Feature Contributor Interview: Jason Jackson |
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Jason Jackson has been writing for four years. He lives in Bristol with his wife and son. He works too hard and doesn't write enough. Check out his work at www.pulp.net and www.laurahird.com amongst other places. He wrote Assessment of Suitability for Recognised Mature Status in this issue of Susurrus.
SM: What made you decide to become a writer?
JJ: I can be very specific here. Jim Crace, a British novelist, made me decide to become a writer, when I saw him talk at a teaching conference, and he was humble, and funny, and totally lacking in ego, and everything he said made sense. So I went home and wrote a story about a man on a matress called The Man on the Mattress. From little acorns...
SM: Who or what is your biggest influence outside the literary world?
JJ: Again, very specific. My 11 week old son. 11 weeks ago, everything in my life changed. That's a lot of influence for such a little fella.
SM: If an illness or disorder were named after you what would it be called? What are its symptoms?
JJ: The illness would be called Mr. Jackson, or Jason to its friends. It would consist of a mild feeling of unease, peaking at four in the morning with blind paranoia. There would be no cure, but it wouldn't be terminal, and there'd be lots of friendly support groups.
SM: What story or novel do you wish you'd written? Why?
JJ: Easy. I wish I'd written the next good story I'm going to write. Because then I wouldn't be wondering if I was ever going to write a good story again.
SM: If you could say anything to the entire world, what would it be?
JJ: Oh, I'd have some profound speech all ready, but when it came down to it I'd probably just shrug, smile, say 'hi' and wander off to get a drink.
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