Author Jon Mayhew Drops In

Jon Mayhew visit to MTS Library

Wednesday 25th November 2015

Although he confessed to not being a keen reader as a child, author Jon Mayhew began with the message to our pupils, delightful to librarians, that reading is good for the brain, and improves many personal qualities like empathy. As a boy, he took a dislike to reading after sampling The Five and a Half Club, one of the titles on the school syllabus, and left primary school without attaining the momentous status of a ‘free reader’. However, his appreciation of comics kept him reading, and selling some of this valuable collection paid his way through university. At the time he didn’t consider comics to count as reading but now insists (quite rightly) that graphic novels and comics are just as worthwhile as other fiction.

Although he has a special love for his first novel, Mortlock, which has sold all over the world, his favourite book is always the one he is working on. Ideas for plots come from many sources (including traditional ballads, like The Twa Corbies), but Jon always makes sure he writes them down. He starts a book by writing a few chapters to give him an idea of the characters and the plot. He then does a rough draft for his wife to read, then second version which he asks another author to check. The final manuscript is sent to his editor. Even after this, it is at least a year before the book is published, by which time he has started his next project.

Boys from Years 7 and 8, and a large group of Junior Boys, enjoyed his visit, and are now big fans of his books. Jon also gave advice to some creative writers in Year 10, so perhaps in a few years we’ll welcome them back as published authors!