Molly Oldfield

answers the Usual Questions

Molly Oldfield

Molly Oldfield studied Modern History at Oxford before becoming a writer and researcher on the BBC television show QI.

Has your interaction with fans, for example, at conventions, affected your work?

I love it when I get book recommendations from people in the audience at events or ideas of things to follow up.

Is there any particular incident (a letter, a meeting, a comment that stands out?

I was sent a great cartoon of the event I did with Neil Gaiman at the NYPL last Christmas, I really liked that. One of the objects in my book, The Secret Museum was Dickens' personal performance copy of A Christmas Carol, which he used for public readings in New York and Brooklyn one Christmas. I wanted to bring it back to life and Neil Gaiman was wonderful and dressed as Dickens and read a rapt audience A Christmas Carol, with prompts from Dickens himself.

Do you have a favourite author or book (or writer or film or series) that has influenced you or that you return to?

I really like The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron and Stephen King's book on writing was a good recommendation I got from a writer friend. I need to dig that out and reread it actually..

Who is the person you would most like to be trapped in a lift with? or a spaceship?

I think I'm with Terry Pratchett here - someone who could fix the lift and fly the spaceship back to earth. Ideally someone funny too.

Who is the person you would most DISlike to be trapped in a lift with? Or a spaceship?

A beekeeper with a swarm of bees.

What would you pack for space? (Is there a food, beverage, book, teddy bear, etc that you couldn't do without?)

I'd take some avocados, and my vegetable garden. But there are so many amazing places to see on earth which i haven't been to. Can I go to Iceland for starters instead?

What is the most important thing you would like to get/achieve from your work?

Ooh good question. I don't know really, I'm just exploring things, meeting people and finding stuff out.

What is the special satisfaction of your work?

Well there's nothing more wonderful than seeing a real book I wrote in a book shop window - seeing something go from an idea in my head, to a real thing that people then take home and enjoy. That's amazing. What a treat.

submitted by Molly Oldfield

26 July 2014

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Just the facts:
Born: London, somewhat earlier than expected.
Resides: England.
Bibliography/Awards:
I'm a certified yoga teacher for adults and children and have two certificates to prove it.

Web site:
www.mollyoldfield.com
twiter - @mollyoldfield

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