60 seconds with Jay Darkmoore

In the first of the '60 seconds with' author interview series, we have Jay Darkmoore, an independent crime thriller author who isn't afraid to confront darkness and draw inspiration from his personal experiences.

In 60 seconds, Jay discusses what fuels his storytelling, the personal emotions that he channels into his work, and more.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

In short, I am just a father from the northwest of England with a taste for the darker things in life.

The slightly longer answer is, I’m a guy who is bored of conventional thrillers and feel that the thriller market has become stagnated, and that with my unique experience in the world of crime and investigation, I can tell a truly gritty story and turn the safety switch off.

How did you first become interested in writing crime thrillers and what led you specifically to the this genre?

I could go with the cliché answer and say ‘I have been writing since I was a kid,’ which is true but very boring. Truthfully, I first started writing seriously when I met a man who upset me so much, I wrote a murder mystery about his demise and got my friends to come round and act it out. From there, I used that story to write my first book.

I wrote here and there, releasing books without any real direction, but it wasn't until after I left an abusive relationship when I started to focus more on my writing. I began to write about crime, addiction, abusive relationships and other dark realities. I would like to thank my ex-partner for trying to destroy my life. It was the best thing she ever did.

Are there any themes or messages that you aim to explore in your books?

My books have a lot of different themes. A lot of them are things which the world doesn’t want to talk about. Without reeling off a list of topics, essentially if it makes you uncomfortable, it’s probably in there somewhere. But, if I had to put my finger on it, it would be utter chaos and dysfunction in my characters!

Are there any specific scenes in your novels that were challenging to write?

Only the ones that really make me feel something, such as ones that relate to my personal experiences. Some of them more difficult than others. This allows me to really pour some emotions into them, meaning that the scenes become even more powerful, making for a better reading experience. It seems the more of me that bleeds into the story, the more people enjoy it.

Can you share any memorable fan interactions or feedback you’ve received?

Several readers have called me a psychopath. That’s always fun.

I did have one fan message me on social media telling me that they read the first in my crime series and that it was the best book they had read in years. That was a pretty awesome day.

How do you research elements in your novels?

I do a little Googling if I am not totally sure on a topic, but as I write crime and I work in that world, I am pretty well informed.

How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life / career?

I see it as ‘How many hours do I have in a day?’ and then I split them up into sleep, working out, work, family, etc. I find that if you don’t have enough time to do things in your day, look at how much time you spend watching TV or playing on your phone. I find that by eliminating distractions and time sucking activities (here’s looking you TikTok,’) I can get a lot more done if I focus my energy.

What trends do you see emerging in the thriller genre, and how do you adapt your writing to stay current?

I find that people are beginning to push back on the whole ‘trigger warning’ thing, and that people want to be immersed in a book and not have their hand held.

Also, most conventional thrillers are very predictable and are cookie cutter. I like to think my books and style aren’t like that. I get some sh*t for it, but I would rather appeal to a small number of super fans than be interchangeable with the next mass market book that comes out. If you try to please everyone, you please no one.

Another big thing that will happen in the future is AI generated content. So we’ll have to see what happens with that one.

What do you hope readers can take away from your books?

This is a tough one. I obviously want people to enjoy them, but I want to leave that lingering sting. When the reader finishes one of my books, I want them to sit there quietly and wonder about the underlying message, the situations the characters found themselves in.

If the reader realises that they are stiff from lack of movement, or are gasping for air, this is always good too!

Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about?

I am currently working with nine other thriller writers and hosting a huge giveaway between May and June. My fourth crime novel is also going to be released on the 10th of June.

Let’s talk about your latest book. What inspired the storyline, and what can readers expect from it?

My latest book is the fourth book in my crime series and is called ‘Downward Spiral.’ It mainly centers around secrecy, guilt and addiction.

We see the journey through our main protagonist, Laura Warburton, who has been on from battling addiction, trauma, domestic abuse and toxic love, and we see in this book, that those around her use her as a scapegoat to cover up their own transgressions.

As for the inspiration, I would say that the characters and their journey were a heavy inspiration. As this is the fourth book in the series, the characters now generally lead me down a path and I find out what is down there as I go along.

And finally, where can readers find you?

You can find all my stuff via my website, jaydarkmooreauthor.com, and by joining my newsletter you don’t just get world class dad jokes and insider updates on my books and promotions, but you also get 'Gaslight,' my free crime novella too.

About Jay:

Jay Darkmoore is a UK best-selling author with a background in crime and investigation. He is a huge fan of all things dark - exploring the macabre, demonic and darker aspects of the human psyche.

Jay likes putting his characters in terrible situations and then turning out all the lights. To date, he has self-published novels of horror, crime and dark fantasy dystopia. His inspirations are Stephen King, Keith C Blackmore and Nick Cutter.

When not at his desk, Jay spends his free time making YouTube videos to help writers in their craft, promoting other books he has enjoyed, as well as hitting the gym and taking wild, cold plunges with ducks.

He is a single parent to his son, Joe, who is his biggest fan.

Support Jay by signing up for his newsletter at jaydarkmooreauthor.com.

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