Interview with Author Jonathan Hill

Jonathan Hill burst onto the indie scene in 2012 and has been entertaining readers with his short stories and novellas ever since.

Jonathan is probably best known for his series of Maureen books, which chart the later years of quite possibly the world’s most disaster-prone lady. Described by one reviewer as a force of nature, Maureen finds herself in scrapes wherever she goes. Whether it be on a Venetian canal, at her local book group, or on a Blackpool rollercoaster, this hapless character is not safe anywhere! But Maureen’s well-meaning and caring side has endeared herself to Kindle owners everywhere.

Jonathan has published several collections of short stories, which cover a whole range of genres. From slapstick humour to chilling horror via drama infused with raw emotion, Jonathan writes to entertain and move readers and provoke their thought.

Since his discovery of the drabble (a piece of writing precisely 100 words in length), Jonathan has written a huge number of these works and has released two books devoted to this increasingly popular form of fiction.

Jonathan lives in Manchester, UK. He loves to read and is also a keen photographer and theatregoer.

I had the absolute pleasure of doing an interview with Jonathan. A side note, I had originally met author Michael Brookes (Michael Brookes on goodreads.com) when I read a collection of short stories of his. Besides short stories, he writes drabbles to so I was first introduced to drabbles through Michael. And through Michael I met Jonathan. I talk to them both frequently and they are very nice men to know. And excellent authors too!

But today is for Jonathan. And here is what he had to say:

1. I do not see another job listed in your biography so I have to ask -
did you always want to be a writer?

I only actually started writing about two years ago. Before that I had never considered it. In fact, I hated English at school and never read much until I got my Kindle. After that, I read many many books (none from independent authors as I was unaware they even existed at the time). It was only when I found myself with some time on my hands, that I decided to write a ghost story, inspired by Susan Hill’s excellent The Woman In Black. I realised then that I could write a story and so I wrote another, this time in a different genre, and then another. And so it snowballed. At some point I must have become aware of self-publishing, because I decided to go for it. I released Eclectic: Ten Very Different Tales and it was well-received. Since then, I’ve never looked back. I’ve been well and truly bitten by the writing bug. I do actually have a full-time job too, so I fit my writing in at weekends and occasionally in evenings.

2. Until just recently, I became a little familiar with your character Maureen. I read "Maureen Goes To Venice" and I wrote a review here on my blog. So you have to tell me how you came up with this dynamic character.

Well, Maureen started off in a short story called Modern Art, which featured in Eclectic. Truthfully, I can’t put my finger on how she came about, but she has grown into this huge character and I couldn't live without her! For those who don't know, Maureen is a lady of a certain age who is incredibly disaster-prone. If something can go wrong, it generally does when Maureen’s about. She’s a very human character though. Her heart is in the right place and, in some ways, she has had a hard life and experienced suffering, which partly explains why she is as she is. I’m trying to be cagey here so as not to give away plot spoilers. Readers will find that as the series develops, Maureen’s past is not all comedy.

A lot of readers have told me that they see Maureen characteristics in people they know - really? shoot me, shoot me now! - so I guess it’s possible I have seen bits of Maureen in those around me and subconsciously pieced them all together to create this character. Incidentally, my original ending for Maureen goes to Venice was for Maureen to be killed off. Needless to say, she wasn’t and the rest is history!

3. I can totally imagine, from reading "100 One Hundred Word Tales" that your short stories would range widely in genre. Do you have a favorite genre that you like
to write in?

Yes, I’m glad you appreciated that aspect of the book. I cover pretty much every genre and emotion in there. I can be quite restless so perhaps that’s why I enjoy jumping around from genre to genre. Do I have a favourite? That’s hard. I enjoy reading darker material and I do enjoy writing dark fiction too. But then again, my Maureen books are comedies and I love trying to wring humour out of a whole range of situations. I think some days I’d answer comedy and other days something dark and dramatic.

4. Now it is time for the drabbles. Please explain what a drabble is and how you found out about them.

Certainly. A drabble is a piece of writing, usually fiction but I guess it could be autobiographical (as some of my drabbles are), that are precisely 100 words in length. Drabbles are a lovely challenge for a writer to get his/her teeth into. For readers they are often satisfying and enjoyable, especially when there is a twist at the end - most drabbles feature a twist. I first encountered them on a UK bargain books website called Indie Book Bargains - they produce a daily newsletter and each day features a drabble.

5. Tell me how your love for drabbles came about.

Well I wrote several drabbles for the aforementioned newsletter over the space of a few months, and then I’m not sure what happened (I’m not sure about much in life!) but it was as if a switch had been flicked in my mind. I couldn't stop writing them. At its peak, I was writing up to five a day every day. I just found them addictive and to some extent still do. When you craft a drabble that packs a punch and you know it works, it gives you a buzz. My friend, Kath Middleton, whom I partnered for my second drabble book, Beyond 100 Drabbles, also has a very good eye for a successful drabble and we’d often email each other back and forth with our drabbles. That instant feedback process fed my drabble addiction.I reckon I must have written well over 200 drabbles now. Will I produce a third book of them? *coyly* Maybe…

6. Do you have the market cornered on them, as they say, or are there many other drabble writers that are known for their work?

Yes, I have the market cornered on them. No one else comes close and if they do they are merely basking in the light of my success. (What’s that?) Oh, my agent has just told me that giving answers like that will not sell books! Haha. Joking aside, I am aware of other drabble writers that turn out superb drabbles - I almost said ‘also’ then but I can’t say that, can I? It’s for others to judge whether my drabbles are successful or not. Off the top of my head, there’s Kath Middleton, my drabble partner from that second drabble book, Jennifer Hanning, who has published an excellent drabble book called 100 Percent Drabbles, Michael Brookes, whom you mentioned in the intro, and Bryan Thomas, who features frequently in the Indie Book Bargains newsletter with frequently outrageous (but very amusing) drabbles.

7. I normally ask writers if they have to carry a notebook around with them for ideas or can they remember them. I am going to lean on the sensible side as the drabbles are short and say they have to come out when they are ready to come out. So do you have notepads all around or can
you remember a few drabbles at time when you create them?

Carry a notebook? That would be far too sensible! No, I don’t carry any sort of recording material round with me, which is stupid. And I never learn. I have been known to frantically rummage in pockets for something, anything, to scribble ideas onto. Note to self: biro does not work properly on tissues. I have also been known to chant ideas out loud in my car to commit them to memory until I can get to a scrap of paper. I don't know about the US but in England it’s frowned upon to write fiction leaning on the steering wheel at fifty miles an hour. For some reason, I also get ideas in bed while dropping off to sleep and I am left with the dilemma of whether to drag myself out of bed to jot the idea down or hope I remember in the morning - I never remember in the morning!

8. I also normally ask writers where they like to write, for example a comfy chair, an old desk, outside on the patio. But again with drabbles, and I believe you mentioned you have written on the tube (is that correct? I want to say train or subway) so is everywhere where you
write in a sense?

I write most often at a pull-down desk which overlooks my front garden. There’s always lots going on outside which can be distracting or, at the same time, inspiring. Now drabbles are another kettle of fish altogether. Two places give me ideas more than any other place. 1) In the shower (note to self: biro does not work properly in the shower) and 2) Outside on the patio (note to self: writing drabbles when it’s snowing and the bird bath is frozen is not comfortable). Of course, as we’ve already established, I don’t carry round anything to make notes, so these notes to self are forgotten the instant I say them. I’ll learn eventually!

9. You work very hard on your blog. Tell us how you came up with the Advent Calendar Drabbles because I love this story.

Well, Kath and I started writing Christmas drabbles in the summer. Why? I don’t know! While everyone was outside chasing sunshine and ice-cream vans, we were indoors trying to think up punchlines for overweight Santa jokes or changing the lyrics to The Night Before Christmas. We decided, seeing as drabbles were rocketing in popularity, that we’d publish a different one each day as a countdown to Christmas. We’re both delighted with their success. It’s great to spread Christmas cheer. As a bonus, behind some doors of the advent calendar, we’re offering drabble- or book-related prizes.

10. What are you currently working on?

Ah, now that would be telling! I’m in the very early stages of something but am remaining tight-lipped about it until I am some way into it. What I can say is that it’s really rather dark.

11. What can we expect from you in the new year?

I have ended 2013 with a flurry of book releases so I won’t be rushing to release anything very early on. I have at least two books on the cards for 2014 however. Firstly, there’s that dark story I mentioned - I think this will surprise fans of my Maureen books as it’s so different, which is a challenge I’ll relish. Secondly, there’s the next Maureen novella in the series, which will follow on from the latest book, Maureen and The Big One.

12. Is there anything you would like to add?

I’d like to thank you for having me on this splendidly active blog and I’d also like to thank all my readers and supportive fellow authors. Without them, I wouldn't be an author and I am forever grateful.

Thank you so much Jonathan. I loved having you on my blog. You have a fan for life. You make me smile and you made me laugh with some of your answers. You have a great ability to look at yourself and make fun of yourself. You are just full of personality! I am so glad I met you. I believe we were meant to meet. What would I do if I was not writing drabbles? And I am very excited to hear about your new projects. I will be waiting by my mailbox like Charlie Brown on Valentine's Day!

You can find Jonathan on his website here: Jonathan Hill's Website

Follow Jonathan on Twitter here: Jonathan Hill on Twitter