FAQs about the Worlds Apart fantasy story

You say you wrote the Worlds Apart duology over several decades. Why did it take so long to write the two science fantasy books, Outcast and Havoc?

Good question. I started writing Worlds Apart in my twenties as I embarked on my professional career – firstly in advertising and marketing, then branching into communications and sustainability. While being a welcome and addictive distraction, writing fantasy took a back seat to the job that brought home the bacon. Nowadays, I can be braver and focus more on the fun stuff. Another reason they took so long is that my style of writing has developed over the years. This means that whenever I returned to the manuscript (there was usually a several-year gap in between), I ended up totally rewriting the story, always adding to the plot and characters. Nowadays, with hopefully a more mature style of writing, I tend to feel comfortable with the results more quickly than before (though this could of course be complacency or laziness kicking in).

The books alternate between Luke’s first-person narrative in our world and Sye’s third-person story in his world. Isn’t this confusing for the reader?

I don't believe so. Sye’s story accounts for about 90% of the content. Luke’s first-person commentary is mostly at the beginning of the Outcast and Havoc books and at the beginning of each chapter (or session, as it is called in the books). When Luke talks in our world, the text is normally in italic. Sye’s story is plain text. Hopefully, this minimises any confusion. Of course, as the worlds start to collide in the minds of our characters, there is slightly more interchange but by that time, the reader should be more than comfortable with the concept of the story happening in two places.

Why did you choose to use British spelling?

I made many choices when it came to the use of language e.g. use of contractions by Luke in our world but not in Sye’s world, and some decisions may irritate people. I am British and since the relationship between Luke and Sye takes place in England, it made sense to use British spelling. Furthermore, I like to think that British spelling gives a sort of mysterious, antiquated feel to any  epic fantasy, which can’t hurt. The main thing is that spelling and all other choices are consistent and I’ve gone to considerable lengths to try to enforce that in the Worlds Apart books.

Is there some of you in Luke? Or some of you in Sye? Which one do you identify with more? Is the female villain - Salm - based on a particular person? Are other characters based on real people?

The short answer to those questions is yes and no.

FAQs about the Wonderland books

Why was the first book you published Alice Falls Again?

Although there’s little I relish more than getting lost in the depths of a good fantasy book (Stephen Donaldson’s The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant being my all-time favourite), the fantasy creations of Lewis Carroll and CS Lewis have always retained a special place in my heart. So when I reached the stage where my “grown-up job” gave me the chance to spend more time on my own storytelling, I decided that Alice Falls Again would be my first novel to reach the finishing line. It was relatively easy to put the Alice book to bed, compared to the far more complex plot and characters of the Worlds Apart duology.

Are the Wonderland books just another Alice imitation?

No. And I’m sure that becomes evident quite soon into the book. From the outset, I wanted to respect the linear journey, word-play and quirkiness of the original Alice books but I also wanted to make it clear this wasn’t a copy. Alice Falls Again has its own characters and settings, the sinister back stories to common nursery rhymes and subtle links to challenges and injustices we face in today’s society. After that, and giving Alice a gentle nudge into the river, the characters pretty much decided what happened next.

There are of course several nods to Lewis Carroll’s epic works, among them, the underlying twisted fantasy and a healthy dose of word-play in the dialogue. And no prizes for spotting that the main character is Alice, who during her journey has to confront some ongoing changes in her own character. The Cheshire Cat is also sometimes present (well, parts of him) but other characters are new. Once upon a Wonderland uses a similar approach but with the not commonly known sinister backstories to well-known fairy tales.

What makes the Wonderland books different from other Alice sequels?

When researching other books written about Alice's return to Wonderland, I was struck by how very different they were from my own ideas about what might happen to Alice and how she would cope, if she returned to Wonderland. Therefore, I like to think that Alice Falls Again and Once upon  Wonderland take a fresh approach. First of all, Alice is older, so the events and dialogue reflect that change, while still maintaining a playful and surreal quality. Another strong element is that events and characters are driven by the dark history behind our favourite nursery rhymes. In my version of dystopian Wonderland, menace and goodwill are not always what they seem and Alice needs to learn a thing or two about herself and the nature of her own world along the way.

Are the Wonderland books for children or adults?

I would say any adult or young adult who likes fantasy and word-play, sprinkled with sarcasm, would enjoy Alice Falls Again and Once Upon a Wonderland. As would anyone who was enthralled by the original Wonderland books or remembers childhood nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Imagine David Lynch has teamed up with Roald Dahl to write a new chapter in the life of Alice (I wish).