Interview: Author David J Forrester

Today the Cyber  Scribes would like to welcome David J. Forrester who has kindly agreed to answer a few questions.

 

To start, please could you tell us a bit about yourself and your writing

Having seen my grandchildren's life style, with mobile phones, computer games, Ipads, etc. I felt it important to record my own experience of childhood in the forties and fifties – my experience being hugely different from theirs. Children of this time relied very much on their own inventiveness to amuse themselves. They also lived in a post-war era where very little of anything was available, unless you produced it yourself. I tried to transport the reader back to this time (successfully, as it turned out), where they could experience things as they were in a not very advantaged part of Dorchester. We had little, there was little to have, but we were happy with our lot!    

What was your journey to publication like?

Originally written for my own amusement and to ensure these things were not forgotten, I was encouraged to publish them. It was then that I was introduced to Julie and Tim Musk of Roving Press.


To my surprise they agreed to publish, in fact their help and encouragement was invaluable. Indeed I would say that, without this, I was going nowhere. I can thoroughly recommend them to anyone wishing  to write books about Dorset.   

To what extent does your local area (Dorset) influence your writing?

The local area totally influences my writing – Fordington with its history, the Rev Moule, Alfred Edwards and the Mill Street Mission.  Mill Street itself with its history of deprivation, disease and criminality all taking place by the old Mill Stream. So many untold stories, lots to write yet!

Are you a member of a local writers group?

No, however perhaps I should be.

Who are your favourite local authors?
Terry Hearing, Brian Bates, Julie Musk, John Seekings, Claire Tomalin (Hardy Time Torn Man), Frederick Treves, Olive Knott and of course Thomas Hardy, who opened our eyes to the way things used to be.

Do you have a favourite book set in the local area?

Thomas Hardy's Brewer: Story of Eldridge, Pope & Company by John Seekings, which tells how things used to be in the early days, before the brewery was vandalised and turned into flats (those wonderful beers gone forever).

Where can people find out a bit more about you and your writing?

In my book Fordington Remembered: Growing up in and around Dorchester, a good start! Also my Author Page on Amazon, Facebook and perhaps Twitter if I ever get started.

What are you working on at the moment?

Mill Street as seen through the eyes of those who lived there. Memories are being recorded by a team of volunteers linked to and supported by the Mill Street Housing Society; these will be transcribed and published in a book by Roving Press.

I am also proposing to write a book based around Pastel Paintings of Dorset by my artist friend David Moxom. My wife Ros says I am hooked, I can see another book everywhere I look!

Where can we buy your books?

It seems almost anywhere locally, and direct from Roving Press (www.rovingpress.co.uk). 

Thank you David for joining us today.