Imagine site takeover: Find out who Alex Rider is based on, what it's like to have a book made into a film and much more in Anthony Horowitz's Q+A. Anthony will be appearing at Imagine on Tuesday 19 February
Did anyone inspire you to write when you were at school?
I had three brilliant English teachers at secondary school. They found the writer in me.
Who was your childhood hero?
Tintin
What is your favourite book?
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
Did you read a lot as a child and do you still read children's books now?
I was about 12 when the reading bug hit me. I read very few children's books these days. But I do read a lot of fiction and non-fiction.
Do you prefer writing books for children or adults?
I enjoy them equally. You have to be passionate about all your writing or it doesn't work.
How old were you when your first book was published?
22
What are your hobbies?
Theatre, cinema, reading, walking in Suffolk. I don't really like the word "hobbies".
Who do you think is your most eccentric character?
Nick Diamond in the Diamond Brothers stories
Is Alex Rider based on someone you know?
He was partly based on the son of a friend. He also has a bit of James Bond in him.
What do you most admire about Alex Rider?
His reluctance. He doesn't actually want to save the world.
If you had to take one of your characters out for dinner who would you choose?
Matt Freeman (from the Power of Five).
Which of your characters do you think is most like you?
Tim Diamond – Nick's very stupid older brother.
What did it feel like to have one of your books turned into a film?
Exciting, nerve-wracking, worrying, surprising, disappointing, amazing…all at the same time.
What advice would you give to your 10 year old self?
Enjoy yourself. It's going to get worse.
What would you be if you hadn't been a writer?
Unemployed.
What is your next book going to be about?
Yassen Gregorovich, the assassin from the Alex Rider books. How does a 14-year-old boy become a contract killer. The title is Russian Roulette.
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