About Wallace Briggs:
Wallace Briggs (1943 – present). Happily married to Pat, who I first met at the age of eleven for over 50 years
My formative years were experienced in and around Durham never living more than 5ml distance from the Cathedral. At Durham Johnston Grammar School, I was a part of the first year's 1954 intake into the new and expanded school. Married in 1964, Pat and I spent many happy years in the North East before employment almost took us off to emigrate to Jo'berg, South Africa but plans were changed in the final weeks and instead the company moved me to Sussex.
After more than twenty years in Sussex, then Hampshire, employment was again responsible for the move to beautiful rural Lancashire, where we still reside. I am now retired from a long career in sales and marketing of technical products in the UK and international markets.
Following many years of trying to publish my stories I have at last had my first children’s story, “The Magical Adventures of Jimmy Crikey”, published by Blossom Spring Publishing of York. (see blossomspringpublishing.com)
Jimmy Crikey was born one rainy day, many years ago, during a family holiday in Great Yarmouth, to entertain my son and his new-found friends for an hour or so. The story expanded over the following damp afternoons in the cramped confines of a beach tent, and more and more adventures were required to keep the children entertained.
I am looking forward to sharing the adventures of Jimmy Crikey with a wider audience in the hope that they will bring a sense of wonder and enjoyment to another generation.
What inspires you to write?
The wonderment on the face of children obviously enjoying my stories is all the inspiration I need.
Tell us about your writing process.
I pick up a pen (or open a file on the laptop) and go where the mind takes me. Sometimes it goes nowhere and other times my fingers cannot keep pace with the flow of the story. I rarely know what direction the plot will take.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I try hard to listen to what the character says, not to put my words in his/her mouth.
What advice would you give other writers?
I don't feel qualified to advise other writers – other than to develop a thick skin and never stop trying. There are mountains to scale before you can reach the promised land. You may never reach it but there's some fantastic scenery to take in on the way.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I don't know what the mathematics is but I guess only 1 in 100,000, or even 200,000, eventually find a mainstream publisher. But I am still trying to find one because it makes a terrific difference to have a profession editing, marketing, distribution team. In the meanwhile self-publishing (Amazon/Create Space) is a good alternative, but, unless you buy the expertise, the self-marketing promotion is time-consuming and hard work. I had limited success with a hybrid (WEB based) publisher but there is still a great reliance on self-promotion.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the future of the printed page is safe – for a while longer. There is, however, a younger population growing up with a tablet attached to their hands from a very early age. To have access to an enormous library carried in your back pocket is not my idea of heaven but it may become the norm within one lifetime.
What do you use?: Professional Cover Designer
What genres do you write?: Children's and YA
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Wallace Briggs Home Page Link
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
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