Joe Jon-Knight interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

I have always been and still is inspired by science fiction and how humanity perceives fantasy and reality. The lines between the two are increasingly becoming blurred and in some cases, they are overlapping. This has been exacerbated by the onset of Artificial Intelligence. Due to this, I decided to write about these concerns, via a sci-fi series I have created and highlight how advanced technology can influence our decision making and our behaviours.
 
I am from the U.K. and I regularly visit Malta due to my ancestry.

When did your love of books begin?

When I was a child, growing up on a council estate in East London, life in the U.K. was very grim. There wasn’t much escapism back in the early eighties and reading sci-fi provided the fix I needed. At the time, I was reading authors like Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Philip K Dick. As a result of being influenced by these authors, I became interested in how technology impacted humanity - for the better or worse.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

In my early years, I did not have any aspirations in becoming an author as at the time I was playing in rock bands and writing songs. When I retired at the ripe old age of 33, I still needed an outlet to unleash my creativity and writing stories seemed to be the right thing to do.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It is not as easy as people think it is. It is more tricky than difficult. When you read a book, you can generally finish it within a week. You say to yourself, how hard is it to put a few words a page. But when you start writing, elements such as, scenes, characters, obstacles, settings etc come into it and you have to create a single narrative that blends all these elements together so it comes across as seamless and not jarring to the reader. Luckily, I did a couple of writing courses which has helped. The feedback from, the tutor, editors and fellow students was priceless.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

It is important to remember that the writing journey is a marathon and not a 100 Metre sprint. It takes time to generate a story world and the characters which inhabit it. Do lots of research and always carry a note book/note book app, to write down ideas that you have. Stick to a genre that you are passionate about and make sure the characters you write about are true and genuine. Writing courses are important as they provide you to not only teach you fundamentals of story, but to also provide you with valuable feedback on your work, before you unleash it to readers, agents or publishers.

Tell us about your book/books:

The first release ‘40 Minutes to Paradise’ is neither the beginning or the end. It is the transitional phase of the lead characters journey as he shifts from one reality to the next and by adopting whatever tools required to survive in an increasingly complex and hostile environment. In this story, the lead character of Quain, is imprisoned on a replica Earth and yearns to escape to true Earth which is paradise. Just as he was about to get there, the only person who knew the location of true Earth was killed by his overlord master. Quain has to deal with the dilemmas and moral implications of bringing a dead person back to life, so that he could get to paradise.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

It is important to connect with as many authors as you can, regardless of what genre they write for. By doing this you realise, that everyone is going through the same journey as you are. I always enjoy reading about authors who were rejected by industry experts, but yet, their novels went on to become big sellers.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I appreciate anyone taking the time to read my novel. There are more on the way.

Where can people connect with you?

Twitter - @JoeJonKnight1