Six Things - Mike French

Mike was born in Cornwall in 1967, and spent his childhood there and in Forres in Scotland with a few early years in Singapore. He is married with three “wonderful kids” and currently lives in Luton in the UK.

The owner and senior editor of The View From Here literary magazine, he also enjoys painting, watching Formula 1, eating Ben & Jerry's icecream and listening to Noah and the Whale.  His second novel, Blue Friday is now completed and he is starting work on his third novel. For the last ten years Mike has been a “home dad” after giving up his job in optical engineering to look after the kids full time – much of his first novel, The Ascent of Isaac Steward was written during their afternoon naps!

Mike blogs here : http://mikefrenchuk.com/
And twitters here : https://twitter.com/MikeFrench1

One thing that's always worth getting out of bed for
The sound of post coming through the letterbox. You never know – sure it’s just bills but one day it could be that Knighthood. Although these days the post arrives about eleven – so the chances of still being in bed then are zero.

One thing about yourself that often obstructs you
I have trouble with door handles, slippery things. Means sometimes all it needs is a closed door to obstruct me.  Apart from that my tendency to be a perfectionist which sometimes is a strength sometimes bogs me down.

One thing I've learned the hard way
That God rarely just opens those pesky doors – when I finished my novel for example I thought getting a contract would surely soon follow. Ha! I’m older and wiser now and learnt to jimmy the handle by sticking a screwdriver behind it. God apparently approves.

One thing that gets under my skin
People that just walk out in front of the car. Is it wrong to want to run them over?

One thing I'd love to change
Toy packaging. You know all those annoying plastic ties holding them in like strait jackets.

One thing I hope for
To get to the end of my days without being completely knackered.

Six Things is a series of micro-interviews with interesting and creative people

in which they’re asked to respond to a standard set of six prompts.