Meet John Wiltshire!
John Wiltshire is the prolific author of the More Heat Than The Sun series and other listed below.
To get to know John Wiltshire a little better, the author agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.
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John spent twenty-two years in the military, perfecting the art
of looking busy whilst secretly writing. He left as a senior officer
when his tunnel was ready for use. He is now living in New
Zealand until he can raise enough money to leave. Although he
has no plans to return to the army, he can occasionally be caught
polishing his medals.
Website: http://www.johnwiltshire.co.nz
Blog: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8253345.John_Wiltshire/blog
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JohnWiltshireNZ
Facebook Author Page:https://www.facebook.com/pages/John-Wiltshire/410956219051997
GoodReads: John Wiltshire’s Fan Club on Goodreads – join here!
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- More Heat Than the Sun Series – published by MLR Press:
Love is a Stranger (More Heat Than the Sun #1)
Conscious Decision of the Heart (More Heat Than the Sun #2)
The Bridge of Silver Wings – #3
This Other Country (More Heat Than the Sun, #4)
The Bruise Black Sky (More Heat Than the Sun #5) coming soon. - A Royal Affair published by Dreamspinner Press
- Catch Me When I Fall published by MLR Press
Genre(s):
More Heat Than the Sun is contemporary thriller/romance
A Royal Affair is historical romance
Catch Me When I Fall is fantasy romance
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Contests and Giveaways:
1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, John Wiltshire) is an eBook copy the reader’s choice of the author’s backlist. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “word or phrase” in bold green . John’s Question: Where did Nik and Ben find Radulf?
Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.
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Q When did you start writing?
I started writing for publication last year, so it’s been a very busy year!
Q.Were you a reader as a child?
Absolutely. I have a degree in English literature and I am the sort of guy who always has a book on the go. Since I got a kindle a couple of years ago I usually have half a dozen or more being currently read. I miss proper books though.
Q.What books as a child has the most impact on you?
The Famous Five. I wanted Timmy (for those of you not versed in such lofty literature, Timmy is a dog. I thought I’d better clarify).
Q. Did that impression carry over into adulthood when you started writing?
Yes, he’s now called Radulf, and he’s a bit of a star of my books. He seems more popular than the humans.
Q. Where do you draw inspiration from?
Many of my characters are ex-army, so that’s always a huge source of inspiration. Spirit of place is important to me, too. I’ve lived all over the world whilst serving in the army, and I like to bring exotic locations (is the taiga in Russia exotic?) into my stories.
Q. Do you have a favourite character that you have written?
I would have to say Nikolas Mikkelsen from the More Heat Than the Sun series. He’s so much fun to write. Also, there’s a new character coming up in Book 5 called Miles Toogood. I have a huge wellspring of love for Miles.
Q. Favourite quote (doesn’t matter the source)?
“Be the change you want to see”. I was going to put “kill them all and let God sort them out”, but I’m trying to be more PC.
Q. Favourite book/story you have read as an adult?
I’ve been an adult a very long time, so that’s impossible to answer. World War Z stands out as a bit of a winner, I guess.
Q. Do you have a certain regimen that you follow as a writer?
Not at all. I have to wait until I hear the voices in my head (only kidding).
Q. What inspired you to write your first book?
The voices in my head.
Q. What’s the hardest part of writing your books?
People not reading them.
Q. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your first book?
I might have made Nikolas younger. By Book 7 he’s 48 and he’s really, really pissed about being nearly 50.
Q. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor or has the biggest influence on you?
Josh Lanyon in his Adrien English series. I would offer that series up against any detective series, straight or gay. It deserves a much wider audience. I love Adrien’s dry wit and Josh writes beautifully.
Q. What book are you reading now?
I’m actually reading Lucifer’s Hammer. I love apocalyptic novels and have pretty much read them all. This is one I’ve struggled with, so I was very evil and skipped to where the damn comet actually struck the earth.
Q. How do you think books written from authors in Australia or New Zealand differ in style, language, and culture?
That’s hard for me to say as I’m English and squatting here like a stray migratory bird, but there is definitely a spirit of place in the Kiwi novels I’ve read. The land informs the plot. But then my novels are often set in and around Dartmoor in England, and there is nowhere in the world more beautiful than Dartmoor.
Q. My first impression of AUS/NZ was from stories and novels like Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds or Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice as well as from movies like The Man from Snowy River, The Dish, Rabbit Proof Fence, Strictly Ballroom, and yes, Crocodile Dundee! There are so many out there. What is your favorite AUS/NZ stories and favorite Australian/New Zealand movies?
Uncle’s Story by Witi Ihimaera is one of the best books I’ve ever read and very inspiring. I also really enjoyed The Colour by Rose Tremain. I love Australian cinema and recently saw Guy Pearce in The Rover, which was amazing in a bleak way. Manu Bennett is one of my favourite actors, as was Andy Whitfield.
Q. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Dartmoor. It’s my spiritual home. If I lived a previous life, then I think I lived it on Dartmoor. It calls to me.
Q. What are your current projects?
I’m writing a novel wholly set in NZ about two men, both immigrants, who meet in very unfortunate circumstances. They are both straight, according to them, so that denial will be a lot of fun to work through with them. I have the three next More Heat Than the Sun novels finished and also the sequel to A Royal Affair with my publisher – Aleksey’s Kingdom—so I’m probably feeling a bit complacent about my writing pace at the moment.
Q What’s next up for you?
Back to England for Christmas! I’m off in two weeks for cold climes and darkness at half past three in the afternoon.
Q. Is there anyone you’d like to take this opportunity to thank?
Yes, thank you for asking that question, there is. I’d like to thank A. B. Gayle and all the guys in my fan club on Goodreads. They are a brilliant bunch and have really made the writing process a great deal less lonely and frustrating.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 
Thanks for the post and contest! Among other things, I learned that John has written quite a LOT of books in the past year, his spiritual home is Dartmoor, he’s been trying to be more PC and he hears voices in his head. 😉
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Aw shucks, thanks for that John. A writer of your standard doesn’t come along every day. If I helped you get noticed, that’s great, but it’s your writing that gets them to read the next book and the next and tell their friends. Success will come and then you won’t have enough time to write! So take advantage of the current state of affairs!
And for those who are interested there is a Goodreads fan group where you can see the great trailers John has made. https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/151017-john-wiltshire-fan-group
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Thats great! I didnt know about tvat fan group or trailers. I will add those links to John’s page.
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I enjoyed the interview and here are a some things I learned about John:
When he was young his favourite books were “The Famous Five” He wanted Timmy the dog. He wished he’d made his character Nikolas younger. By Book 7 he’s 48 and he’s really, really pissed about being nearly 50.
A favourite spot to visit in his own country is Dartmoor. It’s his spiritual home.
He is currently working on a novel wholly set in NZ about two men, both immigrants, who meet in very unfortunate circumstances.
ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk
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I learned that he spent 22 years in the military, loved to read as a child, and has been extremely busy writing and publishing his works, He also hears voices in his head! Going to England for Christmas and has a fan club on Goodreads! Thank you for another fantastic interview!
juliesmall2016(at)gmail(dot)com
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Interesting interview I learned John hears voices in his head, spent a good portion of his life in the military, has quite a few books out that I have yet to read. He’s squatting in NZ and wants to return to Dartmoor.
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I learned that he loves Dartmoor, and uses it as a setting in stories. Also, he loves Josh Lanyon!
Waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com
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Great post. He likes to visit Dartmoor and he’s been influenced by Josh Lanyon’s Adrien series. He wrote his first book because of the voices in his head =)
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I learned that he’s English and moved to New Zealand, and that Dartmoor is his spiritual home since it calls to him
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He is a prolific writer as he has written quite a few books and only started writing last year, wow, congratulations 🙂 He is English, living in New Zealand, spent 22 years in the military, has an Eng Lit degree and his spiritual home is Dartmoor.
I love his website, especially as Radulf has his own blog page with some humorous and saucy asides by Radulf – I am not going to say what they are so I suggest others check them out LOL 😉
Thank you for this giveaway.
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