1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I make my own medieval bows. My latest bow stands 2.4 metres tall and each time I pull the string it’s the same as lifting a 50 kg. weight. Consequently, I can only pull it once before my shoulder hurts. It fires arrows about 200 metres, so I’m not able to use it in town. I also made the string for the bow.
I also make medieval style arrows. Each one is hand-crafted and takes a couple of hours to complete. I use a variety of bird feathers for the fletchers. Often my lounge room looks like a workshop where I craft my bows and arrows while watching television.
2. What is your nickname?
When I was at high school, my nick name was Fang. Now I’m Ulrich Greybeard.
3. What is your
greatest fear?
My greatest fear
is fear itself. Actually, I also don’t like spiders and snakes.
4. Describe your
writing style in ten words.
I write the adventures I want to have.
5. Tell us five
positive words that describe you as a writer.
Comment on this post to go in the draw for a free signed copy of The Princess and the Pirate. And follow Royce's blog tour at the following sites to get some writing tips, read reviews and learn more about Royce!
a) exciting
b) action-packed
c) fantasy
d) fiction
6. What book
character would you be, and why?
I’d like to be
Captain Sergio. He has exciting adventures. He’s a good pirate who rescues
people and he fights extremely well both with a sword and in space. His crew is
extremely loyal to him and will risk their lives to keep him safe.
Actually, I’d also
like to be Olaf and Ragnok.
When I write, I
always write the male characters the way I would like to be if I was them, so I’d also like to be Sileth,
Agmar and Jose.
7. If you could
time travel, what year would you go to and why?
The year 2015 — because I’m expecting something great to happen that year.
8. What would your
ten-year-old self say to you now?
When I was ten, I
used to work on farms with my family and I’d spend my days day-dreaming of
being a pilot, or some superhero doing great deeds. I used to hope that when I
got older I would do some of these great deeds.
My ten-year-old
self would get excited about the stories I’m writing now, because a lot of my
day-dreams back then are coming out in my stories now.
9. Who is your
greatest influence?
My greatest
influence is Jesus Christ. I strive every day to live as He did.
10. What/who made you start writing?
I used to watch a
television series called The A Team.
In 1985, I decided I’d like to write a series of television scripts called The Beetlejuice Pirates. They would be a
bumbling space version of The A Team.
I actually finished my first episode, but then lost it when we moved from
Brisbane to Rockhampton.
I still wanted to
write but changed from a television script to a short story. I called it The Time Warriors. I finished it and then
went on to write weird stories about the time I spend working on market gardens
in the bush.
11. What is your
favourite word and why?
'Shofar' is my
favourite word. It’s a very ancient word and is actually a trumpet made from a
ram’s horn. It’s my favourite word because the blowing of this trumpet is a
signal that something very special is about to happen.
12. If you could
only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
The Bible.
The Princess and the Pirate, Morris Publishing Australia, $20 RRP
Comment on this post to go in the draw for a free signed copy of The Princess and the Pirate. And follow Royce's blog tour at the following sites to get some writing tips, read reviews and learn more about Royce!
12 August – Morris Publishing Australia
13 August – Writing for Children
14 August – Buzz Words
15 August – On Writing
16 August – Dream Big … Read Often
17 August – Just So Stories
