Heaton Wilson​

Published Books
Beneath the Surface (Aug 31) BUY ON AMAZON = https://amzn.to/3utklmm​

​Who are you?  Tell us a little bit about yourself...
My name is Kevin, but Heaton is my middle name and, although I hated the name at school, I decided it sounds quite distinguished, so I finally embraced it by using it as my pen name!  
I was born and raised in the Manchester area, one of five children, and followed the work as a newspaper journalist and then communications manager, heading slowly South until I ended up here on the Isle of Wight, where I now write most of the time, and enjoy acting on stage for a bit of variety. 
 
What first inspired you to start writing?
Writing has been my life. I wrote poems and made up stories as a child and had my head in books when I wasn’t playing football.  I threw myself fully into creative writing when I took an early retirement a few years ago, but initially my interest was in writing plays, and directing and sometimes acting in them.  I’ve always been fascinated by words and the way we say and use them, and it was a short leap from writing plays to writing fiction.
 
What made you want to work with Rowanvale and be published?
This is an easy one! I have tried different ways of self-publishing and was researching options for my third crime fiction story, Beneath the Surface. I liked what I saw on the Rowanvale website and was impressed by the follow up to my enquiry. It was also a bonus to have access to professional editing as part of the package, so that was a no-brainer for me.

When you’re not writing, what are you reading?
I’m a book butterfly, to be honest, flitting from shelf to shelf, library to library, buying or borrowing on instinct, but then being ruthless enough to abandon a book if it doesn’t grab me.  I am a fan of thoughtful crime fiction rather than out-and-out page turners, but I also love the escapism and magic of writers like Matt Haigh and the storytelling of John Grisham. The next book on my list is The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgård. 

Which work are you most proud of?
I’m never totally happy with what I produce, but I was especially proud of a play I wrote and directed, called Fresh Start. It was on the theme of abuse in an older couple’s marriage and the feedback from audiences was amazing.  More recently, I self-published my first short story collection, Postcards from The Island, and there are a few stories in there that I’m really pleased with. Having said that, I am becoming rather proud of my crime fiction series, too!
 
What’s your best advice for handling writer’s block?
Don’t get wound up about it. I simply walk away and do something else. This often involves walking the dogs, or catching up with jobs in the house or garden.  Just the act of switching off and getting exercise is enough to unlock the idea that was hiding behind the blockage in my brain. And I don’t put myself under the pressure of writing a certain number of words a day. If nothing comes, I will do some editing instead, and that usually helps.
 
What’s one thing you always have with you when you’re writing?
Just my notebook and pen. I use that in between keyboard sessions to map out ideas as I work through a story. Gingernuts are equally useful, I find.
 
What is one book you would like to have with you if you were stuck on a desert island?
Can I cheat and just have a notebook (and pen) please? If not, then Great Expectations would do very nicely.
 
What is the best part about being an independently published author?
The freedom of working at my own pace, on stories that grab my interest, knowing that all elements are under my control—apart from reader reviews, of course!  It helps also to know that there are so many resources out there, including the ability to typeset your book as you go and even convert it into an e-book. I love writing with pen and paper, but technology is definitely winning me over. 
 
What’s next for you?
I’m having a month off writing. I’m acting in a Christmas event at a local theme park, so I won’t have any energy to spare. However, I do plan to keep my notebook to hand, and who knows, get inspired to write a new book.  
Meanwhile, I am two thirds of the way through my first novel—one in which no-one gets murdered, amazingly enough.  I’m enjoying trying out a completely new style and aim to have a first draft finished by February (writers block permitting, of course).