus of Ithome came as a surprise to me
when I first read about them – but perhaps I shouldn’t reveal them, for the
sake of readers who would rather not know in advance.
How many books have
you written?
I have had two books published so far, and have also written
two other novels, as yet unpublished, though I may revisit them at some
point.
Which is your
favourite and why?
I think Zeus of Ithome
is my favourite, because it was a joy to write, from start to finish: it seemed
almost to write itself, and the end result lived up to what I wanted to
achieve. The others were more of a
struggle – though it was very satisfying when my first published book, Knowing What is Good for You (an
academic book about the philosophy of well-being), came out.
As a child, what did
you want to do when you grew up?
Honestly, I wanted to be a writer – or possibly a
musician. Looking back, perhaps I
shouldn’t have let myself get side-tracked by the conventional career path
everyone expected me to take. But better
late than never!
What are you working
on now?
It’s a novel about an ageing (fictional) Latin American
dictator. It follows the progress of an attempted
coup by one of his subordinates, interspersed with reminiscences from his
estranged wife about how he came to power and gradually turned from an idealist
into a despot.
Bio
Tim ‘T.E.’ Taylor was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1960 and now
lives in Meltham, near Huddersfield, with his wife Rosa and daughter Helen.
As well as fiction, Tim writes poetry, which he often
performs on local radio and at open mic nights (where he also plays the
guitar). He is chairperson of Holmfirth
Writers’ Group and a member of Colne Valley Writers’ Group. He also likes walking up hills.
Website and blog: http://timetaylor.wix.com/tetaylor
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/T-E-Taylor/e/B00GAY4QDW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tim.taylor.33886
Twitter address is @timetaylor1
Published books:
Zeus of Ithome:
Crooked Cat 2013
Knowing What is Good
for You: A theory of Prudential Value and Well-being: Palgrave Macmillan
2012
Critique Service for Writers
Flash 500 Home Page: Flash Fiction, Humour Verse
and Novel Opening Chapter and Synopsis Competitions
