Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up around the world and have developed a bizarre accent that can sometimes be described as mostly Irish, a fair whack of English, and a hint of American. None of that is remotely handy for someone who lives in Australia. I’m more often than not awake at 2am, I have a habit of buying more books than I can ever read, and I am the author of four Kingston Raine books.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is Kingston Raine and the Starlight Muse, a tale of Hell’s most dangerous and unstable muse who has escaped from an impossible prison and turns to Kingston to keep her safe. Only, her powers are bursting out of control and she can’t reel them in.
I thought it would be amusing to have a muse who was constantly wrestling between listening to reason and trying to escape at the same time. With her powers of suggestion she is both an asset and a liability to everyone involved, and everyone in the story soon find themselves questioning the validity of their good ideas. I was inspired by the idea that even the most powerful of supernatural people can’t escape their past.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write flat-out with only a vague ending in sight, which leads to trouble as by the time I reach the ending my initial conclusion no longer makes any sense. So the book remains 80% complete for an age and a half until something that should have been perfectly obvious lands in place and I scramble to finish the story in time. Then I spend most of the second draft pacing around, wondering how to make a problematic chapter more interesting, before finally deciding to delete the whole section and pretend like it never existed.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Certainly Michael Crichton, Stephen King, Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett have all helped to warp my mind, knowing that the even the most bizarre of premises can make for an interesting story.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a zombie story, a realistic horror tale where a sleepy town is rocked by a despicable murder, and the final book to the Kingston Raine saga.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
AwesomeGang is pretty awesome for promotions. 🙂
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Find another writer who is on par with your ability, someone who also wants to get better. Beta-read their work, let them read yours, and try to figure out how you would improve their work. Not just changes that you would make to suit your style, but how you would actually improve their writing. Then apply what you learned to your stories. Repeat with every book you two write.
Also, read genres that you are not usually drawn to. If you write horror, read a romance novel. If you write YA, read fantasy. It might help you draw from many different writing techniques so that you can deliver the book you’re trying to tell.
Finally, read this and apply it to your writing: http://1000wordseveryday.tumblr.com/post/54758529019/writing-advice-by-chuck-palahniuk-in-six
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t half-ass something that needs to be done correctly.
What are you reading now?
The Town by Chuck Hogan.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will attempt to juggle the mountain of stories I am determined to write against the reality that I can’t write them all. Even so, reality won’t stop me from trying.
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?
The definitive guide to surviving on a desert island, the absolute guide in getting rescued from a desert island, the building a raft omnibus, and the questions and answers to the most interesting trivia.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jackson Lear Website
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