John Hennessy is a British author of paranormal fantasy
horror for YA, psychological horror and murder mysteries, plus his own unique
take on vampire lore. He has also written ghost stories and delved into high
epic fantasy with a hint of romance. A kung fu addict; he teaches martial arts
full-time but writes at all other times, working on four series:- Dark Winter,
Haunted Minds, Stormling and A Tale of Vampires.
He boasts an eclectic and diverse reading taste, books in
his collection ranging from JRR Tolkien, George Orwell, J Sheridan le Fanu, JK
Rowling, Stephen King, Anne Rice and Neil Gaiman.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’, John Hennessy.
Tell us a little
about yourself. How did your journey as an author begin?
My first book was a non-fiction one about martial
arts as I had a lot of notes, but no collective volume of my theories or
practical application of the techniques. I was made redundant from my job in
marketing for an IT company, in the 2009 recession; I left them after ten
years. I increased my student numbers in martial arts training, and also began
writing in earnest. I found I wanted to write something completely different to
martial arts, after the book on martial arts was published in 2011. I had
already begun work on my epic fantasy Stormling by then and it was released in
2014.
Do people treat you
differently when they know that you are an author, that too, a bestselling
author?
I think most people are surprised that I don’t just
have one book out, but several. They see now how serious I take the writing
journey. Treating me differently? I’m not so sure. I am a normal, down to earth
person. I just like to tell some stories and hope people will enjoy them.
You write paranormal
fantasy horror for YA, psychological horror and murder mysteries, plus your own
unique vampire lore. Where do you get your ideas from?
I can draw inspiration from anywhere. But I think a
lot of my writing, whilst being works of fiction in themselves, has elements
based on things that happened to me or people I knew. I think that makes the
tales, even the fantasy ones, more realistic to the reader.
I know it is a wrong
question to ask an author, but which book among your books is your favourite?
That is a difficult question. Probably the second in
my paranormal horror series Dark Winter: Crescent Moon. I’m immensely proud of
that book. I think perhaps because over 400 pages I still managed to keep the
narrative tight and the story engaging. I am currently editing the last book in
the series.
Who are the authors that
you look up to for inspiration?
There’s so many, but Stephen King, Anne Rice and JRR
Tolkien would be top of the list.
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You are a prolific writer.
But do you get affected by writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
So far, I haven’t experienced writers block. If I
have a problem with a scene, or I believe the dialogue or narrative is not
working, I will leave it and come back to it later. The solution often provides
itself after a few hours break.
What is your favorite time
for writing? Do you have any particular habits or needs when you sit down to
write? Coffee, chocolates, wine?
Coffee and tea – strong varieties, first thing in the
morning. As the day wears on, I hope to have hit my word count or completed an
important scene or chapter. Then I can relax at night. I try to write first
thing in the morning. Between 6 and 9am, I can write at about 1000 words an
hour, sometimes faster.
According to your
Goodreads author profile, you are a kung fu addict and teach martial arts
full-time. It says you love reading the
horror genre in literature more. Is the adrenaline rush that both of these
provide the reason why you love them both?
That’s a good question. I do like dramatic things; it
keeps me on the edge, where I need to be. Horror can slow burn or hit you in
the face with a shock, much like martial arts.
Both are awesome.
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You opted to self-publish
on Kindle and you are a very popular indie author. What advice do you have for
those who are planning to go the self-publishing route?
Be prepared for the long haul. The days of just
uploading a book and expecting to be noticed are long gone. Be prepared to read
a lot of books, as well as write them. Be kind and supportive to others. If you
are asked to read a book and it doesn’t work for you, criticize in private,
never in public. Build a network, a team who will support you, whilst
respecting that they may not always reciprocate your input. Be open to
traditional publishing – I still am!
What are the three tips
you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Pursue your writing project to the end. Don’t give
up, get disheartened, or envious of other writers. You have nothing until you
have your book completed.
2) Remember why you are writing in the first place.
It is hard at times, fitting it in around work and family commitments. If it
ever stops being fun, you might have to do something else with your time.
3) Visualise the completed book. Think about the
feedback you would like to receive. Have the goal in front of you. Write it
down and place it next to your computer, in your bedroom, on the front door, in
your car. Stay true to the task and it will be realised.
Thank you John. It was
wonderful having you over here!
Thank you for hosting me on your blog, Preethi!
Check out his books folks! It will be a treat, I am sure, if you love the thrills of paranormal mysteries, fantasies and Vampires!
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