Author revealed -- Gavin Wilson

This week’s featured author in Author Revealed is Gavin Wilson. He’s a 38-year old geologist/engineer from Devon, UK and is probably best known as TheOrangutan on Wattpad.

Gavin has had quite some success with his short stories already, some have won competitions, have been featured on sites or have been shortlisted for writing awards! 

On Wattpad, Gavin has completed three full-length works; these include an Arthurian legend that’s now been Featured on Wattpad, a Horror Fanfic of Max Brooks’ masterful World War Z and a Spaghetti Western. 

His main genre consists of horror, paranormal but also sci-fi and historical fiction, and since recently, poetry too. 

At this moment, it is…Thursday morning, it’s wet and horrible but I’m sat in the office for a change with a nice fresh coffee before I start trying to finish off a presentation I have to give tomorrow.  

I am known for…Being orange, occasionally grumpy and offering to stick bananas in surprising places.

Tomorrow...never comes 

Instead of doing this, I should…be editing something probably or reading my work emails.

I am the best at…Doing anything other than editing

  

I envy the people who…have brains that work to order. Mine is a flighty and random wee beastie who seems to happily churn out ideas but in no coherent order. I call him Brian.

One of the quotes I love is...“Everybody is somebody else’s weirdo…” – although I suspect I’m most people’s weirdo 

I wish I were better at…Concentrating, yeah, that’s you Brian, buck up your ideas you great pile of grey sludge.

When I am old I…intend to be a disreputable, cantankerous, grumpy, fun loving, irreverent and probably irrelevant old barstard. I think I’m halfway there… 

I love…Food, drink and the company of friends and family, music and literature.

I don’t like…the bit where it’s time to go home 

I’d really want to…sit on the moon and look back at the giant green and blue marble that we all call home.  

I shouldn’t laugh at…the things I usually do laugh at.

One day I will…work out what the heck I’m trying to do.  

I have learned the hard way…to listen to people, some of them do actually know what the hell they’re on about and listening could’ve saved me a lot of wasted time and effort. Mind you I’d’ve had less fun sometimes.

I couldn’t live without…family, books and music 

When I look in the mirror…I see myself staring back at me; it’d be nice to see a change of scenery occasionally, although by shaving my facial hair into odd patterns it keeps things fresh

I will never…say never. Although I say ‘Um, maybe’ on occasions… 

I want to move to…the pub, rather than sitting here at my desk

If I were to create a perfect world, it would include...a distinct lack of people. We do seem to clutter things up a little. 

I love singing along to…virtually anything. I have a very broad taste in music, everything from Mozart to Metallica so if I know it, I’ll sing it. And my kids will tell me to shut up.

One book I recommend is…Only one? Ok. Anything by Terry Pratchett, the man’s a genius. The book isn’t called Anything, I just meant anything he’s written. If you see what I mean... 

I want to watch…The Northern Lights. Always wanted to see them, and it sounds like a good excuse to go to Iceland or Greenland.

I love life because…it brings love, food, friends, drink, family and other great things. 

I am terrified of…I’m not sure anything terrifies me. There are a few things that scare me to some extent, but it’s always good to try and confront things rather than run away from them. Perhaps I’ve yet to find my deepest fear…

My guilty pleasure is…Beer, red wine or whisky. That makes me sound like an alcoholic perhaps, but I do love a decent pint of ale, a nice glass of red or a decent malt whisky.

I also love a really good freshly ground black coffee… perhaps I ought to join Diuretics Anonymous. 

Sleep is… something that happens to other people. I have four young children who happily get up way too early for my tastes. The morning march of the cereal zombies is something that perhaps does terrify me.

 

I prefer…showers to baths, cool weather to hot, red wine to white, blue skies to cloud, a good book to TV

Sometimes I should…just go for a walk.

  

If I could go back in time…I’d like to give my Nan a big hug and say thank you for telling me that I could write. Let’s hope she was right.

My favourite holiday is...anywhere where my family or friends are.

  

Singing in the shower...is not something I tend to do. I save it for the car when the kids can’t escape…

Last time I stood in line…was yesterday when we were waiting to take the kids on a carousel at the local theme park type place. Wooden horses were not designed for two people. 

I don’t see myself writing…a pure Romance. There’s nothing wrong with romance at all and indeed I think many stories should have some thrown into the mix and I’ve done it myself. It’s just not a genre I’ve read much of, or am particularly attracted to. That said, I have read a few and enjoyed them, so never say never perhaps.

Up until recently I swore I’d never do poetry either but I rather enjoy it now. We’ll see…

My favourite word...Somnambulistic: for now. It used to be gusset. 

I would steal if…I wasn’t watching.

 

One day I will write a story that…manages to make me some money. I hope. I’m not talking about mega-bucks, just something that could perhaps buy the kids a decent holiday or that I could take the missus out for a meal to apologise for the constant typing…

The smell of…bitumen is lovely, but not as nice as fried bacon. Mmm…. bacon…

  

A song I could keep listening to is…anything really. I love music and as long as I like it I listen to it. Why restrict myself to just one =]

When I watch TV…my brain tends to go for a wander and do its own thing, occasionally coming back from its brief little bimble with something interesting that might or might not develop into a story.

My motto in life is no other than…ask for the menu, it’s always nice to have a choice.


--> You can find (some) of Gavin's work here: http://www.wattpad.com/user/TheOrangutan