WLM Member Monday – Mark Bean

Victoria Twead:  It’s Member Monday! Today is our chance to get to know very lively WLM member Mark Bean a whole lot better! Thanks for allowing us a peek into your life, Mark! *Applause* At the end of the day, Mark will pick two questioners to win ebooks from the header.Morning Mark! You post up pictures of all sorts of places, what do you do for a living?

Jacky:  Good morning, Mark Being a Rolls Royce mechanic, have you ever owned (or wanted to own) one?

Sue:   Hiya Mark! Having lived in Malawi and Rhodesia, what brought you back to the UK?

Janet:  Morning Mark, is that Rolls Royce cars or jet engines?

Alison:  Morning Mark

Micki:  Morning Mark! Is masonry a hobby, or another job?

Valerie:  Oh boy, time for me to learn more about my fb friend! Mark, when did you live in Zimbabwe? When did you start writing, and how many memoirs have you written? And what else have you written? Too many questions, maybe? X

Alan:  Morning Mark!

Mark: Hi all, Okay I work in the Mechanical and Electrical industry, in Critical Buildings- that I, buildings that need to stay on all the time, like banks and data centers. I trained at Rolls Royce Diesel division in Shrewsbury, fixing and manufacturing high speed diesel engines for generators, pumps and Challenger 2 Main Battle tanks.

Left Rhodesia when Maugabe’s mob took over, then went back for RR working for an agent, installing and servicing gen sets and pump sets. I left Zim when inflation started sky rocketing and I had a decent job offer in the UK. Also because corruption was becoming endemic in industry by then.

Masonry is more a hobby than anything else, I suppose also a little stab at immortality – it is interesting to build something you know will stand for 300 years.

Hi Val, my Mom encouraged me to write- you will know her from Zim TV – Pattie Pink

Mark:  A chimney I built in France

Janet:  Smokin’ ! Said in style of The Mask.

Woofie:  Hey, what is meant by full bore target shooting, Mark? I know you had to hand in most of your guns and so you can’t shoot fun stuff like ICORE or IPSC any more (most shooters of those disciplines high tailed it over to Wozland or keep their toys in France or somewhere).

Bambi:  Hi Mark, my husband is a fly fisherman. I am in awe every time I watch him fish. Is there a body of water you just have to fish one day? Bucket list kind of thing?

Mark:  I abhor gluttony, greed, injustice and sloth and am not at all PC.

Bambi, ladies make the best fly fishers. Is your hubby a wet or dry man, or both- Fly tying is cool and quite technical- favorite ever fly of mine is the Dunkeld.

Micki:  What’s the biggest fish you’ve ever caught (not the one that got away!)?

Bambi:  He’s both, and he loves tying his own flies. He’s always looking at sparkly bits and thinking of ways to add them to his flies. Lol

Mark:  I have always wanted to fish the Dee, in Scotland but Montana would be excellent

Bambi:  I think he prefers dry, though.

Mark:  About 4 kilos for a rainbow Micki, however I got a 9 kilo hen Pike once- best ever fish was a two pound wild brownie with a Tupps at the Drawing Room on the River Test – and the legendary Vic Foot was watching.

Cherry:  Hi Mark. Interesting that you worked in Shrewsbury…I live just a few miles north of there. Whereabouts did you live?

Mark:  Hi Cherry, near Copthorne – A nice town Shrewsbury.

Cherry:  Thanks, Mark. Yes, I like it. Have you ever written fiction?

Mark:  Yes Cherry, I have a series called ‘Hellion’ that traces a female warrior blood line from Neolithic times to the modern era, about 70% complete- and a young adult work on Amazon- if anyone would like a copy of that (The Flight of The Arrow) just post an email address and I can send in MOBI or pdf.

Cherry:  Wow, Helion sounds wonderful! Great that you look at a female warrior blood line! And yes, I love the sound of The Flight of the Arrow, so I will pm you my email address. Thank you!

Laurie:  Hi Mark, Since you have lived in so many different areas where do you feel most at home?

Janet:  Bambi, in state’s speak, what’s the name of the zip in mens’ trousers? Cos in Brit speak…………it’s flies………………

Cherry:  From your works of fiction, I take it you enjoy history. Is there any period you’re especially interested in?

Mark:HI Woofie, full bore for us is anything over .223- I shoot .308 and you are right we are not allowed to shoot any centerfire pistols or SLR in the UK- Black powder is fun though.

Hi Cherry yes I am very interested in Neolithic Britain, those people were astonishingly clever.

Bambi:  So, are you settled now? Or do you get the urge to pick up and move somewhere?

Valerie:  Shrewsbury! What I know about Shrewsbury has been mostly gleaned from Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael series. Keep going back to re-read. Beautiful, simple, instant suck-you-in writing, with so many facets. Are you hooked, as I am, Mark?

Woofie:  Hmm.. it is very quiet here so I suspect Mark Bean is writing a treatise in answer to my question to him and of course my question deserves such a detailed and measured response. *grin*

Cherry:  Neolithic Britain sounds fascinating, Mark. I’m interested in history, especially the Bronze Age. Like you, I’m continually impressed by the inventiveness and capabilities of the people who lived then.

Mark: Hi Laurie, I enjoy living in the New Forest but we have a small house in rural France, Normandy, which is a brilliant place. So I suppose France and England, but I also fancy southern Ireland where my brother lives.

Yes Cherry and when I study the mathematics of Neolithic stone circles I am staggered by their understanding of complex geometry.

Sorry for the slow responses folks – working day for me and I am shuffling paperwork for next year.

Neolithic geometry- these people were not stupid.

Woofie:  It’s amazing stuff… like the snake mounds in southern Ohio… how did those folks do it?????

Cherry:  What inspired you to write, Mark?

Linda:  Hi Mark Bean. This is an interesting interview. Can I ask a few personal questions? I assume you are married, but do you have children? Or pets?

Mark Bean:  Yes Linda, married to Nicky and we have two boys – one who is joining the Royal Marines soon.

Thanks for all the interesting questions folks- off out now so will catch up tomorrow – Beany.

Victoria:  I’d love a mobi of your book, Mark Bean, shall I pm you? Thanks so much for agreeing to be our Monday member, Mark. I very much enjoyed reading the questions and answers. When you have time, please pick 2 questioners to give header ebooks to.

Micki:  Enjoyed reading all the questions & answers! Thank you Mark et al!

Woofie:  Yeah.. this is a great idea and there are more questions I want to ask Mark. The questions so far have just piqued my interest.