Born in 1961 in Reading, England, Francis H Powell attended Art Schools, receiving a degree in painting and an MA in printmaking. In 1995, Francis H Powell moved to Austria, teaching English as a foreign language while pursuing his varied artistic interests adding music and writing. He currently lives in Moret sur Loing, France writing both prose and poetry.
Francis H. Powell has published short stories in the magazine “Rat Mort” and other works on the internet site “Multi-dimensions.” He has had three books published and has also compiled a book of short stories, poems and illustrations featuring other writers and poets. The book is called Together Behind Four Walls and is a book of lockdown stories and poems.
The books have raised money for Marie Curie nurses. He has had poems published in anthologies for both adults and children. He has done poetry reading for Paris Lit Up as well as other events.
People will like your book if they like stories about…”
Quirky fishy characters, ghosts that like to do practical jokes and scare people, witty jokes, a grumpy king who can’t find a suitable queen. A prince going on an unusual adventure. All of this with colourful illustrations.
Would you rather own a bookstore or run a library?
I think the bookstore. I could stamp my personality on it. I would have music in the background, have poetry and book readings, invite famous authors. I would have my dog with me all day. I could chat about books. It would be a calm place, with a place for people to sit down and browse through books. In libraries you have to be rather quiet. My bookstore will be brimming with noise and, hopefully, people.
How do you name your characters?
I based my latest book on a drawing my son drew a few years ago. It was of a king holding the hands of two ghosts. He looked a bit like a fish, so I called him “The Fish King.” For the names of the ghosts, I thought they should also have traditional regal names. So, I called them Ghost Henry and Ghost John. For the name of an evil person trying to win the king’s hand in marriage, I came up with Princess Chipolata. It gave me the possibility of the lines below:
It seemed that the Fish King had met his chips. He even
kissed this fishy princess on the lips.
Ghosts Henry and John wondered about the king’s catch. Was this fishy
princess such a good match?
Though King Fish and Chips seemed to go together.
The two wise ghosts thought that they knew better.
Other names came about because of connections with the sea, like Sharky, Countess Von Dolphin, Charlie Codface, and Captain James Piranha.
It is best if a name pops into my head and it is spontaneous, rather than racking my brains. Sometimes I have changed the names of my characters when I have thought of a more appropriate name.
Who is your dream audiobook narrator?
Helena Bonham Carter.
Do you keep a notebook of ideas?
I did in the past. When I was working in Paris, I used to write on pieces of paper or a black book so as to not forget ideas that popped in my head.
Why do you write in the genre that you do?
I started by writing short stories, rather dark. I really liked the work of Roald Dahl. During the pandemic, I wrote a lot of poetry, which I still do. Having a son made me want to write my own stories which I could read to him. There might seem to be a big difference between horror stories and children’s stories, but with children’s stories, you can still create “evil” or “bad” characters and dark storylines with the Fish King, one of the characters, Sharky, wants to eat the Fish King.
Who would you most want to read your book?
I would have loved my mother to have read this book. Sadly, she passed away a few years ago. I hope that my son will be proud of his father.
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Do you have any writing rituals?
I like to look at what I have written the day before in the morning while I am fresh. I make edits and updates, looking to see if I can write things in a better or stronger way. In my head, I am always trying to figure out how the story will progress, steering it towards some kind of outcome. I use the internet to research things.
Sometimes I base my ideas on real events. I love history. If I am writing a story set in a particular time, I research things about that period. Looking at newspapers and strange news stories can also provide ideas for stories.
I suppose I write until the story is complete, then return to it, polishing it until I am happy with it. Sometimes I go back to old stories and revamp them.
I am from the UK. So, if I am submitting to an American publisher, I have check for American spelling, I use a website for this. Sometimes I use words that I am not sure about, so I use online dictionaries.
What is your favorite social media platform?
I like Twitter because I have been using it a while. There is a poetry group, “Move Me Poetry,” that have a poetry battle on Fridays, providing a prompt. If your work is chosen they put it on their website on a Monday. This is good for poets to try out their ideas.
On Twitter, you can link up with other writers so you get retweeted to promote your books.
Whether this ever leads to sales, it is hard to know. You can add hashtags like #readingcommunity or #kidsreaders so that you will reach the audience you are targeting.
Aside from writing there can be some interesting subjects that people discuss, however it can get a bit toxic. People can get very nasty with one another when they don’t like other people’s point of view.
What do you like to read? How often do you read?
I recently joined a book club in our local area. At the moment, my wife and I are listening to Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel.
What I read at the moment is dictated by the book suggested by the book club. I like Station 11 in parts. Sometimes I am a bit frustrated by it. I like the style it is written in. It is interesting in light of the fact that we all went through a pandemic.
I am more writing than reading and should be a far more disciplined, regular reader. I am also partway through a book by Rupert Thompson, Barcelona Dreaming, which I am enjoying. I can get hooked or not hooked by a book. I also like to read non-fiction, biographies, for example.
Have you made any public appearances to promote your book?
I will do soon. The problem is, I live in France. I know of writers living in the UK, who go to schools, do workshops and promote their books. I am hoping to go to poetry workshops and book readings around Paris.
I have done some poetry readings for a book I compiled called Together Behind Four Walls which I put together during the pandemic. There is an organization called Paris Lit Up, that puts on events for poets, writers and musicians. I have promoted two books through them.
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