CONVERSATIONS WITH HUMANS: JENN ASHWORTH

A weekly author Q&A series that rummages into the handbag of authors and finds an out-of-date Tesco clubcard voucher. This week, we question Jenn Ashworth, author of A Kind Of Intimacy. Jenn will launch her new black comedy Cold Light, along with Tom Fletcher's The Thing On The Shore, at An Outlet on May 13th, 8pm. You can also see her at the unmissable performance project Station Stories later in May.

Q. What's your 3rd favourite novel of all time? And why?

Recently I have been really impressed with Russ Litten's Scream If You Want to Go Faster. I don't think I'm old enough to have a favourite of all time. Or even a third favourite. But the books I keep going back to, amazed, are Moby Dick, Madame Bovary and Anna Karenina.

Q. What is the longest conversation you've ever tried to have with an animal, and what was it about?

Every day I have long conversations with my cats. I'm in the house a lot either on my own, or with a little baby that doesn't answer back yet. So some of the conversations last days. They are usually about what I am writing at that minute, or rants about some domestic failure of mine. The cats are called Freddy and The Nolan Sisters. Freddy is a much better conversationalist, but the Nolans are genuinely good listeners.

Q. If your books could be printed on something other than paper, on what would you print them?

The rice paper that the outsides of those flying saucer sweeties are made of. Edible books!

Q. Let's have a Madchester-style revival but for fiction writers instead. Who gets to be Bez?

I don't know what this question means. Who is Bez? (scuttles off to google) Sorry. I am still no clearer. I am prepared to fail this question. I feel a bit embarrassed now.

Q. What's the best colour for a book cover? No, really. I like red.

Yes, I like red too. I have a red chair and red bookcases so I reckon a red book would do nicely. Although 'teal' is also a firm favourite of mine. If I was at home reading, red would do nicely. Although if I was out and about, teal would be better as it would match more of my outfits.

Q. Plug any current book or project you're working on: please use as many long words as you can.

This is tricky. I'm such a bad speller I usually make it a policy to avoid long words. I am awaiting the publication of my second novel with trepidation and chickenheartedness. I am industriously working on my third, which is about a family made up of one disconsolate son, a gravid daughter, a homeward-bound proselyting brother, an almost-philandering father and a passive-aggressive, hypochondriac mother. I am also carrying on with my pedagogical pursuits.