404 Ink Archives - Page 2 of 2

The Interrobang Interrogation – Gavin Inglis

Well, not Christmas Eve. We like Christmas Eve. It’s… well, never mind. Let’s try that again.

We’ve got another Interrobang Interrogation with a featured 404 Ink author today – Gavin Inglis.

Gavin writes games and interactive stories, contributing to fitness app Zombies, Run! and gothic tea-break epic Fallen London. Depending on your mood, you can try his sensitive mental health piece Hana Feels (http://hanafeels.com/) or wreak a blood-soaked revenge on your home town in the phone game Neighbourhood Necromancer.
(https://www.choiceofgames.com/neighbourhood-necromancer/)

His book Crap Ghosts is an ideal Xmas present for those hard-to-please relatives. You can find Gavin at www.gavininglis.com, and @gavininglis on Twitter.

"A questionnaire, you say? Sounds like fun!" — Gavin models his Christmas jumper

And here’s how Gavin answered our questions:

‽: If you had to write a letter to ‘Santa’, is there anything you’d particularly like to say to him?

GI: Thanks for that Fisher-Price garage; it was totally worth waiting a year for.

‽: What film would you choose to watch at Christmas?

GI: Trading Places

‽: Is there a Christmas tradition you’d love to get rid of?

GI: I’d criminalise the display of any Xmas merchandise before Dec 11th.

‽: What song would you like as your entry music at War on Christmas? Or should we just choose something?

GI: I’m Gonna Spend my Christmas With a Dalek by the [English, 1960s] Go-⁠Gos.

‽: You’re talking Ricky Interrobang’s language!

‽: What’s on your Christmas wishlist this year?

GI: I’d just like people to be nicer to strangers this year.

Thanks a lot to Gavin for that wee aperitif! Come along to Interrobang and 404 Ink – The War on Christmas at The Bongo Club on 9th December as he delivers a quick appetizer and then a main course of his story from 404 Ink Issue 1: Error!

The Interrobang Interrogation – Christina Neuwirth

Knock-knock. Who’s behind door number 5 of our War on Christmas?! advent calendar? Why, it’s another 404 Ink featured author, Christina Neuwirth!

Aargh! Look to the left!! Krampus!!! — Christina enjoying her interrogation altogether too much. (Photo credit: Andrew Perry)

Christina Neuwirth was born in Austria and now lives in Edinburgh where she splits her time between working at Scottish PEN and the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (home of the Dangerous Women Project). She has produced and written short films, performed at the International Storytelling Festival, and dabbled in music production. Her short fiction has been published in Gutter and 404 Ink, and her non-fiction can be found on CommonSpace. Her novella Amphibian was shortlisted for the 2016 Novella Award. She is currently writing her first novel. You can say hi at @gwynn255. Find Scottish PEN at @ScottishPEN and www.scottishpen.org, and the Dangerous Women Project on @DangerousWomen_ and www.dangerouswomenproject.org.

And here’s how Christina answered our questions:

‽: If you had to write a letter to ‘Santa’, is there anything you’d particularly like to say to him?

CN:

Dear Santa,

In my country, you don’t exist. I was never taught to believe in you. Instead, we have a little angel child who wears a nightgown and has curly blonde hair and is also Jesus.

Love,

Christina

‽: What film would you choose to watch at Christmas?

CN: My sister and I always watch the highly underrated 1998 animated feature Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie on VHS. My dad has kept the VHS player around for precisely this reason. It’s a great tradition.

‽: Is there a Christmas tradition you’d love to get rid of?

CN: Krampus. He is terrifying. On 5 and 6 December, Krampus, who is St Nicolas’s friend/sidekick/nemesis walks the streets. He is a furry goat-footed horned long-tongued devil creature who, in the spirit of Christmas, threatens children with bodily harm for their sins. Festive!

‽: What song would you like as your entry music at War on Christmas? Or should we just choose something?

CN: All I Want for Christmas Is You, please. It’s the best one. (If someone’s already picked that I’m also happy with Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree).

‽: Oh, we think that can be arranged. ? In the meantime, here’s Mariah…

‽: What’s on your Christmas wishlist this year?

CN: I know I can’t actually make this happen with my wish but I’d really like some snow this year.

Thanks a lot to Christina for her banging answers to The Interrobang Xmas Interrogation. Come along to Interrobang and 404 Ink – The War on Christmas at The Bongo Club on 9th December for more of Christina being her awesome self!

Save

The Interrobang Interrogation – Chris McQueer

We’re in December, or in Irish (we’re told), the month of Christmas. In Scottish Gaelic, it’s effectively (apparently) the darkness.

So let’s kick off the countdown to The War on Christmas?! with an Interrobang Interrogation of 404 Ink featured author, Chris McQueer…

A cheeky little fortified wine brewed by monks in Devonshire — Administer the truth serum!

Chris McQueer is a 25 year old writer and sales assistant from Glasgow. His work has appeared in The High Flight fanzine, The Football Pink magazine and most recently in 404 Ink: Error. When he isn’t selling shoes, busting queues or writing weird short stories, you will most likely find him spouting nonsense at house parties with a bottle of Buckfast in hand.

And here’s how Chris answered our questions:

?!: If you had to write a letter to ‘Santa’, is there anything you’d particularly like to say to him?

CM: Why did I get a VHS player instead of the PlayStation I requested when I was 8? I already had a perfectly good video player.

?!: What film would you choose to watch at Christmas?

CM: Jingle All the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not only the best Christmas film of all time but the best film ever made in general.

?!: Is there a Christmas tradition you’d love to get rid of?

CM: Turkey for Christmas dinner. It’s so bland and tasteless. No wonder we only eat it once a year.

?!: What song would you like as your entry music at War on Christmas? Or should we just choose something?

CM: Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) by Edison Lighthouse is probably my favourite song ever so that would be nice to walk on to please.

INTERROBANG?! – Making Christmas wishes come true since 2016

?!: What’s on your Christmas wishlist this year?

CM: I work in retail so I’m just looking forward to the day off really. And maybe a new laptop. And loads of books.

Thanks a lot to Chris for getting into the spirit of The War on Christmas?! Come along to Interrobang and 404 Ink – The War on Christmas at The Bongo Club on 9th December for more words of wisdom from Chris!

Save