Interviews James Goss by DJ Forrest

Having learnt of how Andrew and fellow writers of Consequences started in their chosen career, what drove you to write, was it from school, or after watching the relaunch of Doctor Who, or was it something you’d always done but as a hobby initially?

James:  Maths, to be honest. When I first got to write a Torchwood novel, I was so excited. But there was so little time to do it, and I had a proper job, so it was really just like exam revision. I worked out how long the book was, how long I had to write it in, and then worked out how many words I needed to write each day, then found ways of doing that that amused me. That's why my first book is so odd and broken-up. Maths. I'd get home and while the microwave spun I'd think of something that'd keep me off Facebook for a couple of hours.

Given that there is still so much scope for Torchwood as a history going back to the 1800’s what are the chances of more books and audio stories coming out covering that period, and would Russell want to take the story back, with only fleeting stories covering Jack’s past all those years ago? 

James: One of the ideas I pitched for the second Torchwood radio play was about Jack's first meeting with Queen Victoria. It wasn't very good, and Russell's reply to that email was spot-on. It might work as an audiobook, but not as Radio Four where people would be expecting guns and spaceships and contemporary mystery, not a rustle of crinoline.

There is so much history of Torchwood, with Emily Holroyd and team even the team featuring Gerald and Harriet, it would be fun to have stories based upon those characters.  The only reason I ask about this is Doctor Who has been around for 50 years this year and there have been countless books by numerous writers over the years, featuring stories long after the various Doctors had regenerated and I just feel sometimes that it would be such a challenge, but a good one to bring out more Torchwood books that feature the past as well as before Miracle Day, that aren’t always based around tie ins, as in the bits between the episodes we’ve just seen.  I think with Jack’s time line there is so much scope to write a hell of a lot more stories.

As a writer myself the sci fi genre opens up so many opportunities for so many levels of story writing for the Torchwood and Whoniverse it would be such a waste not to tap into so many ideas of what and where you could take the Torchwood team.  Would you like to see a return of Torchwood, in any capacity?

James: Yes.

Do you go to a lot of the Conventions when they’re on?

James: No.

As writers of Torchwood and the Whoniverse do you get to meet up with your fellow writers as I often think when I read the banter between people on Twitter that you all know each other quite well?

James: Joe Lidster and I see a lot of each other. I remember Joe telling me in a pub one evening that it was “a great secret” that we were going out with each other. I stared at him in horror. “How do you think I feel, fatty?” he replied.

Fans Questions:

Mel Purplemonkeydishwasher Bennett 'Almost Perfect' was the first Torchwood book, that I read, and it's probably my favourite. Where did the idea behind it come from, and why Ianto?? Also, thanks for a book which features large amounts of Rhys.

James:  Weirdly, the original idea, which I mentioned to Gary Russell ages before was “Owen as a Woman”. Because he'd be an absolute disaster at it, whereas Ianto was a sweet mess. But then, of course, it sat on a pile somewhere, forgotten, while everyone got on with their lives, and then Steve Tribe needed someone to write a book, and Gary remembered, and Steve rang me and said “So I've got this book idea from you about Ianto as a woman...” and I said, “Oh dear, oh, I'm so sorry.” And he said “No, no, not at all.”

Also, with Rhys, I adore writing Rhys. I have absolutely no idea why, but I could quite happily sit and pretend to be Rhys all day long. I think it's because he's the most normal man ever to have lived, and because Kai Owen is so brilliant at being the centre of Gwen's universe. She spends all day, every day on top of rooftops, saving the world and shooting aliens, and he's there at home, chopping onions and having to listen. I bet, you know, that Gwen always means to ask him how his day's been and never quite gets round to it.

Mickie Newton:  Almost Perfect is one of my favourite books too. My question James is You captured the voices and characterization so well of each of the main characters. How were you able to achieve that in words only? Was it at all difficult to write Ianto as a woman? I thought you did a fantastic job by the way. Almost Perfect is one of my favourite TW Novels

James: Thank you. I'm very fond of it and really proud of it, but it was the first time I'd ever written a book and it became so completely complicated and confusing when I was in the middle of it. In the middle of it was the idea that Ianto would just be a bit chaotic as a woman and completely unaware of how beautiful he was, and then, by the end, quietly thrilled at the effect he had on other people.

The main problem was Gwen. In my head, while I was doing the first draft, what kept me going was the idea that, underneath all that niceness, Gwen was tired, hungover, stressed and massively resentful of female Ianto. My friend Lee Binding read the first draft and went “WHAT THE HELL? You have completely missed the point of Gwen.” And he was right. But it was kind of how I felt at the time, staying up till 2 writing, going in to work, writing through lunch, coming home and writing some more... and having to pretend that everything was brilliant and lovely and happy while sitting in meetings and thinking “I'm writing a Torchwood novel! This meeting is silly. And I'd like a nap.”

Psyche Gry Christoffersen Alright, a question from the Danish girl: "Was there a specific point in your life where you knew you wanted to be a writer? Like, when all the other kids were playing soccer in school and you sat under the table filling notebook after notebook with the adventures of Jim and his space dog? No wait, that was me. Anyway, did you always want to be a writer?"

James: I sort of forgot about it in my 20s. Just because I had such a brilliant and fun and creative job. And then, suddenly, a play I'd worked on in my teens had a very successful run in LA. And I suddenly was in the situation of being sat at a desk, discovering that my 17 year old self had a better career than me.