Peter Guttridge

The Deckchair Interview

By Sarah Hutchings

Peter Guttridge

How did you get your first break?
I won a start-of-a-novel competition at the excellent West Sussex Writers' Group in Worthing - then had to finish the bloody thing to prove I could do it!

Could you describe your working day.
Horribly right-on.  In the summer, yoga 5am-7am, then writing (with breakfast at my desk) 7.30am-noon.  Other stuff in the afternoon (reviewing, reading, meetings).  Evenings are playtime - which might be going out /reading a book/watching a film on DVD/ meeting friends for drink or dinner.

How does an idea become a novel?
By working it through, in a synopsis, or writing a couple of scenes then going paragraph by paragraph

Which book do you wish you'd written?
Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow".  If I'd written one chapter of it I'd die a happy man.

As a reader, do you always finish a book you've started?
GOOD question.  If it's for my own pleasure - yes.  If it's with the thought of reviewing it (I review for the Observer) - no - life is too short!

If you weren't a writer, what job would you like to have done?
Yoga teacher.  I've a knack - I think.

Describe your perfect day.
It is, of course, totally self-indulgent but also - depressingly - involves work.  And, actually, is the same as my work day.   How sad is that?

What keeps you awake at night?
Oh dear - how shallow is this - nothing!

Why did you choose to live in Brighton and Hove and what keeps you here?
Came to Brighton for my partner's work but once here - why would anyone leave!

How does living here inspire your work?
I'm writing a trilogy (there's posh) based in Brighton's past so living here is essential.  However, because it is set in the past I spend my time walking around Brighton tripping over things - I'm looking up because Brighton's past is on the first and second floor of buildings.