An Interview with Author Jessica Huntley

Jessica Huntley is an award-winning and best-selling psychological thriller author. She's an ex-British soldier and Personal Trainer and has been writing almost non-stop for the past four years. She is now the author of sixteen books, including two trilogies, six standalone thrillers, two anthologies, a co-written horror project and a novella. She is both self-published and traditionally published with Inkubator Books and Joffe Books. She writes books for thriller readers who like their stories dark and twisty with complex, yet memorable characters, who often suffer from relatable mental health disorders. When she isn't writing, Jessica is either keeping fit, walking her dog or looking after her young son.

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I'm super excited to interview Jessica today! Not only is she an incredibly talented author, but I also had the pleasure of her reviewing my new thriller The Ever End. Thank you for joining me today, Jessica! 

How long have you been writing?

Officially, I’ve been writing since April 2020, but unofficially, I’ve been writing books and stories since I was 10. I’ve always loved creating stories. As a child, they were always only for me to read, but now it’s surreal to have so many readers who enjoy reading what I write. 

What has been your biggest inspiration as a writer?

It’s mainly other authors who inspire me, especially authors who have started out as self-published, including John Marrs, Freida Mcfadden and Colleen Hoover, who are now some of the biggest authors out there today! There’s hope for me yet!

Who are your favorite authors?

I have many! But my auto-buy authors are John Marrs, Lucy Clarke, T.M. Logan and Chris Carter. My favourite self-published authors are Hayley Anderon, T.M. Lunn, Eric Woods and Sara Kate.

What is the best experience you've had in your writing career so far?

I think it has to be going to a book event and have readers come up to me who I’ve never met before ask me to sign my book and have a selfie. Literally was the most surreal moment of my life. That, and having a publisher reach out to me directly and ask me to work with them. Oh, and reaching Amazon Number 1 Bestseller on publication day of my latest release, Horrible Husbands. A proper pinch me moment!

Have you experienced writer's block? If so, how did you get through it? 

Yes and no. But I wouldn’t call it proper writer’s block. I’ve stared at a screen for ages and barely come up with a few words, but after a walk to clear my head, I can write. However, I’ve always written a whole page and thought it’s utter rubbish and deleted it all. Sometimes, a break is all that’s needed.

What's your writing process like?

With my self-published books, I generally “make it up as I go along”. It’s how I’ve always written and I find it the most freeing in terms of allowing the characters to make me where they want to go, rather than try and keep them in a box. I write every single day without fail, unless I’m super busy, travelling or sick as a dog. And I’m most productive in the mornings after the child is at school and I’ve completed a workout, had a shower and got a coffee. I mainly write at home in my office or on the sofa with my laptop and dog on my lap.

What's the longest time it's taken you to write a book and what's the shortest?

The longest time it’s taken me to write a book is 2 years and the shortest is 3 months.

What is your favorite genre to write and why?

I mainly write psychological thrillers. I have written horror, but most of my books are thrillers. I like to read thrillers too. I enjoy them because thrillers often mess with your head. You think you’re reading about one thing, but actually it ends up being something else. I like to be surprised when I read, so I want my readers to feel the same.

Are you self-published or traditionally published? Do you prefer one over the other?

I am both! I started out self-publishing my books, but about a year and a half ago, I was approached by Inkubator Books who asked me if I was interested in writing for them, so I said yes! Then, amazingly, one of my books got picked out of the submission pile and Joffe Books signed Horrible Husbands. Both publishers are happy for me to continue to self-publish, which is amazing.

How do you handle rejection?

I accept it and move on. No point crying over it. If I can learn from it then great, but if not then I just keep going. Rejection won’t stop me.

Tell us about your most recent book. What did you enjoy most about writing it? What challenges did you face?

My most recent book that’s published is Horrible Husbands, about a group of three best friends who have married horrible men. They set out to get rid of them ... permanently. It was such fun to write, as it does have some humour to separate from the very dark themes throughout. I loved writing about the friendships and how they overcome challenges by sticking together. 

What's the most inspiring feedback you've received from a reader?

I had a private message from a reader once who said that my book Jinx changed her life and that she’ll keep fighting through her trauma no matter what. It was the most amazing feeling.

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What's next for you? 

Next, I have a self-published book out on the 1st of March called The Murder Maze, which took me over a year to write and finish. Then, I have one book out with Inkubator in April and then another with Joffe Books in May, so it’s all go go go!

What is the best advice you could give to a fellow writer?

Don’t stop writing. If writing is what you want to do, then don’t stop. Just write. Make friends with other authors, share your experience and if you get a bad review, then don’t take it personally.

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Learn more about Jessica at www.jessicahuntleyauthor.com. You can also follow Jessica at Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Amazon. Plus, free copy of You Die..I Die a short thriller story available if you sign up for Jessica's newsletter!

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