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Interviewing Ruth Rendell
03 November 2009 by Administrator
The Ruth Rendell interview is well, "in production" as
they might say in the more pretentious editing studios than here
at www.theinterviewonline.co.uk.
It was a joy to meet the great crime writer. I have had the
pleasure of interviewing her before at the House of Lords about two
years ago. Working for the RNIB, I was asking her questions about the
charity's Right to Read campaign which demands that books
be published in all formats (large print, audio etc.) at the same
time.
For this interview it was far more leisurely, taking place
at the author's home. Penguin Books are issuing a new edition of
the Sherlock Holmes collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and
Baroness Rendell has written the introduction.
It is always slightly nerve wracking working in some-one else's
home. You have to take the time to get the interview you
need, but also you are acutely aware that they probably have
other things they would rather be doing on a Thursday
morning. Ms. Rendell (as indeed are most authors) was
absolutely charming and even insisted we stay for some tea
afterwards. Indeed this is not the royal "we" I am using here since
the wonderful Neil Armstrong was filming the interview. By the end
of tea we felt we had earned our refreshment, since he managed to
cure her oven of the flashing time signal which was hugely
annoying. What did we discuss? Well Booker Prize shortlisted books,
Earl Grey, the RNIB campaign and ..ovens.
I know I have said it elsewhere, but I am hugely indebted to
Neil Armstrong for filming the interview. As an ex-BBC director he
has a wealth of experience which he offered pro bono for The
Interview Online just for the pleasure of working on the site.
Anyone out there need the services of the most delightful and
talented video producer…. Click
here.
The Ruth Rendell video interview will be ready very soon. In it
she talks about her admiration for Conan Doyle and also about the
pleasures and the routine of writing, whether under her own name or
Barbara Vine