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Posted by Ileana Montealegre

December 18th 2011

Was the Firelight script based on a book or novel? How did you imagined such a lovely story?

William Nicholson responded:

I made it up myself. There's no book behind it. Making up stories is what writers do, or should do. The story is mostly about parental love, of course; which I do feel very strongly. I'm really pleased you respond so well to it.

Posted by Ben Wesley

December 15th 2011

Hi, I am a year 13 A-level student at Ormiston Victory Academy. I am currently studying BTEC Performing Arts. One of our units is Principles of Acting. We are looking at your play 'Map of the Heart' I was wondering if you could give me any information on the background of the play, the characters and any other information that you can give please? This would be much appreciated and this will help my studies Thank you! Hope to hear from you.

William Nicholson responded:

I'm not sure what you want to know. The play is of course about marriage, not kidnap - about the way we don't know what to value until we lose it. Also, as in all my work, all the protagonists are 'good' people. Loving people, doing what they think is for the best, inflict great pain on each other. No villains, only the mess of life.

Posted by Paul Joannou

December 13th 2011

Hi, Any hope of Life Story getting gneral DVD release - or a repeat showing on TV? Did you consider the script in book form? Do you think that it would be possible to adapt Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet, Peralandra, and That Hideous Strength into scripts? Kind Regards Paul

William Nicholson responded:

There was a short-lived attempt to get a new movie version made, but it came to nothing. The BBC owns the script, as far as book-form goes. And CSLewis's sci-fi - fascinating stuff - but I've never thought of it for film. Maybe I should.

Posted by Glenna Thompson

December 13th 2011

On Shadowlands: I am an American Lewis fan & the movie is my favourite film...thank you Did you get any input from Joy's son? If so what were his memories of CS Lewis like? What inspired you to want to make the movie in the first place and, on reflection was this achieved in the final product? Did you get an opportunity to meet any of Lewis' students? Thank You Glenna Thompson

William Nicholson responded:

No, at the time of writing I had had no contact with Douglas Gresham, Joy's son; though subsequently he was very generous about Shadowlands. Nor did I meet any of Lewis's students (though my mother was briefly taught by him at Oxford, and did not like him). I was inspired to write Shadowlands by the power of the love/pain story, which struck me as universal; as well as by admiration for both Lewis and Joy. And yes, I am proud of the result.

Posted by Juliane

December 11th 2011

Are you responsible for interpreting the story that became First Night? I have watched the film many times and find the screenplay emotionally and intellectually true, both on the level of human nature and the level of archetypes in myth. Did you take a story and make it your own, or did you devise the entire thing? How did you do this and why is it perfect? I really mean the question.

William Nicholson responded:

It was my own story, though of course based on, or taking off from, the Arthurian myth. I wrote it many years ago, and can barely remember how it came about, but I'm honoured that you find it 'perfect'. At the time I recall a very disappointing critical response. I think perhaps Richard Gere was too modern a figure for Lancelot.

Posted by Bains

December 7th 2011

What inspires you to get ideas when you plan to write a novel?

William Nicholson responded:

A character, an emotion. Then I build out from there. Also sometimes a context gets me going. My next novel to come out, MOTHERLAND, has a large section about the Dieppe raid in 1942, because it's interested me for a long time.