Editor Hunter O'Connell interviews author James Hornby about Cwej: Requiem.

Q: Requiem was originally an audio drama. What can you tell us about that?
A: It was! Requiem was part of the Audio Visuals series of fan made Doctor Who audio plays. The series features lots of writers and actors who have since worked on official Doctor Who media. Andy Lane, Requiem's author, was coincidentally the creator of Doctor Who companion Chris Cwej, the protagonist for this adaptation of the original play.

Q: Do readers need a working knowledge of Cwej: The Series to read Requiem?
A: Not in the slightest. The plan for Requiem was for it to be a new introduction to Cwej: The Series for readers. To help with this, Requiem takes place before the first book, Down the Middle.

Q: How did you find the writing process?
A: Writing Requiem was far different to how I usually tackle a book. First, as Andy Lane no longer has a copy of Requiem’s script, I used a program to create one from the Audio Visuals drama itself. Of course, this led to a script littered with flaws, so I still had to listen to Requiem several times over to make sure I had the dialogue correct, but it made the task much simpler by having something to work from. 
Justyce Served, an amazing reference book on the Audio Visuals, was also a massive help. It made sure I had the spellings of the planets and key concepts correct to how Andy originally intended them, as well as being a cracking read in the first place!

Q: What should readers expect from Requiem?
A: An exciting, fast paced story from the mind of Andy Lane. He's written some incredible stories in the past, Chris' introduction in Doctor Who: Original Sin for a start. I'm just lucky enough to have adapted this one into a new medium.

Q: What are you most proud of about Requiem?
A: I think I'm most proud of keeping this adaptation as true to the original Audio Visuals play as was possible. Whilst I've had to change some narrative elements to make the book part of Cwej: The Series, the majority of Andy's original dialogue remains in place. 

Q: What was the most difficult part of adapting a story about music into prose?
A: The concert itself, I would say. In the original audio we hear Glasst’s performance, something I couldn’t translate to prose. I had to find a way to explore how it feels for the characters to hear it, digging into their emotions and thoughts. 

Q: Whose style, besides that of Andy Lane, was your biggest inspiration when working on Requiem?
A: It's not something I'd really thought about when writing the book, but, at least on a subconscious level, I'd have to say Terrance Dicks. He's the champion of novelisations, never to be beaten. I hope Requiem lives up to the high bar he set. 

Q: Where else can we find your work?
A: I’ve done a lot of work for Arcbeatle Press; I'm the range editor for SIGNET series, and author of its opening story, Night of the Yssgaroth. I also authored an upcoming instalment of Cwej: The Series, which hopefully will see the light of day later this year. Beyond Arcbeatle, I’ve written some Doctor Who charity stories for Altrix Books, Pencil Tip Publishing, and a UNIT short story for Candy Jar Books.

Q: Do you have any closing remarks for the readership?
A: Thank you for taking the time to read this interview! I pour my heart and soul into the work I do for Arcbeatle Press. The loyalty of our readership means the world, and it will be rewarded. Over the next few years we have some real treats in store, just you wait and see.