Dan Corry
Dan Corry runs NPC, a charity that seeks to improve the impact of the charity sector via think tank work and consultancy. He is an economist by profession and after working in the civil service and in think tanks, was a special adviser during most of the Labour government 1997-2010.
Dan wrote many short stories in his twenties – and had one published as a result of a competition in a PEN New Writing collection (edited by Alan Massie). After that his writing energy mostly went into writing reports, speeches and White papers, as well as newspaper articles. Only in the last few years has he taken up short story writing again. And he is enjoying it!
Q: If you could travel back in time, which of the great writers would you like to meet and why?
A: John Steinbeck – to ask whether he thinks his stories really did make an impact on the American conscience, especially Grapes of Wrath. And what he made of Trump.
Q: Do you have a favourite quote? (From a book, film, song, speech…)
A: “One of these days in your travels, a guy is going to show you a brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken. Then this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the jack of spades jump out of this brand-new deck of cards and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not accept this bet, because as sure as you stand there, you’re going to wind up with an ear full of cider.” Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls: and Other Stories
Q: What superpower would you like to have and why?
A: The ability to play football at the top level – so I could play for Chelsea!
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