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Jay Mandal Interview


Writewords talks to Jay Mandal, author of the recent A Different Kind of Love

I’ve written over one hundred short stories, as well two novels. The short stories have appeared in Speakout and Passport magazines and on the website www.bewrite.net , and as collections: A Different Kind of Love and Slubberdegullion.

My favourite authors are: Douglas Adams, Bill Bryson, Armistead Maupin and John Steinbeck; and my favourite books: Wuthering Heights, Il Gattopardo and To Kill A Mockingbird.

I felt quite vulnerable when I first sent my work to magazine and book publishers, but I was encouraged by the favourable reviews I received from various people. These included: Sir Ian McKellen, Chris Smith, Brian Case, Peter Burton, Neil Bartlett, Ned Sherrin, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Hanif Kureishi, Alan Sinfield, Matthew Parris, Susannah York, Kevin Elyot and Beryl Bainbridge. In the end, I was published by accident. I’d sent my short story off as a competition entry, but the organisers thought it was a submission for their quarterly magazine!

After that, I came across the print-on-demand publishers Rabbit Books who published my first collection; and then BeWrite Books – the latter also publish short stories on the Internet – who published my second collection as well as a novel. I knew I’d finally arrived when a national magazine reviewed my collection, A Different Kind of Love.

“Jay Mandal’s selection of sometimes funny, sometimes bitter-sweet stories deal with a wide range of instantly recognisable aspects of gay life. These are written with a good ear for dialogue and are both affirming and insightful.” Gay Times, November 2002


Suddenly people I didn’t know were buying my books!

I try to write each day, usually very early in the morning. My advice to a new writer is try to write something every day, no matter how little. Also to jot down any key words which might spark off a new idea. A lot of my work is based on quirky remarks or happenings – but perhaps I’m just accident-prone. And make sure you consult The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook or The Writer’s Handbook. Believe in yourself and keep an eye out for opportunities. I came across Speakout, Rabbit Books and BeWrite in writing magazines. BeWrite is an especially good place to send your work to – you get free advice.

When I first started writing seriously, I made the common mistake of using too many adverbs and adjectives, and having ‘favourite’ words that cropped up all too often. A writing course helped pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses, and it was both useful and interesting to hear other people’s work.



HOW TO BUY BOOKS BY JAY MANDAL

A Different Kind of Love ISBN 1-904224-40-7 and The Dandelion Clock ISBN 1-904224-25-3 either direct from the publishers, BeWrite Books, www.bewrite.net or via the usual on-line or high street booksellers. BeWrite Books is a non-subsidy, full-royalty-paying publishing house.

Slubberdegullion ISBN 1-902651-48-0
Direct from the publishers, the Writers Cooperative, www.rabbitbooks.com or 6 Chaplin Grove, Crownhill, Milton Keynes, MK8 ODQ England. ... sign up to WriteWords to read more



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