Jennie Ensor's Author Website

Today I am delighted to welcome C.H. Clepitt (aka Claire Evans or the “Grumpy Badger”) to my blog – and its very first author interview!

C.H. Clepitt is the author of the wonderfully titled novel I Wore Heels To The Apocalypse, published earlier this year, along with a number of other books and short stories.  She is also the Badger in charge of satirical website Newsnibbles.

Author website: chclepitt.com
Author facebook page: facebook.com/chclepitt
Twitter: @BadgersTweetToo

So, off we go… Tell me about your book, I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse.

I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse chronicles the lives of the patrons of a coffee shop, as they face an unexpected apocalypse, with possible zombies!  Thrown together by the fact that they may be the only surviving humans on the planet, and with the help of a talking badger (because everything is improved by the presence of a badger) they battle adversity, and form friendships, all with the daily chore of deciding what to wear.

How did you come up with this title?

I was actually being interviewed for a website about my Sci Fi shorts series “The Crew Chronicles”, and one of the questions was “what is your ideal outfit”.  I have never been particularly into fashion (although it’s possible I have a shoe problem) but I said that I did not want to be the stupid woman who wore heels to the apocalypse.

How many pairs of high heels do you have and can you run in them?

Not as many as I used to.  When I was at university I was a shoe fiend and could stride about confidently in almost anything.  These days I prefer trainers, which I like to think means I am always prepared for the apocalypse.

What did you most like and most dislike about writing the book?

I actually loved writing this book. I wrote it really quickly and had a lot of positive feedback from my beta readers, which spurred me forward. I really like all of my characters, and by the end they felt like close friends, and I was sad it was over.  It’s OK though, because I’m currently working on the sequel.

What is your ideal writing setting and how does it compare with what you have now?

I can write anywhere that’s quiet. I am most creative at night though, which doesn’t help with having to function in the real world! I would like someone to invent a screen that you can somehow position at eye level, whilst having the keyboard on your lap, that’d be genius.

How far would you go in the name of research? (e.g. morally dubious things, exotic holidays?)

Interesting question. A lot of my work is very character focused, so understanding people and how they work is half the research done.  I have never considered anything morally dubious, or an exotic holiday, but that may well be the way forward!

Does your writing have a serious side?

All of my writing has a message, and that is quite serious, but writing needs to be entertaining too, or no-one will read it and your message will be lost.  Satire has been used to make serious points for years.

What is your favourite zombie film?

I LOVE all of the Resident Evil films. I don’t know quite what that says about me, but I could watch them over and over.

Where does this badger passion come from?

I am vehemently opposed to the badger cull, not least because it seems to me to have no scientific merit, so I took to Twitter as my badger self. I am a badger with something to say. I have many opinions on many topics, and it’s high time I was immortalised in the form of a fictional character!

If you were going to be stuck on an island for a year, what 3 things would you put at the top of your packing list?

A laptop (or notepad and pen if there was no electricity), a sketch book and some high quality drawing pencils.  That way I could record my time there.