A J Ponder
A.J. lives in a hundred year old house overlooking Wellington harbour with three cats and a family all obsessed with games, books and dungeons and dragons. A.J. has a head full of monsters, and recklessly spills them onto the written page. Beware dragons, dreadbeasts, taniwha, and small children—all are equally dangerous, and capable of treading on your heart—or tearing it, still beating, from your chest.
Do you try more to be original, or to deliver to readers what they want?
I am a terrible author, I write stories because I love stories. And I love originality, something quirky and a little different, and so that’s what I write.
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
I’d have submitted more stories to SF&F magazine after the editor wrote back to say he liked the first one.
So, my advice, if you want it, is to be brave and take opportunities when they come.
So, my advice, if you want it, is to be brave and take opportunities when they come.
Have you Googled yourself? Did you find out anything interesting?
There’s a Bruce A.J. Ponder out there working on cancer research and genetics.
Every time I see his name it’s almost like a life I didn’t take, as I studied biochemistry and genetics at Victoria University and I’ve always been interested in medicine.
Are there any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? Can you tell us one? Or give us any hints?
So many secrets.
A hint: I like to pop in homages to my favourite authors’ works.
How did publishing your first book change your writing process?
Every book changes my writing process. It’s like they’re all unique children and require different things from their author.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
That’s a scary question.
More than ten.
More than ten.