Books – Jonathan K. Benton

Hooray for being a Kiwi! – Jonathan K Benton

Feeling a little home sick: it’s times like this that I love being a Kiwi. Pink Floyd’s new album reached number one in NZ. I’ve always known Kiwi’s have great taste. My B’day is just around the corner and I only want one thing (apart from world peace and a candlelit dinner with Darth Vader): Floyd’s The Endless River.

It might seem like I’ve disappeared from the blogosphere, but I’ve been buried in my new manuscript, estimated date of completion February 2015. Loving this thing called writing.

I’ll blog more – promise.

JKB

There be good reviews, and there be bad – Jonathan K Benton

There be good reviews, and there be bad, as the pirates would say. A critical review from someone who didn’t like your work is still a good review – carefully considered criticism can be extremely useful. I learn from some of the criticisms levelled at my own work. People must be allowed to have opinions, including whether they like, or dislike, a novel. The nasty reviews from people, who think abuse is some kind of intelligent criticism, are wasting everybody’s time. They reveal more about the reviewer’s character (or lack of) than the book itself.

I’m deep into my next book, using the five P’s to make sure my writing is improving, so it was a nice surprise to receive an email from my publisher advising me that an Amazon top 500 reviewer had read and reviewed A Wicked Kind of Dark (published by Odyssey Books 2013). Pop Bop has a way with words – I enjoyed reading the review for this reason alone. It was also nice to know that someone with such great command of the English language enjoyed reading my book.

So … A big thanks to Pop Bop and all those people who take the time to read and write carefully considered reviews. We authors appreciate it.

Jonathan K Benton

Two more P's and a progress update – Jonathan K Benton

Halfway through the year, and I’m about to start writing the climax to my new novel. It’s Part One of a young adult fantasy trilogy and should be finished by January 2014. I’ve spent the last nine months polishing the rest of it. It has taken me two years to write, so far.

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the three P’s being the three keys to getting published. There are a couple of other P’s that deserve a mention, so I have updated the post to the ‘Five P’s – I promise no more P’s!

Jonathan K Benton

The five P’s are the five keys to getting published – Jonathan K Benton

Passion:

I believe authors write because they have to. They cannot stop that fountain of words bubbling up inside them. Some writers might dream of fortune and glory, but these fantasies play second fiddle to a passionate desire to express themselves using the written word. Authors cannot not write.

Practise:

Writing is a craft and authors need to grow their abilities. I’m a better author now than I was last year and I’ll be even stronger next year. I’m published, and my first book received great reviews in some big papers, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. There is. I’ve found a wonderful mentor and I’ll continue developing the craft.

My point is: practise undoubtedly makes perfect, no matter what stage of your writing career this blog finds you at.

Perseverance:

This is by far the most important of the three P’s. Without it, your manuscript will likely never make it out of the dreaded slush pile. Perseverance isn’t just about repeating the same thing. Remember: it’s often your third or fourth manuscript that snags that illusive publishing contract. Persevere with practising – find a writers’ group and share ideas. Persevere with writing – try to finish the manuscript even if it feels like it’s going nowhere. Writing begets writing. Immerse yourself in your stories and never give up. It can take years – it can take a lifetime.

Planning:

There are many levels to this one: Scheduling times to write throughout the week; planning what to write about during these times; fleshing out characters to make them real enough to drive the plot forward. I’ve said this before – I think it’s extremely useful to bounce ideas off another writer throughout the drafting process. I regret not having done it with my first book. I’ve found a new mentor and she’s brought a whole other dimension to my writing. Planning is all this, and so much more.

Patience:

Don’t submit your novel until it’s ready. Don’t take shortcuts. Unpack those lazy sentences. Get the manuscript reviewed by an expert before you shop it around. Put it in a drawer for a month. Then read it again. You’ll be surprised how many improvements you’ll find. Patience will save you time in the long run.

Which brings us full circle. Passion. If you truly love creating stories: that in itself should fill most of the gap. Writers tend to be idealists. I am.

Jonathan K Benton

Occasionally, very rarely and mostly never I need to remind myself why I love writing – Jonathan K Benton

Writing isn’t easy, and when it gets really tough, I sometimes need to remind myself why I stick at it. Here are the top five reasons I persevere:

5) Books saved me:

Books changed me, as I wrote in this article in the Sydney Morning Herald. They saved me, too. I went through some tough times – I’m not asking, and nor do I expect, anyone to break out the violins. It’s not a sob story. It might be inspirational if I peppered the prose of my life with flowery images! But I know that books helped me through some harrowing times. Winston Churchill once said: ‘If you’re going through hell, keep going’. I say: ‘If you’re going through hell, keep reading!’.

4) Exploration:

We have our own universes inside our heads. Buzz Lightyear summed it up perfectly: ‘To infinity … and beyond!’.

3) Trying to understand this crazy old world:

Whether murder-mystery or Mills and Boon, books cut a slice from the chaos that we call life and bake it into something mouthwateringly comprehensible. It’s fun, sometimes terrifying, innately revealing, and frequently difficult.

2) To make a difference:

To inspire. I like the thought of someone finishing a novel that I have produced and feeling uplifted. Books do that for me and I want to do it for others.

1) Because I have to:

Yep. I have to write. It’s not a choice. If I don’t, I wilt. It took me a long time to realise this. I wish I’d known earlier – I probably did deep down. I’m glad I know now.

Jonathan K Benton

A piece on laughter and my two ‘all-time’ favourite jokes – Jonathan K Benton

Catch 22 is one of my favourite books. It’s also one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. Colours and shades, tears and laughter. The saddest stories have the funniest scenes, as the author takes you on an emotional roller coaster.

Laughter saves lives – just ask the Clown Doctors. It pierces bubbles of sadness. It can also lift you up after hard times. Trust me, I know. I love getting the giggles, especially with my brother and sister. We think alike, you see. A simple look can summon uncontrollable laughter.

Laughter brings a sense of perspective to this crazy world. War might not exist if everybody could laugh just a little bit more. This Monty Python skit sums it up perfectly.

Sometimes laughing will be the last thing on your mind, but never forget how to, and try not to take yourself too seriously.

My two favourite jokes.

My cousin told me this ‘knock knock’ joke when I was five years old:

– Knock knock

– Who’s there?

– Bumblebee

– Bumblebee who?

– Bumblebee cold if you don’t pull your pants up.

The next joke was voted the second funniest of all time by a panel of experts. It’s my favourite:

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were going camping. They pitched their tent under the stars and went to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night Holmes woke Watson up and said: “Watson, look up at the stars, and tell me what you see.”

Watson replied: “I see millions and millions of stars.”

Holmes said: “and what do you deduce from that?”

Watson replied: “Well, if there are millions of stars, and if even a few of those have planets, it’s quite likely there are some planets like earth out there. And if there are a few planets like earth out there, there might also be life.”

And Holmes said: “Watson, you idiot, it means that somebody stole our tent.”

***

Let me know your favourite jokes, and please keep them clean.

Jonathan K Benton

Writing tip no. 3 and my thoughts on New Zealand

Writing tip

This one is subjective, but I hear it lot, and it works for me. Don’t edit the first draft until you’ve finished it. Write your story from beginning to end – smash it out. Don’t worry about sentence structure and beautiful images. These things can be polished into the novel at a later date. If you get bogged down, write some ‘he did’ ‘she did’ sentences to move your mind out of the mental quagmire. Then continue with the story. Flesh out the gaps on subsequent drafts. As I said, it works for me.

Thought for the week

I spent three weeks in New Zealand last year. My father and his partner have a bach at Matarangi on the Coromandel Peninsula. Kiwis refer to their holiday homes as baches. Matarangi is the type of place where you can play cricket on the road or sit on the long white surf beach believing you’re it – that there’s nobody else on the planet. I can’t remember seeing more than four people at a time on the pearly Matarangi sands. Then I took my family back to Auckland stopping at several boutique cafes serving top shelf cuisine and superior coffee. My mum lives in Tindalls Bay. This idyllic seaside suburb boasts a beach protected from the ocean swells and therefore perfect for my firstborn boy (No. 2 was just a twinkle in his parents’ eyes at the time).

I am a Kiwi living in Australia. My partner is an Aussie, our sons wear the green and gold too. I’m outnumbered three to one in my household. I love Australia – it is my home and I consider it a privilege to be able to live here. But I was filled with pride when I returned to New Zealand. The Land of the Long White Cloud is one of the most beautiful spots on Earth. If you haven’t been, you’re missing out.

Jonathan K Benton

Lessons Learned – if I could impart one piece of advice to first-time authors this would be it.

I am a perfectionist, in terms of my writing. Most authors probably are. This doesn’t mean we think our writing is perfect. It means we’ll never be content with the finished product. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve the craft.

I’m halfway through my second manuscript. Fate – or perhaps chance – has introduced me to a brilliant young woman. She is helping me craft my next draft (very Dr Suess – ‘craft the draft’). Based on the work we’ve been doing, I now think it’s essential to have someone to bounce ideas off through the drafting process. Joelene is somewhat of a connoisseur of young adult literature. She asks the hard questions of my work, like: Why does Laika (a principal character in my next book) behave like this when she’s in that situation? Why does Jack (the main protagonist) say this when previously he’s said that? Is there a reason this character has no friends? What’s your motive for creatures in this world doing that? Why does the main antagonist choose this weapon, when surely that weapon is far more menacing? If I cannot answer Joelene’s questions, I need to revise the text. Each word is chosen for maximum impact. Every action has to have a reason, every scene a purpose. This is why I love writing.

Descriptive writing is one of my strengths – Queensland’s largest paper, The Courier Mail, agrees with me in their fantastic review of A Wicked Kind of Dark (click here to read the full review). I love creating beautiful images and unique phrases. If you want to read a book ‘dripping with descriptive language’ look no further than here. Joelene is ensuring that my weaknesses become strengths in my next novel. Her vast knowledge of the YA market is proving invaluable.

Writing is a deeply personal thing. It is your voice that distinguishes you – nobody else’s. However, I’m discovering the very real benefits of bouncing ideas off someone well-versed in the genre I write. The text is singing. I wish I’d met Joelene earlier!

Ckick here for another useful article I found for authors about to take those first few steps:

Happy writing

Jonathan K Benton.

My favourite first sentences – in no particular order. Jonathan K Benton

Without a great book to support them, the following sentences might not have been so great. Each sentence appeals to me in a different way. For example: Douglas Adams’s unique voice exudes personality. Dickens’s words are profound, and who knew C. S. Lewis was a comedian?

Here they are, in no particular order:

‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way –’

Charles Dickens The Tale of Two Cities

‘There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.’

C. S Lewis The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’

J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit

‘Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-eight million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.’

Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

‘All children, except one, grow up.’

J. M. Barrie Peter Pan

‘When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.’

Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games

‘The seller of lightning rods arrived just ahead of the storm.’

Ray Bradbury Something Wicked This Way Comes

Let me know your favourite first sentence and I will add them to this post. I’ll even read the book, if I haven’t already.

Jonathan K Benton

Queensland’s largest newspaper The Courier-Mail reviews A Wicked Kind of Dark

I truly love it here in Queensland. The support given to me by the people of this justifiably proud and beautiful State has been overwhelming. Councillor for the Deagon Ward, the amazing Victoria Newton, read and recommended A Wicked Kind of Dark to the Brisbane City Council libraries. The sensational Jacqueline Husson from one of my favourite papers the Bayside and Northern Suburbs Star interviewed me, and now Queensland’s largest newspaper The Courier-Mail has run the following book review:

‘Brisbane writer Jonathan K Benton has created a parallel world of magic interwoven with reality in this dramatic debut tale of good and evil.

Young hero Robert Duncan refuses to believe in the supernatural until a chilling phone call from an unknown woman forces him to remember his past and his childhood sweetheart. Robert finds himself thrust into the dark, dangerous world of Minaea, where magic is everywhere and humans are forbidden. But a powerful demon threatens to overshadow the good of Minaea and, to save the world from darkness, Robert must find his lost friend Luthien before the next blood moon.

Dripping with descriptive language, A Wicked Kind of Dark is a sinister kind of fairy tale that grips readers from the first chapter. It is a climactic tale for teens that explores the limitless power of the imagination.’

A big thank you to The Courier-Mail

This link will take you to a smorgasbord of places where you can purchase A Wicked Kind of Dark.

And thank you, Queensland.

I love the Sunshine State

Jonathan K Benton

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