J.C. Gemmell

I started writing in earnest on 4th November 2013. Unfortunately, this isn’t a ‘magic date’; it’s just the date I created the Scrivener file I’ve used ever since. It took another six and a half years before my first book hit the shelves. Nevertheless, I’m proud of my debut novel, although I suspect it’s pretty niche.

I’ve been an avid reader of fantasy and science fiction since I was fifteen, when I spent hours in my local independent bookstore agonising over which book to buy. I still have most of those books, which are over thirty years old and probably read just as many times. As my reading tastes developed, I moved away from fantasy, although Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant series remains a firm favourite.

I started writing because I couldn’t find the book I wanted to read: a combination of
environmental disaster, future over-population and a wide cast of characters. Other authors who have influenced me include Kim Stanley Robinson, Julian May and Allen Steele.

The most important thing I learned is writing is easy, re-working is complex, and marketing is challenging. I wanted to self-publish because I enjoy the process of making a book, not just writing the words, but I’m also very grateful I have a superb editor at hand. I strongly feel that independent authors need as much support as possible and have been working hard to help others on a similar journey.

I live on the South Coast of the UK with my partner and two cats, and I’m lucky enough to do most of my writing in the garden (as the weather is mostly good). I like to get up early, go for a run on the seafront and then settle down to work, although, like every other writer I know, dealing with the everyday distractions is hard. I’m a firm believer in planning the writing and writing the plan. I suggest ‘writer’s block’ is just a fancy phrase for not knuckling down and doing the work. In a past life, I was a software engineer, and even on the days I didn’t want to write code, that was my job, and I would have to focus and do what was required.

I’ve taken a break from my main series (book four is in its first draft) to write something a little easier to read, set about forty years in the future, close to home. I’m enjoying learning more about the area where I live and how the political decisions being made now might influence things as I reach the final years of my life (not wanting to sound morbid). I would love to have the opportunity to see centuries into the future, but alas, this only happens in science fiction. I hope to have this book ready by spring 2023.