Mike Gayle

Mike Gayle was born in Birmingham and is the author of nine novels. His first book was “My Legenday Girlfriend” about Will Kelly, an English teacher who is still in love with The One but is now searching for Another One.

Before becoming an author, he worked for various magazines including “Just Seventeen” (I loved that magazine) and “Tank Girl”

His latest book “The Stag and Hen Weekend” and it has received a lot of attention as it has two covers and can be read from either the front to the back or the back to the front, as the story is told through the perspective of the main characters Phil and Helen, who have gone off on their stag/hen parties before they commit their lives to one another. “The Stag and Hen Weekend” is released on February 2nd.

1. Mike, to those who aren’t familiar with you or your writing, can you tell is a bit about yourself and how you got into writing?
   Hi, I’m Mike Gayle, and I’m the author of nine relationship fiction type books and one work of non-fiction. I started out my career as an agony uncle for the teenage girl’s magazine Bliss but had always wanted to write a novel so that’s exactly what I did.
2. What was the first story you ever wrote and what was it about?
   The first novel I wrote was called “My Legendary Girlfriend” and it’s about a weekend in the life of a guy in his mid-twenties who is still in love with my ex-girlfriend three years after she dumped him. The Times called it, ‘A Funny, frank account of a hopeless romantic,’ which was very nice of them!
3. Who was your favourite character from all the books that you have written and what is it that you like so much about them?
   I have two: Will from “My Legendary Girlfriend” because he was my first creation and the one who essentially changed my whole life and Fran, a character in “Dinner For Two” because she’s got a such a lovely manner about her.
4. Many book lovers have a hard time excepting screen adaptations of classic and popular stories. What film has been your favourite book to screen to adaptation? If any?
   I think the reason that people have such a hard time with them is because they are two very different mediums. Basically to write a screen adaptation of a novel you have to throw away at least a third of the novel and in doing so you’re obviously going to lose something in the process, add to that the fact that in novel you’re so often directly privy to character’s thought processes it’s going to be a different thing entirely.
5. Out of the many books that you have read over the years, which one would you have liked to have said “I wrote that”
   It’s a book by a Swedish author about an unemployed graduate who’s a little bit lost and a young boy who becomes his friends. It’s a sweet, funny novel, where nothing much happens but then again everything sort of does happen too! Only thing is I can’t remember what it’s called and can I find it on my book shelf? Can I heck as like! If anyone can guess the book from that description drop me a line and put me out of my misery!
6. If you were put into the unfortunate position of being stranded on a desert island. What three books would you bring with you to pass the time?
   The King James Version of the bible.
   Catcher in the Rye – J.D.Salinger
   Unreliable Memoirs – Clive James
7. What part of the writing process, do you find the most difficult?
   All of it! Beginnings, middles, and endings all bring their own challeneges. If any of it felt easy I doubt that I’d do it. It’s the challenge of making something out of nothing that makes writers write.
8. What authors do you admire?
   Finally, an easy question! Danny Wallace, because he always makes me laugh; Lisa Jewell because of her great plots, Nick Hornby for his writing style, Simon Armitage for his brilliant dialogue. I could go on for days!
9. Did you read any writer guidebooks during your career? Are there any that you would recommend?
   None before I was published but quite a few afterwards. I quite like “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamont, although I’m pretty sure I didn’t finish it. Also a lot of people tell me Stephen King’s “On Writing” is genius. I’ve bought it but haven’t got around to reading it yet.
10. Here on the HandwrittenGirl website, I would like to be able to offer potential writers like myself advice. Are there any areas you would suggest a budding writer should concentrate on to further their abilities?
    Write at least five times a week. Doesn’t need to be long. Half an hour will do. But if you keep it up you will get there.
11. When sitting down to write, what is the one item you need beside you?
    Beside the mouse and keyboard? I suppose, my noise cancelling headphones. I’m insanely jealous of authors who say they write while listening to music. I couldn’t do that to save my life!
    When sitting down to write, what is the one item you need beside you?
12. And finally Mike, do you have any new projects or releases on the horizon which you would like to share with the readers of the blog?
    Yup, new book “The Stag and Hen Weekend” is set to be published 2 Feb 2012 and it’s different to every single book I’ve written so far, although you’ll have to pick it up and read it to find out how!

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