1) I'm not very good at 'new music'. Much like my father, I'm stuck in decades gone by. My iPod contains Billy Joel, The Beatles, Queen and Bon Jovi's 1994 album Cross Road. That last album, the one from last century, is the most up to date album I own!
J.M Hewitt
2) I'm a voracious reader - as an author I think you have to be. For at least thirty years I've never had a period of time where I've not been reading. As soon as I finish one book I move straight on to another. I'll read any genre, but crime is my trade and therefore my favourite. Every few years I like to re-read Stephen King's The Dark Tower series.
3) I'm a West Ham fan by proxy. I have no choice in this matter. In our home, books jostle for position alongside West Ham memorabilia. As I write this, my partner, Darren, is at the last ever match to be held at the Boleyn Ground. I'm watching it on the television, because I believe what we love dearly, also spreads a little to those people that we love.
4) I'm fascinated by the macabre and I'm pretty sure this has been passed down to me by my mum. She has always talked very openly about death, and she has worked in the nursing community for decades, mostly with dementia patients. She has been there for at least fifty people at the end of their lives and most recently, she got to watch a cremation. It was up close, through a porthole and as the walls of the coffin fell away she watched unflinchingly as the body returned to dust and ashes. If, for research purposes, I ever get to witness a post mortem, I know who I'll be taking with me.
5) Jackie Collins was my first introduction to crime. Yes, that's right; crime fiction. 'Chances' was her eighth book in 1981, followed in 1985 by 'Lucky'. More of the Santangelo mafia family sagas came in the following years. Italian American history is portrayed so well, especially in 'Chances' and it was crime fiction with a strong, female protagonist. It had drama and flair and it, like the author, was magnificent.
6) On 14th October 1994 Ffyona Campbell became the first woman to walk around the world. In 1998, when I was reading her trilogy of books depicting her epic walks, she had already gone off the grid. Seeking peace and solitude, she had simply vanished and to where, nobody knew. During my twenties Ffyona's books were a constant source of strength and inspiration, and it saddened me that I would never actually know her. Then, in 2012, Ffyona reappeared. All that time she had been living with and learning from the Aborigines, and she was bringing home her skills to Devon. My main character in my second published novel was based on Ffyona, and my book was due for release just as she was returning to the U.K. I contacted her and discovered she was running wild food walks in Devon, teaching people all she had learned about living from the land. She was so gracious and kind and has invited me to accompany her on a walk, hopefully this will take place in 2017 and I'll be one of few people lucky enough to be able to say, 'I met my hero'.
7) Research is one of my favourite parts of being a novelist. Researching for Exclusion Zone, my novel based around the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, taught me so much more than I ever anticipated. In turn, I've been told that my book has educated others, which is something I'll never tire of hearing!
8) I'm absolutely addicted to the Next Top Model franchise. Britain's, America's, Australia's - I'll watch them all, and I'll learn from them too. Just like being a professional in any industry, you need to be marketable and know how to sell yourself (and your product.) You must know your industry inside out and public speaking is required, as is awareness of your public persona. I love watching these aspiring models and the learning curve they embark on.
9) In the novel that I'm currently writing, there is a scene that takes place in a Halal chicken slaughter house. For authenticity, I researched Halal slaughter and I can confirm that I've eaten no chicken since conducting this research. I've always been aware of what I'm putting into my body when I eat meat, in fact, when dining out; I often choose a vegetarian option and that research kind of sealed the deal of the meat free mindset. It does remain to be seen whether I can give up my absolute favourite - hotdogs!
10) A pattern is emerging in my work, and that is settings and locations. Along with my partner I love to travel, this year alone we are visiting Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Majorca, Holland and Lanzarote. From Vegas we are driving to the Grand Canyon and over on the east coast we will be taking a train to Montauk. Look out for the sequel and book three to Exclusion Zone, two of the aforementioned destinations will feature heavily!
Exclusion Zone is the debut crime fiction novel by J.M Hewitt and was published by Endeavour Press in February 2016. Since the release, it has garnered praise from fans and authors of crime fiction alike. The author is currently working on the sequel to Exclusion Zone, Reckoning Point.