The Moatman Interviews -S1- No.5 Janine (@ThewriteSF)

*The cameras open on what looks like a home-made budget Blue Peter version of Doctor Who's Tardis fitted inside someone's living room. Wombles run this way and that trying to hastily assemble the remaining components while an elderly man in a red T-shirt wearing a Spock wig barks orders at them* "Hello! and welcome to the Sci-fi edition of the Moatman Interviews, this week coming to you from inside the very Tardis itself! This week's very special interviewee is a Sci-fi aficionado, writer and all-round Science honey, non other than Janine! from @TheWriteSF. When Janine arrives she's a little wary of the Wombles, peering around the doorway and looking into the Tardis. "Hello? is this safe" she asks before Uncle Bulgaria ushers her to a special seat opposite the main console. Putting down her bag and inspecting the Wombles handy work Janine asks "is that the back of a Weetabix packet", but before I can answer Orinoco arrives with a tray holding a glass of white wine, and after some further brief introductions we begin our interview. 

Thank you for joining us Janine, we already know you're a huge fan of science-fiction and reading, and we'll come to that shortly, but first of all, science is a big part of your life (Janine works in the biomedical sciences). Can you tell us what led you to a career in the sciences?
Well Boff, Like most things in life, I seem to just fall into them by accident and a career in science was no exception.

...and what words of advice would you offer any youngsters toying with an idea of following the science path? perhaps young students playing with a bunsen burner even as we speak?
I would say 'go for it' but avoid the biomedical sciences at all cost, unless you want a thankless career that you can disappear into (literally) and get forgotten about in the back end of a hospital somewhere.

At this point Boff reminisces about the time that he literally got lost at the back of a hospital and spent three hours wandering about trying to find the loo. In the finish he had to bribe a janitor with some hubba bubba and lewd magazine in order to be escorted back to the main concourse and by then he'd forgotten why he'd gone to the hospital in the first place.

anyway, that love of science translates into your love of science-fiction and particularly space, can you tell us which authors in particular have been an inspiration for you?
I got into reading sci-fi after I saw the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the very first book I picked up was Isaac Asimov's Foundation. There are so many great sci-fi authors out there but I think one of the most ground breaking was Philip K Dick.

I see and if you were to host a showbiz dinner party for five guests, who would you invite and why?
I would invite Prof. Brian Cox for his science chat, Bill Bailey to keep things light, Derren Brown to mess with their minds a bit, Sarah Millican to keep it all down to earth and of course Robert Downey Jnr for flirting with obviously.

That sounds like quite a shindig! Perhaps a daft question now, but who do you think would win in a fight between Gandalf the wizard, James T.Kirk and Darth Vader? and why?
Although it could be a fairly close run thing between Gandalf and Vader, I don't believe that either Kirk or Vader could bring down a Balrog of Morgoth. Gandalf is the true Victor.Perhaps a little off-topic now, do you think these green tights really suit me?
To be fair,red suits you better and they are a little on the small side.

*Boff goes bright red* while Uncle Bulgaria hastily hands him a cushion to place on his lap. In the confusion Orinoco who has been hiding down by Janine's side, climbs up onto her lap and snuggles in. Janine gives Orinoco a playful stroke of his ears and wraps her arms around him like holding a small child. Once the wardrobe has been adjusted Boff is able to continue with the interview.

Perhaps now we can probe a little deeper into your own writing aspirations; juggling work and family life with writing must be tough, do you have any particular preparations or techniques to help you settle into the writing?
Once I've finished banging my head against the wall a few times I manage to snatch a few minutes here and there between making a cup of coffee and making another cup of of coffee. Sometimes it's a cup of tea, just for variety.

Boff confesses that he likes a good cuppa himself, although once the sun is past the yardarm a nice glass of something cold is always very welcome. indeed, but it can't all be work, work, work, how do you like to unwind?
Well, I do enjoy a glass or six of a good medium dry white and if I can still focus on the words I get lost in a good book.

I can see Orinoco has taken something of a shine to you, would adopting a womble ever appeal to you?
*Janine pats Orinoco's tummy* I could never adopt a womble, as sweet as they are, my house would be too tidy and I'd be forever looking for the things that they'd find and put away.

*piano wheels into sight* Myself and the Wombles will be closing today's interview by serenading you with our own version of "star-trekking across the universe" and we hope you'll join in, but before that can you tell us about your own musical tastes? is there a particular song that's important to you? and if so why?
I have a wide preference in all types of music from classical to rock. It very much depends on my mood. At the moment I love The Imagine Dragons, especially their track Radioactive. I have no idea why, but I suspect it's something to do with the word 'apocalypse'. Definitely my word of the year.

Well Janine, it's been a lot of fun having you here today, I'd like to ask you one more question before we close if I may. In a galaxy far far away from our own Douglas Adam's is drinking cocktails with Alec Guinness and Isaac Asimov, if you could join them, what cocktail would you have and why?
What great company that would be to have cocktails with. I would probably make my own cocktail named 'The 42' containing 42 shots - because it would be the answer to everything and you definitely wouldn't give a toss what the question was after drinking it.

It's been great chatting to you Boff and I hope you invite me back soon but next time can I just sit in a chair? The homemade Tardis was a nice touch but it was certainly not bigger on the inside.
All the best, Janine

...and with that Bungo begins to play the piano while the Wombles and I perform our own version of the hit star trekking across the Universe with all the stage actions. Pebble Mill, eat your heart out!