First Writes: Charlie Fox
In this Q&A, we throw some questions about ‘firsts’ at debut novelists. This month, we feature Charlie Fox, author of Drool, a mash-up of girl-meets-wolf love story and body horror fable about trauma and transformation
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What’s the first book you remember reading as a child? The Monster Bed by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Susan Varley. An 80s storybook about a little monster who can’t sleep because he’s scared a human child will eat him. Tells you to never go into the deep dark wood and then takes you there, which is what’s great about art in general. Probably set me on my path with the whole empathy-for-monsters thing. I don’t know if Pixar gave Jeanne any money when Monsters, Inc. came out, but she’s owed.
What was the book you read that made you decide to be a writer? The film history books I got from the library when I was seven or eight. I’d look at the pictures and dream up the story and do the voices in my room. I came up with a sequel to Beauty And The Beast. I think they ran off to Mexico and never came back.
What’s your favourite first line in a book? ‘I grew up very much alone, and as far back as I can remember was frightened of anything sexual.’ Story Of The Eye by Georges Bataille. Sort of like catching a fever. Fetch the milk, please.
Which debut publication had the most profound effect on you? The Safety Of Objects by AM Homes. It’s her first story collection. The married couple who smoke crack while their kids are away; the grown-up who remembers getting dumped by his abductor because he wasn’t cute enough; the boy who falls in love with his sister’s Barbie. All these confused people and their urges. She took that American minimalist suburban vibe somewhere perverse and dirty and hysterical, and I love her.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up on a writing day? Cup of tea, biscuits, acting stuff out, looping ambient goo. Repeat for like five hours. I mean, it’s fun when it isn’t a nightmare, but from the outside I probably just look unwell.
What’s the first thing you do when you’ve stopped writing for the day? Cup of tea, biscuits, stare into void. Generally I will come down with a sitcom or something. Curb, The Royle Family. Six Feet Under was a great show.
In a parallel universe where you’re the tyrant leader of a dystopian civilisation, what’s the first book you’d burn? I’d give everybody a copy of Lynch On Lynch by David Lynch. Very uplifting and magical. And he loved fire. If you did burn it, the fire would probably start talking to you about cigarettes or bugs or something, in his voice: also very uplifting.
What’s the first piece of advice you’d offer to an aspiring novelist? Leave stuff alone. Go back to it and find out what’s wrong with it. Chew on it. Throw some glitter on it. Finish it. Finish again. Doesn’t sound like much but… woof.
Drool is published by Rough Trade Books on Friday 18 September.