Jonathan Peet
Always an outdoors kid, I grew up on a farm in Kati Kati and left school at 15 to be a chef. Six months of working indoors was more than enough, and I headed for the Urewera Ranges to trap possums and hunt, which I did for the next 7 years. This was followed by thirty years dairy farming with my wife, where we raised our 3 children.
We are now retired and living in the Coromandel bush, where we run a BnB and enjoy the peace and solitude of the mountains.
I have always been an avid reader and became fascinated with New Zealand history, the people and communities that built this little nation that we inhabit. This was helped by the fact that my own grandfather, and my father, had both been to World War 1 and 2 respectively, and then spent their lives working their guts out as farmers to build a life for themselves and their families. It was a hard life, but a good life, and I grew up listening to the stories they told, which gave me great insight into that era when I began to write my historical novel, Wairata.
I have just finished the draft of my second novel, which tells the story of WW1 airmen and the horrors of the war in France, which I hope to have out later this year.
What authors did you dislike at first, but grew into?
I enjoy most things I read. I recently read A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles, which I struggled to get into, but really enjoyed by the end.
Do you try more to be original, or to deliver to readers what they want?
Definitely original. I write what I see and feel. You can never please everyone, so trying to please people would only lead to a false version of your story.
What is it about your chosen genre that you love?
I love history, full stop!
How do you select the names of your characters?
The names just appear in my head. They are the people that they are, and I can’t change them even if I try.
What was the first book that made you cry?
The Bateman New Zealand Encyclopedia. 25 years ago I read the story of the man that prompted me to want to write my second novel. I remember reading his entry with tears in my eyes, and his story has never been far from my mind ever since.
If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
Read more. I am not an academic, and I hate any sort of courses or study. I just enjoy writing for fun.
Have you Googled yourself? Did you find out anything interesting?
Yes, but I didn’t learn anything new, lol.
Are there any secrets in your books that only a few people will find? Can you tell us one? Or give us any hints?
There are a few little things to uncover as the story goes along, but you will need to read it and find out for yourself.
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym? Why?
I published my novel as an e-book in 2011 under my middle name, Jonathan Firth. I’m not sure why. I think fear was a big factor.
How did publishing your first book change your writing process?
I had such a good response to my first book that it spurred me on to get stuck in and write the second one, especially as I have a lot of people telling me to hurry up, as they want to read it.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
One. I am not a very good multi-tasker.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters of the opposite sex?
Nothing. I have been married for 42 years and have two daughters and two grand daughters, so I get a lot of insight and first hand knowledge.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
I accept all feedback. Some of my best writing decisions have come as a result of negative views, because they highlight things I may have missed, or didn’t communicate well enough.