So many characters are governed by the consequences of their actions, and I wanted to have a character who is the exact opposite.

As I tell my intro creative writing students, after reading someone you love, wait at least an hour before starting to write.

Along with John Hughes, he's probably the biggest influence. Would be awesome not only to meet him; he's one person I'd also definitely like to work with.

We now live in a world where accessibility is paramount. So I think we just juxtapose that a little bit and maybe play the internet like a game because we don't like to be exposed as individuals, we like to be an entity.

I love the necessary ambiguity of short stories - there simply isn't time to render every detail, so much of the story that orbits the literal prose must happen in the reader's imagination. Who knows, maybe the dwindling attention spans means a lucrative future for short story writers.

A band that we supported called Blackfish in Manchester, played the most insane gig I've ever been to. Everything was set on fire, and then they came on and played one of the coolest gigs I've ever seen.

So many characters are governed by the consequences of their actions, and I wanted to have a character who is the exact opposite.