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Leon Davidson
Where do you currently live?
I've just moved to Wellington after living in
Australia for the last six years. I was born and raised
in Christchurch so it's good to be back in New Zealand.
What
inspired you to write your first book?
This is my first book - it's about the Anzacs at
Gallipoli. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’ve
always been interested in war. As an 8 year old I got my
dad to take me into the army barracks in Christchurch so
I could ask what I needed to do to join. It was during
the lead up to the Gulf War, as a teenager, that I
became anti-war and that feeling hasn’t been changed
by recent events. While living in Australia I realised
how much Gallipoli meant to Australians and how little I
knew about the war and New Zealand’s role in it. After
reading about it, I knew it was a story I wanted to
tell.
How long did it take you to write this book?
Scarecrow Army
seemed to take forever. I worked during the day, so
could only write in the evenings and at weekends. The
book took over a year and it nearly killed me!
How has being a writer changed your life?
I guess I've always wanted to be a writer even if I
didn't know it. I've always written stories, ever since
I was in primary school but I was a lot older before I
started taking it seriously and I've never tried to get
my stuff published - until now!
If you weren’t a writer, what would have been your
occupation?
As a kid I wanted to be a vet, a hit man or a soldier
(very strange combination, I know!). Now I don't know
what else I'd like to be, other than a writer. But even
so, I've had to work as a dishwasher, a housepainter, in
a call centre, a chicken factory and once I picked
tomatoes for five hours - but I gave up because it was
too hot...
Any tips on how others can become writers?
Write heaps, tell people you want to be a writer and
when you think you've written something good, don't be
afraid to show others.
What are some of the pitfalls you have experienced as
a writer?
As a writer you work at home a lot and it can turn
you into a hermit, so you almost forget how to talk to
people. There were times when I didn't want to answer
the phone, let alone talk to my friends. Before I got
published, I used to hate it when people asked me what I
did. If I told them I was a writer, the first thing
they'd ask was what I'd had published. At least now I
can say Scarecrow Army!
What was the best thing that happened in your writing
career?
Having this book published, starting to believe that
readers like my writing and meeting other writers.
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Can you
give an example from one of your books of how you found
your characters?
Most characters just come to me once I start writing
but one character in Scarecrow Army, Gerald
Sievers, was a real person. I read half a page about him
in another book and got enough insight into him that I
was able to build his character from there.
Did you base any of your books on a real life
experience?
Yes, but not experiences of my own.
Do you start your stories with the aim of making a
social statement or do the stories grow on their own as
you write them?
The story comes first. With Scarecrow Army I
tried to remain objective. I've been against war since I
was a teenager, so I made sure that I didn't glorify the
campaign. Mostly I just tried to let the soldiers’
voices tell the story.
Who is your favourite author?
I don't really have one; I tend to like certain books
rather than authors. As a kid I was into Barry Crump,
the Famous Five and Asterix but I was more into go karts
and outdoor stuff. Some books I've liked more recently
have been The Bone People by Keri Hulme, Catch
22 by Joseph Heller and His Dark Materials by
Philip Pullman.
What was the last book you read?
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
by
Mark Haddon
Do you have children? (Since you write children’s
stories)
No.
What writing awards have you received?
None yet but fingers crossed!
What inspired you to write the book we are reviewing
currently?
Same as Question 1.
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