Jason Savin interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is Jason Savin and at present I'm a full-time writer. I trained as an actor originally, so there are various short films of my work online. With there being a lack of paid acting opportunities in my local North East of England, I had to look elsewhere for work, so I became a postman (mailman). I did this job for thirteen and a half years, until recently, when I took early retirement to fully concentrate on my writing. In September I'm planning on going back to university to do an M.A. in Creative Writing. My wife passed away last year, which is what caused me to re-evaluate my career, which is why I've changed my so-called 'side-hustle' into my main occupation. I live in County Durham with my teenage son, Cameron.

When did your love of books begin?

My love of books probably began at school with the Mr Men books. Although my mother encouraged reading from an early age. 

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

I first started writing by working on feature-length screenplays. But unfortunately, these were never turned into movies. This must have been about 1998, when I was 30. It wasn't until about 2001 or 2002 that I began writing short films and stage plays which were all performed with friends. This was mainly to give me more experience as an actor. So, over the years I've written quite a few of these. But it wasn't until about 2011, when I was researching the Irish side of my family tree, that I started coming across all of these amazing stories. Most of them were very dry Victorian translations that were hard to follow. So, I began re-writing them for my own enjoyment, to help me to understand these incredible ancestors. After these stories started to come to life, I began to realise that other people would probably enjoy them too, especially as they read like epic historical fantasy in a similar vein to 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Game of Thrones'.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

Like all authors I procrastinate for far too long before I begin writing. It's usually well after mid-day before I start. But then I can write for often 8 or 10 hours straight, sometimes hardly taking any breaks, which I know isn't healthy. What I've just started to do is set my alarm for 50 minutes and try to write solidly for that time. And then get a snack or drink of water for 10 minutes before I start to work again. But often these 10 minute breaks turn into an hour long. So, I need to find the right balance for my daily routine really.

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

If you are really passionate about it, and driven to write, then do it. We only live once, so you should follow your dream. Give yourself positive affirmations, and pray if you need to. Do whatever it takes to avoid the natural self-sabotage that all humans are capable of. And just write.

Tell us about your book/books:

My three 'Kings of Munster' books will all be released this year, from October to November, 2022. I've been working on this series for over 11 years. It's a retelling of the ancient myths and legends of Ireland, stretching over a period of thousands of years, from the early B.C.s to the Viking Age, telling how our Irish ancestors lived and fought, and lost and loved. In the back of the third book will be family trees showing how many families of Ireland are descended from the heroes in these tales. It covers families such as the O'Sullivans, O'Keeffes, MacCarthys, etc

The first book that I published, in 2020, is called 'Beyond the Elven Gate'. It contains 2 short tales about the elven race. The first tale is called 'The Adoptling' and is a mother's heartfelt quest to find her adopted son, amidst fears that his birth family may not be of this earthly realm. 

      The second story is a charming tale called 'Beyond the Elven Gate' and involves the loveable Wilfred who takes his small dog for a walk one night when he stumbles across a mysterious character. This tale takes the reader on a journey with the elderly Wilfred, who is filled with an old-world charm, who meets each challenge with a dark sense of humour.

      In the back of the book there is a history of the elven race as they have appeared in ancient legends, church records, and even Victorian newspapers, showing how those mysterious creatures have evolved, and where they actually came from.

mybook.to/beyondtheelvengate

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I find them mostly very encouraging and helpful. I've even had readers who have kept in touch with me over the years who are desperate to read my Kings of Munster books as I've written about their own heroic ancestors. These are the types of readers who I love, who are passionate about the subject matter as much as I am.

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

Thank you so much for your support. I hope my books don't disappoint you. They have been passionately written and researched with care. And hopefully they will find a place in your heart, as you the reader are the reason why they have been written.

Where can people connect with you?

facebook.com/kingsofmunster

instagram.com/jasonsavin/

twitter.com/kingsofmunster