We're joining a fabulous blog tour to celebrate a local author now, awesome Nicki Thornton whose brilliant Seth Seppi Mysteries are available from Chicken House Books, including C's favourite to date - the superb Book Of The Week-winning "The Cut-Throat Cafe".
We've cooked up a series of 10 "This or That" questions to tax Nicki's amazing brain, so here without further ado are our questions and Nicki's answers. Take it away Nicki!
Cats or Dogs?
Oh start with a tough one why not! There is a widely held belief that you do have to be more one or the other, but I would like to say I have met many dogs I have loved; many smart pooches, many soppy-but-lovely ones. And some real monsters I would cross the street to avoid. And it is the same with cats. I should like to make a plea that I be allowed to make a judgment on each individual.
Magicians or Sorcerors?
As you probably know from the fact that I make up words in my books, I am quite interested in words and their origins. There are many different ways of referring to magical folk. Did you know ‘wizard’ probably relates to being wise (as in the middle ages, philosophy and the ability to see into the future and magic, were pretty blurred).
The words magician and sorcerer are pretty interchangeable, but I generally use ‘sorcerer’ as just about the only difference I can ever find is that ‘magician’ can refer to someone using sleight of hand or tricks. (That’s more information that you really wanted, isn’t it?)
Cakes or Biscuits?
If you were to ask my family this question they would instantly tell you that I am ‘very strange’ because I really don’t have a sweet tooth so I don’t go mad for either. Worse, when I make my own I cut down the sugar. Any pudding that doesn’t taste particularly sweet in our house gets referred to as a ‘mum pudding’ and the rest of my family avoid these. Most shop-bought biscuits I can taste little except sugar (nasty). So I would go for the cake, but would quite probably remove that nasty layer of icing. Yep – strange, I have been told!
Would you rather run a cosy cafe or a busy bookshop?
This is a very easy one for me. My preference for books over cake is very high. I can spend all day talking about books, even ones I don’t personally like. Whereas I tend to look at anyone with a piece of cake and just think ‘why are you eating that?’ It is no surprise that I was actually a bookseller for many years. I have never had a great deal of success selling cake.
Seaside or Countryside for a holiday?
Too too tough. I am lucky enough to live somewhere we can get out into the countryside quite easily, so for holidays we tend to head for somewhere with big waves.
Enid Blyton or J.K. Rowling?
I spent many hours as a child enjoying the company of Enid Blyton. She was kind of a one-woman industry for years. I hadn’t re-read any since my childhood I was pleased that when I read my favourite series of hers (the five find-outers) to my children, they did love them too. Funny, with great, yet simple puzzles.
Before Harry Potter were there even any specialist children’s publishers? Or specialist agents exclusively for children’s books? Did any children’s books ever get reviewed? JK Rowling kind of single-handedly revolutionised an entire industry, and one where I now earn my living. I am a huge fan of JK Rowling.
I also totally love Harry Potter and a self-confessed nerd, so don’t get me started on just how much I love those books. (Ask me a HP question, go on, anything . . .)
Brown Sauce or Tomato Ketchup on a Bacon Butty, Hotdog or Burger?
Easy one – you can keep all of it. I am vegetarian and although I would eat a veggie burger I would not put brown or red sauce on it (‘why are you eating that?’
Chocolate or Cheese?
I have nothing particularly against chocolate. It’s just that I love cheese. Cheese is my idea of pudding heaven. Chocolate is ok as long as it is not sweet. The plainer the better. Sorry cream eggs, you are the worst offenders in the ‘Why are you eating that?’ of the chocolate world
Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn?
Tricky, tricky. One of the things I most love about the UK is the seasons. I like the UK weather, I really do. I love watching how things change and nature comes around. I like rain. The only thing I get fed up with is when anything goes on too long withoutchanging, so even I will grumble if it is still cold and rainy by May, but apart from that, you can’t really have any of them without the others, so I am going to choose them all. Greedy, I know!
Mary Poppins or Nanny McPhee.
You have caught me out on this one! You have picked two books I have somehow passed on. I have not even watched the Nanny McPhee film. So a poor show from me on your final question. Apologies (Nanny McPhee, based on Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books, right?) I have seen the Julie Andrews Mary Poppins film, but I’m pretty sure that wasn’t entirely faithful to the book so possibly not fair to judge on that. Must now go and read Mary Poppins, I have heard it’s very good and that there are even several books.
Our huge thanks to Nicki for answering such tricky questions with aplomb! Check out Nicki's fabulous books including "The Cut-Throat Cafe", all available now from Chicken House Books and do check out the rest of the awesome stops on this blog tour - see below!
