We introduce the authors of the 22nd ilb – with questions about writing, reading and unfinished reading. Here, Hana Tooke tells us, why Cafés are the best place to write for her.
Confession time: Which major classic have you started… but not finished?
Pretty much every Jane Austen book. Which is terrible, as I live in the city that she once lived in too!
The age-old question: hardback or paperback? And why?
Paperback – as I often drop books on my face while I’m reading, and paperback hurts less than hardback!
If an unpublished book was to be discovered by an author, which author would you want that to be?
JRR Tolkien – maybe an entire saga about Peregrine Took [aka Fool of a Took], as we share the surname/ nickname and who doesn’t want a whole book dedicated to a character with their name?!
The essential question: bookmarks or dog ears?
Dog ears, I’m afraid!
Which book is on your nightstand just now?
»The Whisperling«, by Hayley Hoskins.
Which is your favorite book store in the whole world?
Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, in Bath, where I live. I have been visiting them for over a decade with my son, and the booksellers there are so friendly and good at recommending books. Plus, it is such a beautiful shop with so many hidden wonders.
Who was your greatest discovery of the year so far? And why?
I’m very much enjoying Hayley Hoskin’s debut novel – it’s very well written, full of spookiness [which I love], and also set in the southwest of England where I live!
If you were allowed to read only one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
»His Dark Materials«, by Philip Pullman. I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of rereading that story!
Where do you prefer to write, and why?
In cafes, because it’s harder to leave my seat and get distracted by other activities when I’m sitting in a café. Other than supergluing myself to my desk chair, this is the best solution at keeping me sitting down for any length of time.
Do you read your own books after they’ve been published?
Nope! If I do, I start spotting things I would have rewritten. I’m a total perfectionist, and therefore my own biggest critic.
We look forward to welcoming Hana Tooke to this years’ international literature festival berlin in September. The events in connection with her book »The Unadoptables« are part of the section International Children’s and Young Adult Literature.