As many of you will know, my books are formatted, uploaded and published by Hilltop Press. This entity is, in fact, my very good friend, Jonathan Hill, who also designs my book covers and undertakes the onerous task of creating the paperbacks for me. I have referred to him in the past as my Technical Support Officer but he is so much more than this. He was one of the people who encouraged me to write longer fiction and through his efforts, often time-consuming, he is my enabler.
Last Saturday I had the great pleasure of meeting Jonathan in the flesh rather than on book forums and in email correspondence. We talked a tiny bit about our writing but mainly we laughed and enjoyed one another’s company. If there had been no time constraints, we’d probably still be talking. You could draw up a long list of our differences but the things we share – attitudes, ideas, sense of humour – are greater.
We all need someone to watch our backs and Jonathan and I do this for one another. It wouldn’t work for all writers but we share our ideas, before, during and after the writing process. We line-edit and proof read for one another and occasionally make editorial suggestions of a greater magnitude. It’s often said that writing is a lonely job but it really helps to have someone to share the thoughts and ideas with. Jonathan is an intelligent perfectionist and that’s exactly the kind of person you need keeping tabs on your wayward witterings. Mainly, however, we prop up one another’s flagging egos!
The reason this works so well was evident from those flying few hours last weekend. Quite simply, we’re good friends and we get on well. To work cooperatively to this extent requires a high degree of mutual trust. Jonathan publishes for me so my royalties go into his account. He orders paperbacks for me so I pay him for those, less my royalties. It wouldn’t be a successful partnership if one suspected the other of less than total honesty – both in terms of editorial comments and of financial arrangements. He does drive a rather nice car though…
Thank you Hilltop! You’re the best.
Jonathan himself writes comedy, for example, the Maureen stories, and darker, thought-provoking fiction like FAG which tackles bullying and homophobia in a 1930s boarding school. His latest publication is Pride, currently on his website's home page. It's a coming-of-age book about a gay man finding himself despite difficult family circumstances. Jonathan is currently working on a couple of thrillers which are shaping up very well (privileged information!). He combines imagination and technical expertise to produce books I never fail to enjoy reading.
Last Saturday I had the great pleasure of meeting Jonathan in the flesh rather than on book forums and in email correspondence. We talked a tiny bit about our writing but mainly we laughed and enjoyed one another’s company. If there had been no time constraints, we’d probably still be talking. You could draw up a long list of our differences but the things we share – attitudes, ideas, sense of humour – are greater.
We all need someone to watch our backs and Jonathan and I do this for one another. It wouldn’t work for all writers but we share our ideas, before, during and after the writing process. We line-edit and proof read for one another and occasionally make editorial suggestions of a greater magnitude. It’s often said that writing is a lonely job but it really helps to have someone to share the thoughts and ideas with. Jonathan is an intelligent perfectionist and that’s exactly the kind of person you need keeping tabs on your wayward witterings. Mainly, however, we prop up one another’s flagging egos!
The reason this works so well was evident from those flying few hours last weekend. Quite simply, we’re good friends and we get on well. To work cooperatively to this extent requires a high degree of mutual trust. Jonathan publishes for me so my royalties go into his account. He orders paperbacks for me so I pay him for those, less my royalties. It wouldn’t be a successful partnership if one suspected the other of less than total honesty – both in terms of editorial comments and of financial arrangements. He does drive a rather nice car though…
Thank you Hilltop! You’re the best.
Jonathan himself writes comedy, for example, the Maureen stories, and darker, thought-provoking fiction like FAG which tackles bullying and homophobia in a 1930s boarding school. His latest publication is Pride, currently on his website's home page. It's a coming-of-age book about a gay man finding himself despite difficult family circumstances. Jonathan is currently working on a couple of thrillers which are shaping up very well (privileged information!). He combines imagination and technical expertise to produce books I never fail to enjoy reading.
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