Simon Cheshire

Simon Cheshire

About Author

Simon Cheshire grew up in Warwickshire. He was always the quiet kid at the back of the class, and spent a lot of time staring out of the window.

His first book appeared in 1997, and since then his books have been published in many countries around the world, and in several languages. He writes in a tiny room that used to be a walk-in cupboard, but which is now crammed with books, pieces of paper and empty chocolate bar wrappers.

His hobbies include movies, repairing old computers and wishing he had more hobbies. He lives in Warwick with his wife and children, although he spends most of his time in a world of his own.

Some things you didn't know about Simon Cheshire
He is allergic to animal hair, dust mites and the word 'incredible'.
His favourite food is fish. Or possibly chocolate.
He has no dress sense whatsoever, and usually goes around looking like a mobile rubbish tip.
His favourite activity is reading late at night, when everyone else is asleep.
He writes on a laptop computer running Linux, using LibreOffice to write his books, Weebly to maintain his website and PacMan to waste his time.
He hates gardening, swimming and Christmas.
He believes in the existence of extra-terrestrials.
When he was growing up, he wanted to be either an actor or a film director.
He has travelled in China, India and Egypt and really, really wants to go to the Moon.

Author link

www.simoncheshire.co.uk; @froodtheobscure

Interview

SWARM: OPERATION STING

STRIPES PUBLISHING

MAY 2014


We spoke to Simon Cheshire about his new series, SWARM, which follows a group of top-secret, robotic, baddie-busting bugs! The books are ideal for fans of Beast Quest and readers aged seven years plus who love a fast-paced adventure story, with gadgets (or bugs!).

Simon answered the following questions.


Q: Can you tell us what SWARM is all about?

A: The SWARM books are all about a team of very unusual secret agents: they're all miniature robots, disguised as insects. They're part of a top secret organisation which has its HQ beneath the streets of central London, and it's SWARM who must deal with emergencies relating to terrorism and major crime, in ways which ordinary human agents simply couldn't handle.


Q: Who will enjoy your books?

A: Everyone! If you don't like insects, don't worry, they just LOOK like insects. They don't bite. (Er, no, actually they DO bite, but only bad guys)


Q: Did you need to do a lot of research to get your insects right?

A: Only when it came to their appearance. You need to work out what kinds of weapons or sensors it might be possible to pack into, say, a spider or a centipede.


Q: What about the technology - how near are we to producing robotic spiders etc?

A: Much closer than you might think. Even as I was writing the first book, there were reports appearing in the scientific press about developments in nano-robotics. It won't be long before the SWARM robots could be real... unless... they already are, and we don't know about it...


Q: If you could bring any member of SWARM home, which one would you choose and why?

A: Probably Nero, the scorpion. He's brilliant with computers. He could work out why my printer keeps playing up.


Q: Any of them we should be scared of?

A: All of them. All... of... them...


Q: Will each adventure be stand-alone and how many books are you planning?

A: Each book is self-contained, but the world of SWARM is so fast-moving that every book ends with a lead-in to the next adventure! One or two bad guys might pop up again unexpectedly, and there are a couple of plot developments in the works which just might cause our heroes some long-term trouble. I could tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you.

How many books in the series? Well, that all depends on readers - if they want the team to have more adventures, then just let us know!


Q: What adventures will the SWARM team face next?

A: Book 2 is called Project Venom, and is out in July. The robots are called in when a phial of deadly toxin is created, and they end up travelling half way around the world in search of it. Book 3 is called Codename Firestorm, and is about a series of bizarre thefts which threaten to cause World War III.


Q: We like the trading cards - whose idea was that and how have they been received by children you've spoken to?

All the publishers' idea. I love 'em, they're very collectable.


Q: Where do you do your writing and how does your writing day go?

A: I write in a tiny little room in my house, surrounded by shelves of books, old coffee cups and empty chocolate wrappers. I call it my cabin. My writing day starts as soon as my children have gone to school, and ends when my brain finally short-circuits and I look up from the screen to see it's dark outside.


Q: Do you plan all your books before you start to write them?

A: Yes, always. I really admire those writers who can sit down with a blank page and simply BEGIN. I can't do that. I have to know what the last sentence of a story will be before I write the first one.


Q: What are your top tips for budding writers?

A: I have only one: read. The more you read, the better your writing becomes. It's as simple as that.


Q: What do you do to relax when you're not writing...?

A: I like mending old computers, but my main hobby is pestering the BBC to make me the next Doctor Who. They just won't listen!

Author's Titles