Alan Gibbons

Why did you decide to write a novel about the Russian Revolution?

In the run up to the one hundred years anniversary I fully expected that there would be a rash of books about the revolution. As it approached however it was clear that apart from China Mieville’s Book, October, the book by Dave Sherry and a book by Neil Faulkner there was very little coming out and no fiction so I very quickly wrote the first part of this trilogy in ten days followed by the second one and all being well I’ll write the final part.

When I was 14 I managed my first, rather comic act of political rebellion. Partly inspired by Ken Loach’s film Cathy Come Home, I chalked “Long live the proletariat” on the blackboard at Crewe Boys’ Grammar. Our RE teacher, the Reverend Geddes, wandered in, inspected it and, humiliatingly, corrected my spelling before getting on with the lesson.

Schools Out! tells an altogether more inspiring tale of rebellion, politics and youthful fire.