Five minutes with Jay Northcote

When did you start writing?

I used to like writing stories when I was a kid, but then I lost the habit as a teen and didn’t write any fiction for years. I rediscovered the joy of it when I started writing fanfiction as a hobby a few years ago, then I got hooked.

What do you love about writing?

I think my favourite part of writing is when I get into that kind of writing trance where the words are just falling out of my head onto the page almost faster than my fingers can type, and the story is just flowing. I’m almost not even consciously thinking about it, it just kind of happens and it feels as though the characters are in the driving seat rather than me. It’s an amazing feeling–very satisfying.

Biggest pet peeve about writing?

How hard it can be to get started sometimes. If I’m feeling negative about my words I just think myself into a corner and can’t get out. Being blocked is horrible. I also hate editing. Going through the words with a fine-toothed comb is so much less fun than splurging them all out in the first place, it’s a shame it’s so necessary!

Most hated word in the English language?

Pustule *shudders*

Three most played songs on your iPod?

That would definitely be some of the ones on my gym/workout playlist because I listen to that more than anything. So it’s probably Pink: Slut Like You, Flo Rida: Whistle and Rihanna: Rude Boy, because those are currently my three favourite tracks to get sweaty to.

Last movie you watched?

That was Freaky Friday with my hubs and the kids on a family movie night. They laughed at me because I cried during the wedding speeches scene. Don’t judge me; I’m a ridiculously emotional person.

Biggest regret?

Not travelling more overseas before I had kids. I love travelling with them, but it costs twice as much so limits where we can go and how often we can do it.

Craziest thing you’ve ever done?

One that I’m also prepared to share here? Well I guess shaving all my hair off to half an inch long all over and dying it shocking pink was pretty crazy. I had to do it in the summer holidays because I was a teacher at the time and it probably wouldn’t have gone down too well during term time. Then the day after I dyed it I went to Turkey on holiday. I’ve never had so much male attention in my life. It was funny at first, but after a few days it was starting to drive me crazy so I dyed it back to brown!

Place you’d love to visit?

A friend of mine was in Hawaii recently and after seeing her photos on Facebook I really want to go there. It looks so amazingly beautiful.

Three random facts about you that your readers don’t know?

I’m half Welsh, I have three sisters and I’m a morris dancer.

Where do you write? (dining table, office, sofa, coffee shop etc)

Usually at the kitchen table on my laptop. It’s the warmest room in the house in the winter, and in the summer I can open the patio doors onto the garden. Plus it’s close to the kettle—I’m fuelled by tea.

From what/where do you find inspiration?

Most of my stories come from a ‘what if’ – so thinking about characters and a situation and what might come out of that. The idea for Nothing Serious came when I was stuck in traffic behind a removals lorry. I got to thinking about how a removal man could meet a guy who was moving house, and that eventually led to Jamie and Mark’s story.

Favourite book of all time?

I’m very fickle, I couldn’t possible choose just one favourite book. I have loved loads of books at different times and for different reasons. It really depends what mood I’m in too.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that the one book I might have re-read more than any other is Riders by Jilly Cooper. I loved it as a teen (because it was so smutty obviously) and it became my go to book in my twenties when I was tired/fed up/depressed because trashy novels cheer me up and are cheaper than therapy. I think if I read it now though, I’d be really disappointed by the lack of gay relationships in it. I’d probably end up shipping Rupert and Billy and want to write fic about them.

What’s next for you? Any current WIP’s we should know about?

My second release is following shortly after Nothing Serious. The Little Things is due out on 22^nd November and then Not Just Friends is out in the spring.

I’m currently battling with a WIP that’s tentatively titled Connections, but it’s fairly early days for that so I’m not entirely sure whether it’s going to work out yet or not. I hope so, because I love the characters already.

Tell us about your new release?

Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they’ve shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he’s with is the wrong gender.

Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he’s mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.

As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?

Nothing Serious is available at Dreamspinner Press <— click on link 🙂

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her amazing, occasionally ridiculous husband, two noisy-but-awesome children, and two cats. She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Links

Website: www.jaynorthcote.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jay_northcote

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction

Jay’s books: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_953

Five minutes with Jay Northcote