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| Photograph: Anthony R M Andrews |
We both grew up in the Dales town Settle and its beautiful surroundings and later moved away from the north to very different parts of the country. What effect do you think this had on you growing up?
I guess it’s made quite a massive impact on me growing up, but that’s life for you. Every experience you encounter is a new learning curve and the more of the country you see and how different areas affect people’s lives, the more perceptive to this you will become, no matter where you live life carries on.
As a writer I need to move around a lot to find inspiration for my work and no matter where I’ve lived everywhere has offered me its own unique experiences, some positive and others really quite negative, which I hope I can put across effectively through my writing.
I felt a very real urge to return to Yorkshire, and I know you feel passionately about the Dales. Were you compelled to return to Settle?
Of course Yorkshire is wonderful and will always be home. No matter how many times I’ve moved away, I have always found myself drawn back here. I guess for me there has never truly been any question of staying away forever. I feel a strong spiritual connection with these hills and valleys and I guess that no matter where you go, it is vital to return to your roots, even if only for a quick visit.
What inspired you to turn to poetry?
I have to admit that a lot of my poetry involves some true life experiences which have affected me first-hand. In my autobiography on my website I talk more in depth about the rough times that I have had to face throughout my life, for example my battle with drug abuse which ripped my world to pieces; the depression which almost killed me, and most certainly lead to an overdose; my experiences with sleeping rough on the streets; right through to the bullying I faced regularly as clockwork throughout school.
I also occasionally draw upon family experiences such as the way my mother and I were deserted by my biological father the very first minute I was born. I guess everything I have experienced in life has all taken a really massive part in my writing, whilst leaving me with scars and memories that I will never forget.
Where do you write?
I never limit myself to one particular place for my writing. I’ve written everywhere from a forest in the lowlands of Scotland to the local pub, right through to my own bathroom. I always carry my writing equipment with me, so that if the need arises I can write the material there and then.
Tell me about any creative rituals or patterns you have to follow in order to write.
Most of the time when writing I sit in solitude with the light’s dimmed, piano music playing in the background or at times maybe even panpipes and then I write, I don’t always have a subject in mind about what I wish to write about, I allow my own imaginations and memories fetch something to the surface for me and let my creative side do all the talking for me.
Your poetry covers a wide range of broad themes: war, love, nature, the state of the nation and topical events. Is there any thread uniting your work, or do you write about what interests you at the time?
In regards to my work I don’t think there is any particular thread uniting my work. It depends entirely on the mood I’m in and how my emotions sometimes get the better of me, for example, We Are Not The Ones was written at a point where I was in a really serious mood. I wrote it just after the killing of Lee Rigby. I was disgusted at how foreign nationals could come to Great Britain seeking refuge and protection and then turn on our own soldiers. It was a dark time and a lot of angry thoughts where running through my head.
Which of your poems is your favourite?
I guess my favourite would have to be Memories Of A Soldier. It’s the poem that started the ball rolling for me and was by far one of the toughest to write. Imagine having never experienced war first-hand and trying to crawl inside a soldier's mind. The film Saving Private Ryan was a massive help for this piece and provided me some of the imagery I needed for such a difficult job, the poetry of Wilfred Owen also provided me with a lot of guidance and was a massive help.
You regularly share your poetry with your online followers, which allows you to get immediate feedback from your fans and for you to engage with them in a two-way dialogue. What do you think of this process?
Social networking plays a massive part in my poetry, not only because it gets my work out there for people to read, but because it also provides the chance for them to leave feedback and messages of encouragement which I find of great value. This process also helps me to realise what appeals to people, what works and what doesn’t.
You were awarded second prize in the National category of the Pendle War Poetry competition for your poem Memories of a Soldier. Tell me about the poem and winning that award.
The poem was my attempt to see through the eyes of a soldier during the First World War and the graphic scenes which presented themselves to the brave men and women involved on the front line, I was inspired to write it by the works of Wilfred Owen, which was quite a coincidence when I found out that the prize presentation ceremony was to be held directly after a performance of Bullets and Daffodils at the ACE centre in Nelson. This was my very first award since leaving school over nine years ago, and was a fantastic evening which my brother and one of my closest friends attended with me to provide me some much needed support.
On your website, you write passionately about disability awareness. Is this something that has challenged you personally?
I was diagnosed with a disability myself very early in my childhood, dyspraxia a neurological disorder which affects my balance, co-ordination and motor skills, for which I was on the receiving end of a lot of discrimination throughout my teenage years and still to some extent today. I learnt though through determination and dedication regardless of whether you have a learning difficulty or not you can achieve anything you put your mind to, with some of the greatest minds having the same disability as mine, Richard Branson, Albert Einstein and Bill Gates to name a few, and they did pretty well for themselves. It’s all about having that one dream, and pushing hard enough to make that dream a reality, anything really is possible!
As well as a poet, you are also an accomplished actor. Is acting a career you would like to pursue, or is poetry your priority?
Never say never, although I wouldn’t quite say I’m accomplished! I have been known to tread the boards. I love theatre, and the possibility in a career in acting/directing is always a possibility. The chance to be able to tell a story, whether it be through my poetry or through the portrayal of a character in a play is spellbinding for me. What really gets me going is the way an audience can react. That’s probably the part I love most about the whole storytelling industry.
Which other creative mediums would you like to pursue, but haven't yet?
I already do to an extent. As well as my poetry and acting I’m also quite a keen photographer and artist. Any other creative avenues which present themselves to me are always a possibility.
Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring poets?
I think the following quote sums it all up rather nicely, all credit to Isaac Asimov;
“You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist." - Isaac Asimov
You can find out more about Anthony's work here.
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