Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve always loved writing and have done so since I started school. When we were told to write a story, even at under ten years old, I was putting in chapters and prologues. I’d both love to re-read them and would be horrified.
Only last year did I work up the confidence to share my work and so I self published the two complete novels I had that I was quite proud of, Humanity – a Science Fiction group goes mad, and Framed Of Rathgar – three lads living in studios in Dublin trying to keep control of their lives and accidentally starting a gang war.
I’m from Buckinghamshire in England but moved to Dublin when I was in my early 20s. Sadly I’m not there anymore but Dublin is my default home in my head as I lived there for so long.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My new book, just out, is called Indoldrum. It’s about a chap called Johann who’s world has ended, mainly because his wife has died and he doesn’t know how to deal with that. But there is also something strange going on with the laws of physics.
It started as a very different book, more to do with the science and geography that is peppered throughout and a take on the idea of writing in the first person, as if they are fully aware this is a book. But as I developed the main character I discovered he had a more interesting story. When I decided he was a widower I realised this was more important than messing with science and focused on that as the drafts went by. I think it’s a far better book because of that.
Johann also suffers from Meniere’s disease, which is something I’ve recently been diagnosed with, although he has it worse than I do. I’d never come across it before I started to get the symptoms, so decided I wanted to promote awareness and I did it in the only way I know how – write a story. I’d done a lot of research on the subject to find out what was happening to me, I wanted to share that… I may have got carried away with researching things, but I find it interesting.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to have several drafts going on at the same time. I might still be at the end of the first draft but I’ve already on the second and maybe halfway through that and then be starting at the third. I find it keeps me over all the book at the same time. Being self published I have to edit it all by myself so get through various proof drafts as I’ve learnt I do a better job with a paper copy. I prefer real objects to digital versions of most things, call me a dinosaur, so I’m happier scribbling in a book than a Word Document. I’m constantly learning how to go about this writing thing in a better way all the time.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I love Russian literature, although I’ll never be at those heights. Also John Steinbeck, Jerome K Jerome, Gerald Durrell, James Herriot, the list is so long I started a blog. I’m also a big Shakespeare fan, I’ve seen all his plays in one form or other (debates aside), I’m amazed how clever he was and how varied his work. If I could be just a tiny bit like him.
This might sound strange but I spent my teenage years reading a series of books by Virgin Publishing. The original series of Doctor Who had finished on TV and so Virgin started producing a more grown up, deeper and bolder version in book form. These were very varied but what was happening was fans, who were a few years older than me, started writing these and you could see them learning how to write as the books went along; as a reader, a few years behind, I was learning from them. These books really are not what you think when you say “Doctor Who book” the scope and imagination was vast and it was far deeper then what people saw, and to this day, see on TV. They sadly finished in 1996 just as I was becoming ready to be able to seriously submit. I’d tried a few times before but I was too young with a lot to learn. If it had gone one I would have had a proper go.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished my third novel, so although my mind is in writer’s mode and full of ideas for other things I’m trying to slow down a bit at the moment and percolate what I’ve already got going on up there. If I don’t I’ll start writing something before I’m ready and I’ll end up with lots of unfinished attempts.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Goodness knows. I love writing and I love reading, I’m not a business man this is where I fall down. I don’t want to have to worry about this, but I have to. I’m learning. My blog (https://arthurhofn.home.blog) is doing far better than I expected so I guess the answer is that. But I’m still at the start of this process and it’s not one I get excited about. I plan on taking some paper copies to independent book shops and libraries but what with COVID 19 all the libraries are closed and shops have a lot more on their mind than me at the moment, so I’ll wait.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I don’t know if I’m a position to give advice. But I’ve learnt that if something is bothering me with a plot point or a choice I’ve made to pay it attention. The amount of times I’ve let something go but then needed to come back to it later. Also I’ve learnt not to be too attached to ideas or lines or whatever. When I re-draft I’ve had to cut things I’ve really not wanted to but knew it needed to be done. Being determined to keep something that just isn’t working, even if it’s just a joke or a bit of nice description, to an entire plot point or character trait, stops my work being the best it can be. Years ago I saw something I’d written from long before that, there was no discipline I’d just kept everything even when it wasn’t good. I took the scissors to it and ruthlessly pulled it apart and rebuilt it dropping some nice ideas that I couldn’t make work on the page and it’s so much better for it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’m going to answer with regard advice as a writer as I’m not going to go too personal about life in general here. I’m sure it all bleeds subconsciously through my books. But as a writer, read Russell T Davies’ book The Writer’s Tale. I’d pass that on. You don’t have to be a Doctor Who fan to “get it”, what you get is the inner workings on the mind of a writer, one that you don’t always see or read about. I read that and realised that lots of my worries and doubts are still there in the heads of the professionals. It’s a very helpful book about what being a writer is, as opposed to “how to write” which can be subjective.
What are you reading now?
The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck. It’s a short book but I’ve had my head in my own stuff so much recently I wanted to move on to something else but also get some distance so I’m on short books at the moment and I’m really enjoying them.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve got an idea for two more novels unfolding in my head. I’m not a fan of sequels as I think forcing a second story out of a good scenario set up for the first doesn’t always work, unless it is planned in the creating of that concept. However as I finished Indoldrum I realised there was a lot I’d not said and there wasn’t space for and characters I wanted to know better so I have a lot to work with for a possible, not sequel, but follow up novel. Or I may just write the other one. I want to do something a bit lighter, fun and less emotional next. Either way it will be a little while before I start.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Going by Dessert Island rules I’m going to assume I get the Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare as standard so, I’d take The Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell, A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, The Writer’s Tale by Russell T Davies and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Author Websites and Profiles
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