Leslie Wilkie

Ex seafarer, ex technical lecturer - lived and worked in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu and the Sultanate of Oman. Did not begin writing until retirement. To date has written six self published novels, three of which have been republished in large print for libraries and three collections of short stories. The short story publisher retired three years ago so the collections are now out of print. The novels and the short stories have in the main drawn on his seagoing and travelling experiences. At the age of eleven he won a writing competition at school, the prize was a copy of Robinson Crusoe. That story gave him the initial urge to travel and travelling has since driven his writing.

Credentials

Leslie Wilkie in 60 seconds

When did you start writing?

1990 Hutton Cranswick England

What do you love about short stories?

They require short, sharp writing

Do you write in other forms?

Novels

What distracts you from writing?

The builders working next door

Outside of writing, what are your other passions?

Travel, sport(seen from my armchair nowadays) walking

What is your favourite book?

Birdsong

Who are your favourite writers?

Leslie Thomas, Sebastian Faulks and H.E.Bates

Where is your dream location?

Vanuatu

What one item would you put into Room 101?

Most politicians

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Read, write and stick at it.