LIMERICK author Jonathan Dunne may write material to make the skin creep, but his career as an author is no horror story.
The 47 year old, originally from Ballyine, Newcastle West, is this week about to publish his ninth novel, ‘Billy’s Experiment’.
Dunne is a living advertisement for DIY publishing, boasting a number one in the Irish and British sales charts with his last novel.
Married to Spanish woman, Ruth, and father to three girls, he has been been living in Toledo, Spain, for 20 years.
“I’ve self published eight novels and ‘Billy’s Experiment’ will be my ninth,” he told the Limerick Post.
“I started out writing black comedy but as the years went by my novels grew darker and darker until I was writing outright horror. My last book, a horror called ‘The Squatter’, went to number one in the Irish and British horror category at amazon.com.”
While he enjoyed writing comedy, Jonathan says that switching over to horror “has been a game-changer for me and my writing”.
“It took me a while to find my niche but I believe things happen when they are meant to happen and I look at my other previous novels as experience and stepping stones. All my future books will be some form of horror, be it supernatural or psychological.”
When he’s not making readers’ hair stand on end, Jonathan works as a TEFL teacher. “But I’m getting to the point now where I’m earning a living as a full-time writer,” he adds.
Oddly, the man obsessed with horror is squeamish about blood.
“I love reading all kinds of horror, though I don’t like blood. But what I do like is suspense and mystery with the supernatural element perhaps.
“Sometimes when I’m reading or watching a film or series and I imagine the book going off in a different direction and sometimes I get inspiration from that. Other times I get inspiration from true horror stories that happen to normal people, I then spice it up my way.”
“Any idea I ever have which I think could be used somewhere along the line is kept in my phone which is always at hand,” he said. “The days of the romantic notebook are long gone.”
Jonathan is adding his name to the list of authors who advise new writers to look to their own experience.
“Write from the heart and write what you know. It’s a cliche but it’s very true because a passion will come through to the reader. Another piece of advice is to read a lot, but find your own voice.”
Jonathan’s books are exclusively available on Amazon.
“I could go much wider with the books if I wanted, but I earn higher income exclusive to Amazon,” he said.
