Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am 54 years old and retired a couple of years ago, after a long a varied career in corporate IT. I live in London UK and have been happily married for nearly thirty years.
I have so far completed one book and have a couple in the works at the moment.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Tales from the Library (Tiny Tales in Two Parts) was created when I started an online story blog. Originally called Tiny Tales in Two parts or (3T), at least once a week I would publish a short story online. The two-part short story format allowed me to use different genres, and a wide variety of storytelling approaches to tell the larger story arc I had in mind.
As I approached the end of the first story arc I was encouraged to turn it into a proper novel, and so Tales from the Library came into existence.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not sure what is usual or unusual. I have often just sat at the keyboard, with a couple of characters and a rough plot idea and started typing. If I am lucky, as I type the story unfolds and often resolves not how I imagined it would.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
At an early age (eight) I was introduced to science-fiction by my father. He purchased me Asimov’s foundation trilogy. I was immediately hooked, though the some of the subtleties of those books were lost on a young lad. It didn’t stop me working through many other similar books.
I then discovered Tolkien and the many worlds of fantasy, Thomas Covenant stories and so on. In my twenties I was introduced by friends to the dark worlds of Lovecraft.
There are elements in my writing so far which echoes each of the amazing ideas they pioneered.
What are you working on now?
I am working on two projects at the moment:
– Tales from the Library part two, following on from the end of the current novel.
– The Atlantic, a supernatural mystery based on a cruise ship.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As a first time writer and promoter, I am still learning the best approach to do this.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
1) Just start writing.
2) Find someone who has better grammar skills than you to help you.
3) Keep writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
One of my friends pointed out I was trying to hard to write like someone else. She told me to write like me and be damned.
What are you reading now?
‘The Shattered Sword’ by Parshall and Tully, a Historical account of the WW2 battle of Midway, but done from the Japanese perspective. A fascinating work, that in places has had me enthralled as if it was a novel.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Sounds corny, but to keep focused on writing. There are plenty of other things that can distract me.
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?
Asimov’s ‘Foundation Trilogy’ (been a long time since I read them)
Lovecraft’s ‘At the mountains of Madness.
Donaldson’s ‘The second chronicles of Thomas Covenant’.
Author Websites and Profiles
John Lonsdale Website
John Lonsdale Amazon Profile