When I started writing HAPPY ENDINGS the idea was a simple one. Four late twentysomethings living in London. It was going to be a slice of life, a snippet of what happens as life, love, friends, careers and everything else collide. However, like in the book, as I got deeper into it more layers began to emerge; past stories, family history and before long the book was quite complex and had greater meaning than the book I'd originally envisaged. This is what I love about writing - it's a journey. As a reader you only get to see the final version, but every book you've ever read has been through some sort of evolution. The first draft was probably nothing like the book you're reading and this is definitely the case with HAPPY ENDINGS.
Take Kate for instance. When I started writing Kate, all I really knew was that she wanted to go travelling before she reached the big 30, but was being held back by her uptight boyfriend Ed. As the book started to change and all the individual stories began to fill up the pages, the places she visited, the travelling she had longed to do for so many years became like a metaphor for something else. The history with her father and all her subsequent relationships thereafter all become a major part of her trip. It becomes a journey that will change her life forever and it's the same for all the characters. The whole book is a journey and I hope one you enjoy from beginning to end, and who knows, maybe you'll feel a bit changed too when you finish it.
Until next time.
Hugs,
Jon X
 |
| Click on the cover to buy at Amazon |
