Occupation and Brief Resume: Writer and writing skills facilitator. Chris is the author of the Jon Spicer series of crime novels and member of the Murder Squad crime collective. His novels include Outside The White Lines, Killing The Beasts, Skin Deep and Pecking Order

FILMS:

Good film I’ve watched recently:  The Sisters Brothers

One of the best films I’ve ever watched:  Bladerunner

Got to be good if he’s in it: Willem Dafoe

Got to be good if she’s in it: Scarlett Johansson 

TV Series not to be missed and why: Sopranos – its scope and scale.

Best ever comedy series and why: Not so keen on comedy.

Funniest Stand Up Comedian: Billy Connolly

MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS!!!!

 3 great albums you must listen to: Astral Weeks / Fisherman’s Blues / Is This It

3 songs you must listen to:  I’m Just A Gigolo / I’d Rather Go Blind (Joe Bonamassa and Beth Hart’s version is AWESOME – CHR)/ It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.

A great band/artist you need to check out and why: Plastic Mermaids – crazy psychedelic folk tunes.

Best artist/band you’ve seen live and why: Radiohead – The music sweeps you away

READING MATTERS:

Best Novel: Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad.

Best Biography: Not sure I’ve ever read one!

Best Autobiography: The Moon’s A Balloon – David Niven.

A Single Poem to Inspire: Blackberry-picking, Seamus Heaney

FOOD

Your signature dish: Laksa – Malaysian Coconut Curry Soup which is full of amazing flavours and surprisingly simple to make. 

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT YOU CAN’T WAIT TO BOOK A TABLE IN: Anywhere that’s not McDonalds.

DRINK

A good recommendation to chill out with would be … my friend’s home-made Pimms recipe because it leaves you horizontal.

ACTIVITY SUGGESTION FOR FILLING IN THE DAY WITH KIDS OR  NOT (Family Audience remember ): Head to the Peak District and walk somewhere that ends in a nice café or pub.

YOUR GREATEST DIY ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAS SURVIVED THE TEST OF TIME and what made you attempt it: Putting together a very complicated Ikea desk with folding out front and slide out shelf. I needed something neat in which to hide my computer.

SOMETHING THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU ABOUT ME IS: I have bungee-jumped, parachuted and paraglided – and have a massive fear of heights.

HOLIDAY OF A LIFETIME – when this is all over –Back to the beach at Noirmoutier.

3 LUXURIES YOU’D TAKE WITH YOU TO A DESERT ISLAND AND WHY (Nothing that might aid an escape, messaging or making contact with civilisation allowed): Suncream (I’m Celtic haze in colouring), the means to distil a spirit from the coconuts, a snorkel.

 A PIECE OF WISDOM TO PASS ON: Always try to stand in the other person’s shoes.

ONE THING YOU HOPE COMES OUT OF ALL OF THIS:A rejection of the celebrity culture.

More details about Chris Simms can be found at  www.chrissimms.info