5 minutes with ... Professor Andy Melrose
What's your favourite Uni memory?
There have been many highs in my 25 years (and counting). I think it was when the great writer on fairy tales, Jack Zipes, came to give a talk and afterwards told me I had made him think again about his findings. It’s great when you can have academic tussle and still remain friends.
What do you write?
I began my writing life differently from most people. I had an idea called The Storykeepers which I got to turn into 15 films and 24 books. It was a huge learning curve in writing for children. I still write for children, look out for The Boat and its film but having spent a long time saying I’m not a poet I have published a goodly amount of poetry in the past couple of years. Oh, and I’m a songwriter too – which is my passion and a hobby in one – and Writing Song Lyrics is a book I wrote with Glenn Fosbraey.
What's your favourite book?
This is something which changes from year to year and I couldn’t honestly say. At the moment I seem to be returning to Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, most because I can read a section a night and luxuriate in the language. At the moment I am really enjoying What Were You Thinking by my colleague, Julian Stannard. Once described as ‘lyrical, real, wistful, and then sometimes it barks like a dog you can’t completely trust.’ I can empathise.
Best thing about The University of Winchester
Its open friendliness, Beata Podgorska in the Learning Café, and the porters who cheer me up every time I chat to them and who always have time for me.
Guilty Pleasure
I have loved guitars since my mum and dad bought me one over 50 years ago (I still have it). They don’t have to be expensive or beautiful just playable. It would be my desert island luxury.