The Making of Melissa's
Christopher Scott Dixon
Tonya: Readers love to know more about their authors. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Chris: Hi Tonya and everyone, I was born in England, but I’m now living and working in Swansea, Wales. I’ve had a variety of careers including ten years with the BBC as a radio sports presenter/reporter, I’ve also written for over 30 years for many newspapers and magazines on business, lifestyle, property, education, food, travel etc and have been editor of four publications. I’ve been a professional actor, youth counsellor, HR manager in a supermarket, salesman. As well as England, I’ve lived and worked as a teacher, editor, writer in Taiwan, The Czech Republic, Greece, Thailand and now Wales. I love cricket, writing, music, movies, swimming, reading and social networking!
Tonya: Do you have a day job?
Chris: Yes I do, I have been teaching for more than 21 years and I teach English, Business English and Media Studies full time at a language school in Swansea, so I do my writing around lesson planning and marking!
Tonya: Some of us have things we do to get into the writing frame of mind like music, or drinks. Do you have anything special you do to get into the writing mood?
Chris: Good question, I do love coffee and chocolate, so they can energize and inspire me and music can be a great way to relax!
Tonya: Where do you keep story ideas? Where do they come from?
Chris: Some of it is personal experience, you’ll have to guess which! As for the rest, expanding on thoughts, dreams and images and using imagination and reading other writers in the erotic field.
Tonya: If you’re self-published, can you tell us a bit about that and how it’s going for you?
Chris: Yes, I am, I decided in 2013 to move from magazine writing to focus on books and managed to write five books across different genres-horror/mystery/suspense/poetry as well as my erotic themed stories. I’ve been pleased with the 5* reviews and the many positive comments readers have posted about the books. It’s great when they can engage with my characters, that’s really rewarding as a writer! Of course, like most of us who craft words, I would like the interest to be reflected in more sales, but I understand it can be a slow process in building up an audience!
Tonya: Are you a daytime writer, night time writer, and do you have to be alone to write?
Chris: I’m comfortable with writing whenever I can, unlike many writers I don’t set word targets, for me that invites negativity if you fail to reach that ‘goal’. I’m really happy with however many I am able to fashion. The alone question is interesting, it depends on my mood. I do like silence, so I can gather my thoughts, but on many occasions my wife is sitting in our living room watching television and I can still concentrate, I guess you just need to have that tunnel vision, at least in my opinion!
Tonya: What advice would you give to new authors?
Chris: I would say read, read, write, then read again! I knew when I was seven years old I wanted to be a teacher and a writer, as at that age I was already writing crude short stories. I would advise aspirant writers to learn to love language, to observe styles and how words are crafted, but to develop your own writing self. I don’t want to sound arrogant or pompous, but to me, the best writers create from the depths of their soul. One of my quotes is “When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing!” It is an obsession, even in a classroom, when my students are doing a test, I steal a quick opportunity to jot down some notes or plot developments!
Tonya: Do you write better when you first have an idea of what your characters look like or do you write, then add character looks?
Chris: I am very organized when it comes to my teaching, but not inflexible, however, I’m very much a ‘pantser’ in my writing, I mean I start with a rough outline of what the story is and how it will finish, but from then on my characters drive the narrative. I did have an idea of how Melissa the main character and Marcus would look like, but I found the personality of Melissa in my erotic novella The Making of Melissa changed as the story progressed.
Tonya: What attracts you most about women?
Chris: Now there’s a question! I do love VERY feminine women, I want women to look like women. I love the whole of the female shape those glorious curves and contours, the smooth, soft skin! Accessories too have much appeal for me such as ankle chains, belly chains, toe rings etc, not to be absolutely dripping in bits and pieces, but enough to draw attention to those areas. As you well know, we mere men, are very visual creatures, so I’m easily and frequently attracted and distracted and long may it continue!
Tonya: We’re dying to hear about your latest book. What can you tell us without spoiling the storyline?
Chris: I have six works in progress in different genres, but my next erotic short story is set in a retail environment and I hope is a very funny as well as a sexy read!
Tonya: Where can our readers find you and your books?
Chris: I’m here, there and everywhere as the saying goes, on most of the social network platforms you can think of!
Tonya: Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?
Chris: I’d like to say a big thanks to you Tonya and to the readers for the opportunity to be here, please continue to support indie and indeed all published authors with your reviews and comments, feedback is vital to us, so happy reading! Just also to mention Micro Erotica my book of erotic/romantic micro-poetry I think the best sex starts in the mind, so read this and it will arouse you!
Tonya: What is your favorite night time snack?
Chris: I’m a terrible night time snacker, as my expanding waistline will testify, it’s usually a yoghurt or some sort of confectionery delight, even though I try to discipline myself to eating sweet treats at the weekends only, but sadly I do lapse!
Tonya: Do you like toppings on your ice cream?
Chris: As a self-confessed chocoholic, shaved chocolate any type!
Tonya: What’s your favorite meal - Italian, Mexican, Thai, etc?
Chris: Italy is my favorite country and language and so too, the food!
SITE LINKS AND BUY LINKS
Twitter @CrickChris
