AJ Griffiths-Jones Interview

So you want to be a writer?

The best thing to do is speak to someone who’s been there and done that.

With that in mind I am delighted to introduce the award winning, best selling, prolific author AJ Griffiths-Jones.

I tracked her down and asked her a few questions. Ian Parson, Nov’ 23

1. When did you first start writing?

Like most authors, I started writing at a very early age. Poems, short stories, cartoons, even a full-length novel at the age of twelve.

But I didn’t write my first ‘proper’ book until 2014. Fortunately it was published in 2015

2. Who are your favourite authors?

I have quite an eclectic list of favourite authors from all over the world.

Kazuo Ishiguro, Hannah Kent, Kader Abdolah, Isabel Allende & John Boyne.

I’ll read anything except ‘romance’

3. Do you model characters on people you know?

My characters are usually built from little quirks that I’ve noticed in different people, never just from one person. They might have the selfish streak of one, the loping gait of another and the charisma of someone else, for example.

4. How many books have you had published?

I’ve had fourteen books published so far, my first being a true crime story. This was followed by five cosy mysteries, a thriller, a short story book and then a series of five crime fiction books set in France.

5. Which is the best book you’ve written?

It’s very hard to say which is my ‘best’ book. I’m quite proud of them all, but ‘Black Sparrow’ is really quite special as it’s told from the standpoint of many different characters & took me out of my comfort zone.

6. Are you a city girl or a country lass?

A bit of both. In the past I’ve lived in London & Shanghai, loving both equally. But nowadays I live in a village by the sea.

7. Which do you prefer, city or countryside?

I could quite happily live in either a bubbling metropolis or a remote mountain village. As long as I have my husband, my cat and my books, I’m happy.

8. Do you intend to retire to the ocean and write more books?

I actually retired to the sea two years ago. I fully intend to keep writing as long as my fingers will allow. My study now overlooks the Turkish coast which is a great inspiration.

9. Anything you’d like to say publicly?

There’s an old saying that goes something like,

‘There’s a reader for every author’ & I truly believe that.

If you want to write, just do it, somebody, somewhere, will love your stories.

10. Have you a book coming out soon or which is your last ?

I haven’t had a book published for the last two years, the latest being ‘ENZO’ which was the finale of my ‘Mallery & Hobbs Murder Case’ series.

However I’ve been very busy working on some non-fiction books & I’m happy to say that a contract has been signed with a new publisher & the first volume will be out in October 2024.

books by AJ Griffiths-Jones and Ian Parson are available in all the usual places