The Lowdown with... Adam Chillman

Adam Chillman. We think he's the one on the left.

Today's Lowdown is with GAME OVER contributor Adam Chillman. Adam is a proud husband and dad who, when he finds time between work and toddlers, occasionally writes Twitter fiction and even more occasionally writes short stories. He eventually intends to occasionally write a novel. He can normally be located somewhere in the middle of England, or in his own world plotting stories in his head. He has a slight coffee addiction. He Tweets here and has a website there. 

1. Tell us three things about yourself.

Right, ok, so three things. That should be easy really... I mean,  I'm thirty-one so I'm sure I have three interesting facts I can pull from three decades of experience. Wait,  does my age count? No, I have better. Honestly. I am a working father with two outgoing, lovely toddlers and an equally lovely, supportive, wife who are the driving force behind everything I do. That's one, see, this isn't that hard. Right, whats next? My eldest reliably informs me it is two.

I hate writing about myself. Seriously, give me any kind of fiction brief and I will, whether or not it ends up readable, happily attempt to write anything about anything. Ask me for something as basic as three things about myself and I start rambling more than the local walking group (they are very active). You may be wondering then why I agreed to an interview, which, by its very nature is going to entail a certain amount of talking about myself. One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was that pushing yourself to do things which you aren't confident at is the only way to become confident at them. Failing just means you've tried to do something.

And three. I have an awful sweet tooth...  Well my wife thinks it is awful, I rather enjoy it.

2. What was the first thing you had published?

Everything I have read told me not to admit this, but, between us, this is my first publication. I hope it leads to more because it has been so much fun, despite the huge doses of imposter syndrome I keep feeling when I look at the amazing authors I have been lucky enough to be included in a book with. Seriously, wait till you read their stories...

3. Which piece of writing are you proudest of?

So I guess that would make my story for Game Over the piece of writing I am proudest of, as it is the first thing I have written that people actually, apparently, want to read... Or at least Jonathon did, and I hope you do!

4. .…and which makes you cringe?

My current long term project. Constantly. Which is admittedly normal for me early on in working a story out... And pretty much throughout. I'm told self doubt is only unhealthy if it stops you doing something though, so i'm going to have some serious cringe lines by the time I'm finished.

5. What’s a normal writing day like?

Wait? People write during the day? Feel free to tweet any advice on how you manage that to @chilliswriting. My wife and I both work full time around looking after our boys so writing for me only really happens between 9 at night and 1am. Unless it's nursery day, and our youngest is asleep!

6. Which piece of writing should someone who’s never read you before pick up first?

There is a quote from Fran Lebowitz, "I write so slowly that I could write in my own blood without hurting myself". That's probably useful to know. Also, for a variety of reasons, a book that is always in the back of my mind when I'm writing is Night Mare by Piers Anthony. For me it is as perfect an example of story telling as you will find anywhere in literature, and suitable for any age. Plus full of amazing puns.

7. What are you working on now? 

Aside from my first attempt at a... Probably novella... I am working on three short stories for my currently empty website, which have been floating around my head for a while, scratching at the gate to be let out. One is currently presented as a research article, unless the cringing wins over and I rewrite it.  The second a short form horror inspired by Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights' for a presently non-existent section of my site. And the third is currently just scribbles from a dream, and needs more time for research than I have at present! Thank you for putting up with my ramblings, and hope you enjoy my story.