Mount Lavinia Hotel has earned a reputation for its colonial heritage and this year, in celebration of their 210th anniversary, the hotel has really outdone itself by putting together a literary event for the knowledge thirsty dwellers of Lanka land. 

The event, which is set to take place on 9 and 10 July, will feature 5 British authors who are ready to stupefy everyone with their live literary performances and will conduct master classes ranging from guidelines on writing successful novels to illustrating books! 

You can register yourself here: www.mountlaviniahotel.com/wordsonthemount

This literary event will leave you with a legacy of knowledge as it features renowned British authors, Louis de Bernieres, Stephanie Calman, Peter Grimsdale, Rohan Candappa and Nicholas Allan!

These authors are all set to awe you with their live literary performances on 9 July and their master classes on 10 July. 

Words on the Mount will also feature our very own Ashok Ferrey, Lal Medawattegedara and Shehan Karunatilaka, in conversation with Rohan Candappa, who will collectively explore the different perspectives of Sri Lankan writing and Angela Seneviratne who will assist Nicholas Allan during his workshop on illustrating books.

We got in touch with the British authors to get to know them better and here’s what they had to say!
 

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LOUIS DE BERNIERES

Author of the international best seller, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and selected as one of the best 20 youngest British novelists in 1993, Louis de Bernieres will conduct a session on how to write a successful novel followed by a question and answer session.

Here’s a preview, but this won’t help you in writing a successful novel!

Q: What's the most challenging thing about the genre you write?
A: I don’t really have a genre. The real challenge is to remain interested and enthusiastic, and to keep learning.

Q: Growing up, did you aspire to be a writer? If not, what change led to being who you are today?
I always knew it was my vocation.

Q: What's the worst mistake a writer could make?
A: Trying to do what you’re not good at.

Q: Who inspires you?
All the good writing I read.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
A: Louis de Bernieres doesn’t want the competition, thank you.

Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
A: Who is allowed to become a banker.

Q: If you could go on a date with any celebrity in the world, who would it be? And why?
A: The Queen. She is very charming and amusing.

Q: Which of the two do you like more or dislike least: pizzas or burgers?
A: Neither thank you.  Can I have some dhal?

Q: Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey?
A: Twilight

Q: Dogs or cats?
A: Both

Q: Have you visited Sri Lanka before? If yes, what do you like most about Sri Lanka?
A: I have visited before. I liked the highlands the best, and the food is a treat.
 
Q: What do you expect to gain and leave with after Words on the Mount?
After Words on the Mount I expect to leave with my belly even larger, and with interesting ideas for my next novel.
 

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STEPHANIE CALMAN

Stephanie Calman is the author of six books, including Confessions of a Bad Mother, and she will be taking you through a life class in her master class at Words on the Mount.

Here’s what Stephanie, who will be celebrating her genre of writing which is writing about life, had to say about her own life!

Q: What's the most challenging thing about the genre you write?
A: For me, it’s having to be fresh and funny about normal, everyday experiences such as being married, bringing up children, losing one’s parents.

Q: Growing up, did you aspire to be a writer? If not, what change led to being who you are today?
A: Not at all. At school I always wanted to be ‘good at English’ and never was. I wanted to be an actor. And it was my drama teacher (at a club, not at school) who kept saying, ‘You should be a journalist’. Then when I was 16, I realised my heart wasn’t in acting – I wasn’t much good at it – and that I really wanted to like Katharine Whitehorn or Jilly Cooper, with their own columns in the Sunday papers. 

Q: What's the worst mistake a writer could make?
A: There are so many! What I hate is ‘look at me’ writing, that supposedly shows how clever the writer is, not thinking of the reader at all. Who wants to read a paragraph six times to try and figure out what it means?

Q: Who inspires you?
A: My father gave me a lot of American writers to read, so I grew to admire Woody Allen (the New Yorker pieces), James Thurber and co. Later my sister introduced me to the work of Florence King, who is an incredible writer but also funny. The best short form humorist writing in English today though has to be David Sedaris – another American. I can’t match him, I can only look on and wonder.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
A: Find your voice. Don’t try to be anyone but yourself. And have someone for feedback whose taste and advice you trust.

Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
A: The end of women being treated as slaves and things. 

Q: If you could go on a date with any celebrity in the world, who would it be? And why?
A: George Clooney – an obvious one, but he is funny and intelligent as well as handsome. By the end of the night I would hope to have pitched him a movie script.

Q: Which of the two do you like more or dislike less : pizzas or burgers?
A: I’m definitely a burger girl. If I hadn’t had kids I would probably have never eaten pizza at all.

Q: Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey?
A: Urgh! Casablanca every time.

Q: Dogs or cats?
A: Anything, so long as it’s handmade or stuffed and not pissing on the carpet.

Q: Have you visited Sri Lanka before?If no, what do you think Sri Lanka would be like?
A: No, but I always wanted to, since reading Peter's wonderful diary. I'm fascinated by how a country torn by conflict is still so many people's 'Most Beautiful Country in the World.' That says a lot.

Q: What do you expect to gain and leave with after Words on the Mount?
A: I know I will fall in love with the place, the people and the food! I even hope to be a little wiser.

 

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PETER GRIMSDALE

We got talking with Peter Grimsdale, renowned author of many enthralling books, whose live literary performance and master class will be a treat to everyone who likes suspense and thrillers!

Fun fact: His trip to Sri Lanka played a major role in his first novel, Perfect Night!

Q: What's the most challenging thing about the genre you write?
A: The big challenge of writing a compelling mystery thriller is to be absolutely sure that the plot works and contains no holes. The reader has to 'suspend disbelief' and go with the extreme tension you are creating - but they have to believe in it enough to become immersed and keep reading.     

Q: Growing up, did you aspire to be a writer? If not, what change led to being who you are today?
A: I kept diaries in my youth and the diary I kept when I came to Sri Lanka for the BBC in 1984 was what became the basis for my first novel Perfect Night.  So you could say I have Sri Lanka to thank for being where I am today.

Q: What's the worst mistake a writer could make?
A: Rule one is never underestimate the knowledge or intelligence of the reader - and that should apply to all genres of fiction and non-fiction.

Q: Who inspires you?
A: John Le Carre(Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley's People), Michael Ondaatje (The English Patient and Running in the Family), Frederick Forsyth (The Day of the Jackal) and the Jason Bourne films starring Matt Damon. 

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
A: If you want to write, try to do some every day. Keep a diary - record conversations or comments, try describing the weather and the people you see. It’s a bit like piano practice - just get into the habit of it. Then write about what you know or love. Don't set yourself impossible goals like historical fiction that requires a lot of research. Any everyday experience can be made interesting.  

Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
A: True equality for women - it would make the whole world a much better place.  

Q: If you could go on a date with any celebrity in the world, who would it be? And why?
A: Barack Obama, because of the poise and intelligence and wisdom he brought to a near impossible job. He is also immensely charismatic and a brilliant writer. And throughout his Presidency his honesty and modesty has not deserted him. 

Q: Which of the two do you like more or dislike less: pizzas or burgers?
A: Well I really like Pizzas, but give me curry any day.

Q: Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey?
A: Twilight.

Q: Dogs or cats?
A: Dogs if properly trained.
 

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ROHAN CANDAPPA

Writing funny isn’t easy and Rohan Candappa is all about just that! After many years of working in advertising, Rohan Candappa is now a full-time writer. He is the author of several successful books, including the The Little Book of Wrong Shui and The Little Book of Stress. 

Here’s what Mr. Candappa had to say.
 

Q: What's the most challenging thing about the genre you write?
A: The most challenging thing about the genre I write in is to find the balance between making people laugh and making them think. But the way it works is that if you can make people laugh, then the laughter creates some space in which it's possible to introduce thought and emotion.

Q: Growing up, did you aspire to be a writer? If not, what change led to being who you are today?
A: I'm not sure that I wanted to be writer when I was young, but I enjoyed the process of writing. The thought of 'being a writer' would have sounded a bit grandiose to me. So it took me a while, even after I'd had books published, to really accept that I was a writer. So I suppose what changed was the realisation that I was making a living at it and maybe I should stop feeling uncomfortable about the word.

Q: What's the worst mistake a writer could make?
A: I think the worst mistake a writer could make is to try to make everything perfect first time around. Make it good, then make it better.

Q: Who inspires you?
A: Who inspires me? Any writer who can make me laugh and make me think. For example, Saki. He is a genius of a writer who is not read much any more. So buy his short stories this minute and dive in.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
A: My advice for aspiring writers is really simple – if you want to be a writer just write. And read. Read as much as you can, across as many styles and genres as you can. Then learn from the writers who connect with you.

Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
A: If I could change one thing in the world it would be that my father had the chance to meet my wife and my children.

Q: If you could go on a date with any celebrity in the world, who would it be? 
A: The celebrity I would like to go on a date with would be Dame Judi Dench.

Q: Which of the two do you like more or dislike less: pizzas or burgers?
A: Prefer burgers.

Q: Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey?
A: Twilight

Q: Dogs or cats?
A: Both

Q: Have you visited Sri Lanka before? If yes, what do you like most about Sri Lanka? If no, what do you think Sri Lanka would be like?
A: Yes, I have visited Sri Lanka before.
I most liked the food, in fact loved the food. Especially a crab curry.

Q: What do you expect to gain and leave with after Words on the Mount?
A: And on account of loving the food, I expect I'll gain a few pounds after Words on the Mount.
But I'm also certain I'll gain quite a few friends

 

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NICHOLAS ALLAN

Nicholas Allan is the author/illustrator of over thirty children’s books.

Nicholas worked as a waiter, three weeks in a publisher’s office and as a part-time teacher of a life class before he published his first book, The Hefty Fairy. Since then he has been a full-time writer and illustrator.

His master class at Words on the Mount is one that will undoubtedly be one valued by many who aspire to be quality illustrators.

Q: What's the most challenging thing about the genre you draw for?
A: I'm an author/illustrator of children's picture books. The whole problem of creating these books is the story, and the whole problem of the story is the idea. So for me there is never any problem with the illustrating. 

Q: Growing up, did you aspire to be a illustrator? If not, what change led to being who you are today?
A: I grew up wanting to create books. I always enjoyed painting and studied five years of life-painting. This allowed me to continue my passion for writing at the same time. I then studied creative writing. Children's picture books perfectly combine both interests. 

Q: What's the worst mistake an illustrator could make?
A: Copying other artists.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring illustrators?
A: Stay original 

Q: If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
A: Mortality

Q: If you could go on a date with any celebrity in the world, who would it be? And why?
A: That girl in The Hunger Games. She looks the sort of person who could help you out in a fix. 

Q: Which of the two do you like more or dislike less: pizzas or burgers?
A: Dislike burgers less

Q: Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey?
A: Not read either. Any good?

Q: Dogs or cats?
A: I like pigs.

Q: Have you visited Sri Lanka before? If yes, what do you like most about Sri Lanka? If no, what do you think Sri Lanka would be like?
A: I've never visited Sri Lanka. Many friends have and said I will find it a very different environment. I'm very much looking forward to seeing something different. 

Q: What do you expect to gain and leave with after Words on the Mount?
A: I think I'll gain in meeting many people, especially children, with different views and experiences, another culture, which can only be enriching. I'm also anticipating it will be great fun.