Interview With Author Jeff Senior
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in West Yorkshire, in the north of England, with my wife of almost 53 years. We have two sons and two grandchildren
I started working in IT and, after about ten years, became a freelance writer. This was initially as a technical author, writing user guides and help text for computer software. I later moved on to writing articles for business magazines, which meant I was able to interview some very interesting people, including a few celebrity chefs. I also filled in with writing website text and blogs.
I had one published book in England back in the 1980s, “Microcomputer Buyers’ Guide”, which had a very restricted circulation. I’ve also ghost-written two business books and, although they go out under another author name, I do get an acknowledgement.
I’ve long had an ambition to have a published novel but financial constraints meant I needed a more dependable income. Now I’m past retirement age, I’ve had the opportunity to finally achieve my aim.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My debut novel is “The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched”, which was published 1 March and is available from Amazon and elsewhere. It’s a tale of obsession, of one man’s quest to obtain justice for a woman he never knew, and the effect it has on those around him.
What prompted me to write it was the idea that the decisions we take and whatever we do in life affect those around us and, in turn, those near to them. It’s like a ripple effect that moves outwards and means people’s lives can be changed totally by the most insignificant events, so that things are never as they would have been.
I did originally have the idea of writing different scenarios depending on what decisions were taken but this got far too complicated so I finished up with something more straightforward.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I suppose, when writing a novel, we’re supposed to start with a plot outline that covers the complete book and includes all or most of the characters. We should then probably start at the first chapter and work through to the end. I didn’t do that.
I basically had an idea for the novel, wrote the first and last chapters, than filled in from the middle. I also developed the plot along the way.
Although this may be unconventional, it seemed to work for me. I guess all authors are different and we need to do what we feel most comfortable with.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My earliest recollection of reading a proper novel is Alistair Maclean’s “HMS Ulysses”, which was published in 1955 and recounts the dreadful experiences of an escort vessel for the Russian convoys in World War 2. I’ve read it twice since.
When I started reading seriously, I read a lot of Stephen King books, most of which were extremely large. Since then, my favourite authors are probably Bernard Cornwell for historical novels and John Grisham for legal stories. I’ve also read a lot of Dick Francis, Ken Follet, Wilbur Smith and numerous others.
What are you working on now?
I am working on a sequel to the first novel. It’s currently at about 65,000 words and still needs some work before it’s finished. However, my time for writing is a bit limited by the need to try and promote the first book.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m hoping Goodreads will get the name around and generate some more interest.
I am running a series of Amazon ads but they’re not achieving much so I need to have a look at them.
I’m also having a review done through Reedsy, which should be featured there, and I have a company doing a certain amount of promotion through press releases.
It’s all early days and I don’t know which, if any, is going to be most effective.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a debut author, I’m not sure I’m in a position to give advice to others. The main thing, I suppose, is to stick with it and keep writing if you have an ambition to get your words out there.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s probably along the lines of just keeping writing in order to become more proficient at it. The general advice seems to be to write every day so that we get in the habit of writing and it becomes easier and better.
It’s probably important to establish a routine rather than just writing when we feel like it. Of course, as I’m busy trying to promote my book, daily writing is exactly what I’m not doing at the moment.
What are you reading now?
I don’t have the time to read anything at the moment.
We go on holiday three times a year and I generally read while I’m away. I read five books when we were away in January-February and I’ll probably do another five when we go away in April, then another five in October. I’m not sure what the next one will be but it will almost certainly be a crime/thriller/mystery type of book.
What’s next for you as a writer?
This probably depends on how the first book goes. The next one is already underway and follows on from the first. So the aim will be to establish a series that has the same characters and locations but different plots.
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 Testament by John Grisham, which I think is his best book.
HMS Ulysses by Alastair Maclean, which is the first proper novel I read and which I have returned to since.
Different Seasons by Stephen King, which is actually a collection of short stories that includes The Shawshank Redemption, the best film I’ve ever seen.
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