Jonathan Pinnock, Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens …

Jonathan Pinnock stops by to talk about his debut novel ‘Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens’, published by Proxima Books on 1st September.

[DB] Jonathan, congratulations. This is a very classy cover and splendid title. Is this genre-bending stuff?

[JP] Thank you! That cover’s terrific, isn’t it? Genre-bending? Up to a point, yes. In some ways, though, all I’m doing is taking a standard science fiction premise and relocating it in a different era to avoid having to deal with transient present day stuff (or – even trickier – future stuff). The fact that it borrows characters extensively from Jane Austen and the Regency in general is intended to add an extra frisson, as well as creating opportunities for some fairly daft gags. Although I would like to think that a good deal of the comedy would survive in a non-Regency context.

[DB] I read on Wickhampedia that Jonathan Pinnock is a 19th journalist and the original Mrs Darcy was published in the 1800s – are we talking parallel worlds here? Is this true? What’s the story?

[JP] Well, I’d start by pointing out that Wickhampedia is even less reliable than its more famous near-namesake. So I wouldn’t rely too much on that for the truth. Certainly, the Wickhampedia biography for Jane Austen contains details of several novels the existence of which seems to have escaped the attention of previous scholars of her work. Who knows what the truth of the matter really is?

[DB] The Jonathan Pinnock I’m familiar with is a prolific and pretty successful short story writer, also a software engineer. You’re exceptionally good at juggling your creative and logical selves. What’s your secret?

[JP] Ha. It’s all an act really. Most of the time I just stagger from one crisis to the next.

[DB] So, does Mrs D have a future? Will there be a sequel?

[JP] One of the best things that happened during the writing of Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens was that the characters somehow freed themselves from the original (somewhat limited) concept. So, yes, I definitely think there’s room for a sequel, should the public demand one. Whilst the main strands of the plot are all nicely tied up at the end of the book, there is an unresolved question as well, and the last words of the book are “Mrs Darcy will return in ‘Mrs Darcy versus the Monster’”.

[DB] That’s good to hear. Thank you.

Jonathan Pinnock has had over a hundred stories and poems published in places both illustrious and downright insalubrious. He has also won quite a few prizes and has had work broadcast on the BBC. His novel ‘Mrs Darcy versus the Aliens’ was published by Proxima Books on September 1st, and will be followed in 2012 by his Scott Prize-winning debut collection of short stories, ‘Dot(.), Dash(-)’, courtesy of Salt.

Jonathan Pinnock’s blog: www.jonathanpinnock.com
Mrs Darcy: www.mrsdarcyvsthealiens.com
Wickhampedia: www.mrsdarcyvsthealiens.com/wiki
Mrs Darcy’s blog: www.mrsdarcyvsthealiens.com/blog
Where to buy: www.mrsdarcyvsthealiens.com/buying.php
Read extract: www.mrsdarcyvsthealiens.com/a_question_of_succession.php

Andrew M Hurley: Interview

I interview Andrew M Hurley, author of two short story collections, Cages and The Unusual Death of Julie Christie and other stories for the Lancashire Writing Hub.

Fiona Robyn Interview

I’ve been following Fiona Robyn’s latest novel Thaw as she publishes extracts on her blog here.

For those who haven’t figured it out yet, I called this blog Not Designed to Juggle because for most of my life I’ve been juggling life, art and writing. It’s only over the past few years that I’ve been able to focus on writing and start to be published. I’m interested in how and why other people do it, so I asked Fiona about her writing journey.

Fiona, how did you come to be a writer?

Like you, Diane, I have needed to do a bit of juggling to fit writing into my life. I still make my living as a therapist, and I see clients in the afternoons and evenings which leaves me the mornings free to write. I am fully intending to have a bestseller at some point in my career (!), but until then it feels good to have the space for writing without having to worry about money. I think if we’re serious about being writers, then we have to find a way to make it work.

Have there been any significant event or obstacle along the way that has influenced the direction you’ve taken?

I’ve always been quite determined to write the kind of books I want to write, and I’ve had faith that I’ll find a publisher for them eventually, and so I haven’t changed my direction as a result of anything in the world of publishing. I can’t think of anything significant that’s changed my writing, but everything that happens to me goes ‘into the pot’. My growing commitment to Buddhism has probably had an effect, and my relationships with friends and family, and the privilege of getting to know my clients over the years. It’s like compost – it all goes in and rots down and then the flowers grow.

Anything you’re involved with/thinking about now that’s likely to alter the direction of future writing plans?

I’m trying to take a break before I start my next novel – my new central character April is being patient and know that I’ll start telling her story in September. My writing routine is variable – I don’t write for very long during first draft stage as it’s so painful, but as the book progresses I spend more time on it.

Finally, how do you balance the act of writing, with the everyday?

I would say that my writing IS my everyday – ‘small stones’ come to me when I’m on a train or doing the washing up, and I think about my characters when I’m walking in the garden. The act of writing is a different matter, though – I have to force myself to sit down at my desk or I’d never do any writing at all. I don’t know a single writer that always finds it easy. It takes determination. But I also never forget that I do this because I want to – I write because I love to write.

Many thanks Fiona.

Fiona Robyn is an author and a blogger living in rural Hampshire in the UK with her cats, Silver and Fatty. Her third novel Thaw is out now. Her first two novels The Letters and The Blue Handbag are also published by Snowbooks.