Interview with Allan Stratton

1. How different will the movie be from the book for "Life Above All"?

"Life, Above All" is amazingly faithful to my novel, "Chanda's Secrets". They've cut the backstory for reasons of space but all the major characters and plot elements are there. so is the tone -- very spare and clean -- so that the audience can feel the emotions for themselves without being told by music how to react. I'm totally pleased with it.
  



2. How many books/plays have you written?
I've written five novels and ten plays.




4. Where is your favorite place to travel? Why?
I travel to Cuba several times a year to a place at Playa Esmeralda. It's a great retreat. I write for two hours before breakfast, then two hours during a sun break at noon, and then two hours before supper and two after. In between I snorkel for hours at a wonderful reef 800 yards from shore. It's what I'd call my vacation spot. My favorite travel spots however, have been Cambodia, China, Egypt, Thailand, Turkey, Botswana and Argentina. In each of those countries, the culture and history are so rich that every day is like having one's world turned upside down.

 His Cuba purficiation ritual (read more about it here : http://allanstratton.blogspot.com/2010/04/cuba-my-purification-ritual.html )

 Aregentina picture found on his blog

For more pictures and his adventures, check out his blog at http://allanstratton.blogspot.com/

5. Where is your least favorite place to travel? Why?
Mexico, I'm afraid (Acapulco in particular). I love the people, but I never feel safe. I also had very mixed feelings about Vietnam, which is gorgeous, but very harsh. BTW, my least favorite thing to do while traveling is shopping. I hate shopping. :)

 Vietnam picture from his blog

6. How old are you?
Check out my website or Wikipedia. :)


7. Did you ever want to be a firefighter, policeman, niether or both? (I know, random)
Uh, no. Why?


8. What books/authors out there are your favorites?
Dostoievsky, Henry Fielding and Emily Bronte are my favorite authors. I also really like Mordecai Richler, Margaret Atwood and Carl Hiaasen. My favorite YA author is Robert Cormier. (Tenderness, especially.)



9. What inspires you?
Life, especially travel. The love and bravery of my mother. The loyalty of my partner. The simplicity of my cats.

10. Thanks! Is there anything else you'd like to say/have me put on my blog?
No, that's great, thanks. Feel free to bring in anything you like from my blog or site.


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