Anakana Schofield, author of the debut novel Malarky, will appear in a second IFOA event on Saturday, October 27.
IFOA: You’ve just written, sold, edited, published and launched your first novel. What’s been the biggest surprise along the way?
Schofield: The incredible response to it! Malarky was selected as a Summer 2012 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick. The day I found out I bought a packet of Mrs. Vickies salt and vinegar chips to celebrate with my son. I have been receiving lovely messages from readers many of whom identified with Our Woman in Malarky.
IFOA: What does the word “malarky” mean to you? (Is it fair to ask you to try to sum it up?)
Schofield: Perfectly fair! I think of the word malarky as carry on or behaviour. Technically it means nonsense. My mother used to say stop that malarky!
Now the word malarky also means thanks a million Joe Biden for putting the word on the lips of America and stumping for my novel. Behind every vice president is a Canadian episodic novel.
IFOA: When and where do you prefer to read?
Schofield: I have summer reading rituals and winter reading rituals (see my accompanying blog on this topic). In summer I love reading on Grandma’s deck but I can be found reading all year round, supine on my south facing couch, watching the rain. I also like to walk and read. For meteorological reasons this is less challenging on print ink during the summer. Although this summer plenty print was dripped upon during June.
IFOA: If you could time travel, where and when would you go, and why?
Schofield: I would go inside my son’s computer screen at 6:40 am yesterday and surprise him. I would pop up in one of those Minecraft interfaces with a sign that read “For the 45th time have you brushed your teeth and for the Love of Snoopy put your bloody socks on.”
IFOA: Finish this sentence: It doesn’t really matter if…
Schofield: …you leave the house without your socks on unless you are worried about wet feet.
IFOA: Bonus question: International Festival of Authors in one word:
Schofield: Remix.
International Festival of Authors 