Jon Colt: An Interview with the Author
My friend Emma, who is more used to interviewing musicians than authors, sat down and did a Q&A with me. Here it is:
Background
What inspired you to start writing?
I can’t really remember a time when I wasn’t writing. My sibling is much older than me and was out of the house by the time I was nine. So I used to sit for hours and hours on end with a stack of A4 paper and I’d write and draw. One of those 500-page packs of plain A4 paper – honestly, that was the best present you could get me as a kid.
Do you have any kids?
No, not yet. I’d need a girlfriend first. I am a dog dad though, to a three-year-old springer spaniel named Dani.
Where did you grow up, and how has it influenced your writing?
I grew up right here in Edinburgh! My writing so far is mostly set in America, which is a world apart from Scotland, but I might set a story here someday. I absolutely love the Highlands. It’s got to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. I’d love to set a book in the Highlands someday.
What was your favorite subject in school?
It was actually art. English was way too analytical for me – and we never got to do any creative writing. Just essay after essay. I like creating things.
How did you get into the indie publishing world?
I’ve always wanted to try to self-publish – just to see how far I could get a book to go, based off my own marketing ideas.
Writing Process
What’s your writing routine like?
I procrastinate like a son of a bitch. So I guess I like to remove distractions, where I can. Clear a couple of days – no plans with friends or family. Just sit and focus solidly on writing. There was a holiday lodge I used to go to for a few nights. There was no internet signal – so no TikTok, no WhatsApp, no Netflix. Hardly even any signal on the TV. I could just load the fridge up with microwavable meals and sit and write.
Where do you get your ideas from?
A lot of the time, it’s real life. I’ll hear a news story, and I think it’d be an interesting idea for a story. I generally wouldn’t act on it right away though. I’ll let it sit in my head for weeks or months, and see if I still think it’s a good idea later on. And sometimes it’ll grow. Usually, one idea isn’t enough to come up with an interesting story. Usually, it’ll take three or four, and I’ll patch them all together.
Do you have a favorite writing spot?
I have made a little office up in my apartment here. It’s got a big book case stuffed full of my favourites. A nice little desk where I can sit and write. And an IKEA day bed, which is good for lounging on and reading and procrastinating.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I generally don’t start writing until I have a good direction in mind. I used to sit and work out a very exact plot, but the writing would always, always outgrow it and branch off, so it became pointless doing that. So yeah, I write with a direction in mind, but not necessarily a strict plot.
Do you ever struggle with writer’s block?
Not so far. I have been jotting down ideas for stories most of my life. I actually recently rummaged through my dad’s attic and I sifted through stacks and stacks of ideas. I set aside any that were good. I’ve started to spin them into plots now.
What’s the most challenging part of writing for you?
I’d say editing. I love that initial blast-through, where you’re writing down whatever comes to you. But then, when you go back over it, and tighten it up, and move bits around – that’s when it becomes less fun. And by draft eight or nine, you are just dreaming of moving onto that next novel.
Books and Reading
Who are your favorite authors?
Stephen King says, ‘give them to me young and they’ll be mine forever.’ And that’s been true. I read Skeleton Crew as a kid. And haven’t stopped reading him since. I also love James Herbert, who was a very talented
What’s your favourite book?
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. They made us read it in school but I loved it. It’s quite short, but the interactions between the characters in it, I just think are beautifully done. And that ending has carried with me.
What’s the last book you read?
At the minute, I’m reading a book of Ghost Stories. It’s from the 70s. I have a big collection of spooky short story books. 65 Great Tales of the Supernatural, Haunting Ghost Stories, 20 Great Spine Chillers, The After Midnight Ghost Story Book. That sort of thing.
Just quickly on ghosts – do you believe in ghosts or the supernatural?
I do, yeah. I think I’ve had at least two encounters that are pretty undeniable to me. And a few more that could have been explained in other ways.
Do you prefer eBooks, audiobooks, or physical books?
I like them all. I think I still prefer holding a book. But ebooks are great. And I listen to audiobooks when I’m driving. In my job, I have to drive for hours at a time.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Horror / suspense / thriller / dystopian. The genre I’m writing in, really.
Hobbies and Interests
What hobbies do you enjoy outside of writing?
I walk a hell of a lot. And when I’m not walking, I’m reading. I watch a lot of TV, too.
What are some of your favourite shows?
Well a lot of them finished airing years ago, but I’ll rewatch them all probably once every couple of years. Breaking Bad and Better call Saul. The Sopranos. Mr Robot. I think The Boys is great. Cobra Kai. Black Mirror (although it’s slipping a little lately). Game of Thrones was good up to a point.
Do you play any sports or engage in regular physical activity?
Other than walking, not really. I never took an interest in sport. I feel like an alien when I’m with my friends and they’re getting excited over football. All I see is a man kicking a ball across some grass.
Are you into any crafts or DIY projects?
I made a birdhouse the other day, if that counts. I’ve nailed it to the tree outside my window. No birds have gone in it yet though.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn?
I’ve owned a guitar for about fifteen years but I could never play it. I’ve recently taken up some lessons and I’m getting on okay with that. I started with Wonderwall, of course.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I’ve gotten pretty good at magic tricks. Only a few, though. I started learning them on YouTube during the pandemic.
Entertainment
What’s the last movie you watched?
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In my opinion, the best Indy film. I have a projector screen set up in my living room. Blanket on the lap, tub of Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food, and a movie!
What about musicals?
In the theatre, I’ve only been to see one – The Book of Mormon. And it’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever watched. ‘Turn it off’ is just an amazing song / performance.
In terms of movies, I don’t like an enormous amount of musicals. I’m very big on Christmas, and I love the 1970 musical Scrooge, with Albert Finney. I can recite every word to every song. And does Sister Act count as a musical? Sister Act is a great film.
Are there any TV shows or films that inspire your writing?
I think everything Vince Gilligan does has influenced me enormously – especially when he introduces a seemingly unrelated character or situation, cuts away from it for some time, and then ties it in later.
What’s your guilty pleasure TV show or movie?
I watch a lot of trash reality TV. I’ve just finished all available series of Below Deck. And I’m currently making my way through Million Dollar Listing.
Who is your favorite actor or actress?
Christoph Waltz is great.
Any celebrity crushes?
Claudia Doumit. She plays Victoria Neuman in The Boys. She is amazing.
Do you prefer binge-watching shows or watching week-to-week?
I’m very impatient, so I will quickly burn through the whole series. But then, if there’s more to come in a year or in two years, I just feel bummed out, and I wish that it had aired weekly, to force me to pace it out. With Cobra Kai, for example, I waited two years for those 5 episodes, and I watched them all in two and a half hours. Now it’s months for the next installment.
Pets and Animals
Do you have any pets? Tell us about them!
I have a springer spaniel called Dani. She’s three now. Very bouncy and energetic. Everyone loves her. She gets lots of strokes when we go to the park. And at least once a week, I’ll drive us up towards the Highlands. And we get eaten by midges.
Have any of your pets inspired characters in your books?
There’s a golden retriever in my novel, called Teddy. She’s old and graying. She’s based off the dog my grandad had when I was a kid.
Travel
What’s your favorite place you’ve ever visited?
Iceland was amazing. I’m excited to go back there. I’m definitely more of a fan of colder climates that hot places.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would love to go to Japan. It’s always looked so beautiful to me.
Do you prefer the beach or the mountains?
The mountains, definitely. I don’t mind a beach walk, but I’m not one to lay down and sunbathe.
Are there any places that have inspired settings in your books?
There’s an old train track I found once, down in England. All hidden by overgrown bushes and treeline. I had that in mind when I was writing the track in What Happened Next.
Food and Drink
What’s your favorite cuisine?
Chinese takeaway! But I also love Indian takeaway. And Italian food. Mexican food. American food. All food, really. I’m a piggy.
Are you a coffee or tea person?
Definitely a coffee person. Caramel latte is my go-to. There’s a coffee house a few minutes away from where I live, and as soon as the barista sees me through the glass she starts making my order, because I never order anything else.
What’s your favorite dessert?
I discovered it on a trip to IKEA. It’s Daim cake. Now I always order it in when I get my food delivery. It’s beautiful.
Life and Inspiration
What motivates you to keep writing?
I love writing. And I have a big well of stories in my head that I want to explore, and pretty much all of them are open to sequels and expanded universes. So I’ll keep on whilst I can.
How do you handle criticism or negative reviews?
I always read it, and I evaluate whether I think they’re right or not. I’m not perfect at my craft – I always want to grow and improve.
What do you hope readers take away from your books?
They’re not high art. I don’t cram too many messages into them. I don’t preach. They can take away from the books whatever they like. I just hope that they enjoy the ride and want to come along for the next one.
On Your Novels
So What Happened Next is your first published novel. Is it the first novel you’ve written?
It’s the first novel I’ve finished and been happy with. I’ve written a lot of stories of various lengths over the years. Most, I didn’t complete. Some, I completed, but they were more novella length, and I felt they were lacking in some ways. What Happened Next is the first I’ve finished and been happy with.
Who is your favourite character in the novel?
Becca Sampson is my favourite. She starts off as a moody teenager who rejects everyone around her. But quickly warms into this strong motherly figure.
As you add more books to your library, will there be connections between them?
Oh definitely. I love the idea of having a connected universe where all these stories and characters sit together.