Ann Spellman

Well, the blurb on the back of the book says:


"An expatriate of Yorkshire, Ann Spellman is a London-based humourist and Bradford City supporter who, in her spare time, works in a university. She has appeared on BBC4 and her work has been featured at the Laughing Horse Comedy Club, Hampstead Theatre and Soho Theatre."

We were rather proud of that. But in case you want to know more, here's some more info in the beautifully pretentious form of an interview:



Expat of Yorkshire? I thought you were born in Blackburn? Isn't that Lancashire?

Er, well, technically I was, but that was a bit of a blip. My family comes from Yorkshire, but I did grow up in Lancashire, in a small town called Clitheroe, where they do hideous things like Morris Dancing and host brass band competitions. The accent's still there a bit, I'm afraid, particularly after a few drinks. My family lives in Bradford, and yes, I do support their football club. Somebody has to.



Where do you get your ideas from?

I sort of plagiarise from everyday life. Not that any of my characters are real, of course - it says that in the book, just in case anyone thought they were. They're all completely fictional, and any resemblance to anyone real, alive or dead, is purely coincidental. That way they can't sue me.

Writers spend far too much time and energy doing terribly intellectual things and going to exotic places for "inspiration". I'm neither intellectual nor exotic, and I don't have the time or money to do things like that anyway, so I have to make do with everday life - which I find works beautifully! For example, I walked past a corner shop last week that had a big sign outside that declared "Open seven days a week. Closed Sundays." I'm saving that one up for the future.



Who influences you?

I don't want to in any way equate my own efforts with those of the following, but I could wax lyrical for hours about Garrison Keillor, Alan Bennett and Peter Kay. I suppose my family and the Catholic Church influence me, too, though that isn't necessarily a compliment.



Who are the stories aimed at?

Probably me, I suppose. They make me giggle. But saying that is not really good salesmanship, so, well, they're aimed at anyone who can read and wants something mildly humorous to pass the time with.



Do you have a favourite story?

I have two, but the first, "Nursing Home", isn't in this book, though I'm optimistically hoping there'll be a chance for it to appear in a sequal. I also like "A Good Funeral".


And a favourite character?

I like all the younger characters - Stephen particularly. They're so innocent but think they're not. I'm probably still a bit like that myself. I also like Corrigan, who ended up a bit like Eeyore from "Winnie the Pooh".