Do you use the internet for research?
I don't do a great deal of research for my novels, so I mainly use the internet for fun. It is good for tracking down hard-to-find novels, particularly Abe Books, or for finding out about authors who have fallen out of print. Email is handy for work. When I first got email, it paid for my new iMac inside a week.
Do you read online comments about your books?
It is funny doing searches for my novels, finding articles in French, Italian, Croatian, and so on. Sometimes I read comments on my books on sites, and they are more perceptive and intelligently written than those in the professional media.
What technologies were used for the making of the film The Football Factory?
The Football Factory was made on a tiny budget and shot entirely on digital video. This cut down the costs massively, as you don't have to splash out on expensive film. Money was tight and came from outside the film business.
Is downloading music killing it or simply changing people's experiences?
I don't download music, but I can see why younger generations do. Why pay a tenner for some dodgy sleeve notes? As for building up massive libraries and carrying them in your pocket, this is Britain today: quantity over quality. Why would anyone want to carry 10,000 songs around with them?
What hi-fi equipment do you have?
I buy most of my music on vinyl and play it on a Rega Planar 3 turntable. I have an Arcam 7R amplifier, Arcam Alpha 8 tuner, B&W speakers and Yamaha KX-W321 cassette player. CDs are tinny, with all the personality of an empty tin can, but I also have a Marantz CD-63 Mk II CD player, as a lot of music isn't available on vinyl. I love my stereo system. It makes a massive difference listening to music properly.
Are there opportunities for technology to build communities? For me, communities are where you live and work and socialise. Technology is a tool but it has taken over. I think people are more isolated than ever, sitting in front of screens on their own all night. There is more and more information available and people know less and less.
Mac or PC?
I use an Apple iBook. It is a great machine, and means I can go anywhere to write. Before that I had an iMac. I need to get more computer- literate, but when it comes to technology, the instructions are so complicated. I find the mechanics boring and get frustrated quickly. Saying that, I have just bought the Freeway 3.5 Pro web design package so I can build up several sites based around my books.
Mobile phones?
I have a Nokia 3330e. I text more than make calls, using it as mobile email. I hate mobiles in one way, though, because so many people use them to show how important they think they are, as if they always have to be available.I hardly ever go out socially with my mobile, but will do if I get one of those new ones with a built-in camera. They are pretty smart.
John King's favourite sites
Census sites
www.1901census.nationalarchives.gov.uk
American punk rock sites
www.punk77.co.uk
www.rancidrancid.com
Author sites
www.laurahird.com
www.stewarthomesociety.org
Football sites
http://chelsea.rivals.net
· John King's sixth book, The Prison House, is now on sale
