A QUICK LITTLE INTERVIEW WITH THE CURRENT POST MORTEM PRESS FEATURED AUTHOR – JASON DOWNES

Q: Tell us a little about your writing. What is your typical genre, your style, the voice you aim for and such.

A: My writing has two sides. On the one side there’s the horror/ supernatural stories I’ve always written and on the other there’s the stories about ordinary Joe’s in less than ordinary situations. These stories tend to be based in Dublin and have a comedy/ drama arc to them. My first novel, Pony Fleming being the best example of this and my new novel, The Barn due out this year, an example of the previous.

Q: What are some of the endeavors you have on the horizon, or have been participating in?

A: Well as of now there are a number of projects in the works. The sequel to Pony Fleming is up and running and will have a more American feel with the lads hitting these shores for a visit but will also have the Irish humor and slang from the first.

I also have a book about an alcholic whose life is turned upside down by various tragedies and pulls him deeper and deeper into the bottom of a glass. This one is borrowed heavily from personal experience and although the situations the character finds himself in don’t relate to my own personal experience, the self destruction of the character very much mirrors the same thing done to someone known to me.

There is also a number of shorts which are in the mix and another tale which may run to a full length novel.

Q: Do you prefer longer or shorter fiction? And what do you think each provides for your writing?

A: For me it all depends on the idea I have. Some stories lend themselves to an indepth and deep dig of the mind, where the story can run and run, and others seem to need a more tapered and simpler conclusion.

Q: Let us know a little about your favorite character that you have created, and what makes them your favorite?

A: I’m not so sure, I do have a soft spot for Charles Dashwood, the evil bastard from the upcoming Barn, he really is nasty and venomous piece of hate but he does it so well. I also like Frank Fleming, Pony’s father. Pony was originally thought up as a trilogy but a part of me is debating a book about Frank himself.

Q: What do you typically read and how do those authors help to define your own writing?

A: I read many things. I like historical books and biographies. Fiction I love Stephen King, John Connolly, James Herbert, Ken Bruen, the list really goes on. How does its define me? They motivate me to come close to the great things they do. I’d write for free and more or less do but if this could be my job, I’d be happy as could be.

Q: What advice might you offer to other writers in their endeavors? What things have you experienced as set backs and potential deal breakers? Also, what things have helped you to gain exposure, bring attention to your stories?

A: The old chestnut…write but also read. Read, read, read and write. The more you read the more ideas you get, the more of those you have the more you’ll write.

Deal breakers I don’t really have. I just hope for the best, I fly by the seat of my arse most days to be honest.

Exposure…here is my weakness, I’m a publicity novice. I do the small things on facebook and what have you but I really need to learn more. My biggest ace has been PMP and my fellow authors, so I owe them alot for that.

Q: Finish this sentence, “Jason Downes is a…”

A: Jason Downes is a…gobshite, whose day will come!! Yet he can write a good story.

Q: Anything else you would like to promote, say, or rant about?

A: You can find info on Pony either here on PMP or at www.ponyfleming.com I hope to add a new website soon.

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