ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
KENT AUTHOR PROFILE
JO BAVINGTON-JONES
FOLKESTONE-BASED AUTHOR JO BAVINGTON-JONES IS PRAISED FOR HER ADMIRABLE AUTHENTICITY AND GRIPPING NOVELS THAT ARE DEEPLY INSPIRED BY KENT ’ S DIVERSE CREATIVE SCENE . SINCE JO SET OUT TO FOLLOW HER HEART AND WRITE HER FIRST CRIME NOVEL , SHE HAS SHOWCASED THE COUNTY IN A THRILLING SERIES THAT NOT ONLY SHOWCASES SOME FAMILIAR KENT HOTSPOTS BUT ALSO TAKES READERS ON AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY OF MYSTERY AND INTRIGUE .
What led to you becoming an author ? A lifelong love of reading and being a teacher ’ s pet in English ! I always wanted to be an author , but life got in the way - I got married , had a child and had to work to pay the bills . It was only really when my son started school that I had a bit of a now-or-never moment . I knew I would regret it if I didn ’ t try , plus I owed it to my English teacher ! I wanted to do something to make my son proud of me and show him that dreams can be achieved . He ’ s now doing a masters in maths , so I guess we had very different dreams !
What and / or who have been the biggest influences in your writing ? This may sound odd , but I don ’ t believe I ’ m strongly influenced by other writers . Certainly , I read every day and there are many authors I respect and enjoy , but I think I very much have my own style of writing . I ’ m much more inspired by the funny and touching things that happen in real life , and the people who cross my path .
You certainly showcase Kent proudly within your work ; what about Kent inspires you and your writing ? I ’ ve lived in Kent all my life and now live in Folkestone . Being by the sea definitely feeds my creative spirit , especially when the summer crowds have gone and the wind and waves are doing their worst to batter us . Folkestone has become an incredibly creative town and the Triennial Art Festival was a huge inspiration for my first two crime novels , The Write Way to Die and Bang to Rights . It ’ s Triennial year again this year , so I can ’ t promise not to leave more bodies dotted around the art installations !
You have written both fantastic fiction and captivating mystery throughout your career ; are you currently drawn to a particular genre ? I ’ m absolutely drawn to crime fiction . It was my first love . The moment I opened Richard Scarry ’ s The Great Pie Robbery as a very young reader , I was hooked ! As a girl I couldn ’ t get enough of Agatha Christie and I still prefer crime over any other genre . For some reason though , I thought when I started writing that I couldn ’ t write crime . They say write what you know and I knew about being a woman , so I started my career writing women ’ s fiction . It was only during the first lockdown that I decided to have a stab at writing crime my own way and 10 weeks later The Write Way to Die was finished . I loved every minute of it and I haven ’ t regretted turning to a life of crime for a second .
What advice would you give to any budding authors who are looking to write their first novel ? I would say write because you love to - because you have to . Don ’ t write with an
expectation of having a bestseller and making millions because it ’ s incredibly tough for new writers . It ’ s actually incredibly tough for old ones , too ! When you ’ ve finished that novel , unless you get very lucky or know the right people , prepare yourself for rejection . Apparently , even literary agents these days can only place about 1 % of the books they represent . Don ’ t be afraid of self-publishing – there ’ s a lot less stigma surrounding it these days . Get a professional editor to take a look at your manuscript if you can , and when you submit to agents or publishers , read their guidelines first .
What can your readers look forward to next ? Readers won ’ t have long to wait for the third book in The Write Way to Die series . The Wipeout Round is set in the world of pub quizzing and sees the return of best friends and amateur sleuths , Amy and Jenny , and it ’ s in design now . As with all my crime novels , there ’ s plenty of black humour and this one has puns galore . I also have another book being released very soon , and that one goes back to my roots in women ’ s fiction . The Bonfire Buddleia is an emotional and at times dark story of three sisters and the secrets they have kept since childhood . As much as I love writing crime , I also wouldn ’ t rule out a love story in the future .
jobavingtonjones . co . uk
46 • www . insidekent . co . uk