Motorcycles & Sweetgrass

Author Q&A

20 Writerly Questions for Drew Hayden Taylor
 

1. How would you summarize your book in one sentence?
It’s a contemporary trickster tale, involving sex, mischief, motorcycles and raccoons.
 
2. How long did it take you to write this book?
The first draft, about eight weeks. And aboutt twelve years to develop the idea.
 
3. Where is your favorite place to write?
The Banff Centre is a fabulous place, almost as great as my little office on the Reserve were I look out at the trees, deer, bears and snowdifts.
 
4. How do you choose your characters’ names?
Through a secret aboriginal prcoess unknown and forbidden to non-aboriginals.
 
5. How many drafts do you go through?
Three if I can. Four if I can’t.
 
6. If there was one book you wish you had written what would it be?
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 

7. If your book were to become a movie, who would you like to see star in it?
Interesting question. A young Brad Pitt would be perfect.
 
8. What’s your favourite city in the world?
Venice is lovely. So is Vancouver. Brisbane is very cool. I know that’s three but what the hell.
 
9. If you could talk to any writer living or dead who would it be, and what would you ask?
The Bible and my question would be “is this an instruction manual” or is this primarly a metaphor?
 
10. When do you write best, morning or night?
Usually morning. Then the afternoon.
 
11. Who is the first person who gets to read your manuscript?
Sometimes my girlfriend, or my agent.
 
12. Do you have a guilty pleasure read?
Yes I do, trashy sci-fi novels. Also, Tarzan and Conan novels.
 
13. What’s on your nightstand right now?
Two books.  The complete D.C. Comic Book universe, and The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi.
 
14. What is the first book you remember reading?
You know, I can’t remember. How odd?
 
15. Did you always want to be a writer?
Yes I have. I liked creating people, places, universes, problems and solutions. It’s l ike playing God without being sacreligious.
 
16. What do you drink or eat while you write?
Maybe coffee, tea, soda water.  An apple or something light.
 
17. Typewriter, laptop, or pen & paper?
Laptop.
 
18. What do you wear when you write?
That’s an awfully personal question, but anything from shorts to trackpant to jeans, and usually a t-shirt.
 
19. How do you decide which narrative point of view to write from?
I don’t. The story always decides that.
 
20. What is the best gift someone could give a writer?
An idea or an audience.