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Announcement:
Meet John Houlihan
Every Friday, we meet a member of the BFS and peer deep into their soul (or, at least, a form they filled out). Want to be featured? Email us: content@britishfantasysociety.org
Name, including preferred pronouns:
John Houlihan (he/him)
Which region are you based in?
Watford, Hertfordshire
If you write, which genre:
SciFi, fantasy, horror
Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
My books blend historical fantasy, dark fantasy, military fantasy and eldritch horror.
Your Influences
Tell us about the book/film/thing that got you into SFFH: What was it? How old were you? What impact did it have on you?
Wow, so many. Like most, I guess Tolkien was a primary influence, then Robert E Howard and HP Lovecraft. Michael Moorcock’s Elric Series was hugely important to me and a new take on fantasy, with a deeply flawed anti-hero who was capable of evil as well as good and destroyed the things he loved. I devoured most of the other eternal champion series as well; they showed me just how far imagination can take you.
How does that early influence show up for you (in writing/reading) now?
Writers are probably the sum product of everything we read. We’re great borrowers (thieves if you like), so everything influences you in the end, I think. I certainly feel the shadow of Elric peeking over my shoulder in my Seraph Chronicles series, Tales of the White Witchman.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
Oh, that’s really hard to say. All media, all of life influences you to some extent. Creativity is such a hard thing to pin down. Where does it come from? Again, anything can inspire you—a stray thought, something you overhear, even the way someone walks. Probably deep down inside my twisted soul is most likely, perhaps! 😊
Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?
As well as the ones I’ve already mentioned, Arthur Conan Doyle (pictured; source). Not just for Sherlock Holmes, brilliant creation though he is, but for his wider historical fiction and fantasy. A giant of a writer and a lot more diverse and interesting than he’s widely given credit for. It must have been difficult for him when one creation towers over all the rest of your work. Still, nice problem to have.
Your Work
You’re stuck in an elevator for 60 seconds with that hero, and they want you to describe your work. Give us the pitch.
Well, my current series is Mon Dieu Cthulhu! Here’s the elevator pitch: “Sharpe meets Bernard Cornwell in the fires of the Peninsular War”. It’s swashbuckling supernatural adventure mixed with eldritch horror amidst the glory and horror of the Napoleonic Age. It blends a few genres—dark fantasy, history and military fantasy with a supernatural edge—but has a fair few comedic elements and wry humour too.
It follows the adventures of Gaston Dubois, a dashing but slightly dim hussar as he first encounters the supernatural and slowly uncovers the grand conspiracy underpinning the Napoleonic Age. As he becomes more deeply embroiled, Dubois slowly transforms into the champion that humanity needs, much to his own consternation.
What are you working on right now?
I’m midway through launching the fourth Gaston Dubois adventure, Keeper of the Hidden Flame, which is out on 22 September. This book sees Dubois finally embrace his destiny as one of mankind’s protectors, the Keepers of the Hidden Flame. In this volume he’s beset by perils from the ballroom to the battlefield—and stalked by a supernatural terror from beyond the stars.
In the background, I’ve been working on a new Seraph Chronicles novel, Scourge of the Vampire, which sees the White Witchman return to face a legion of eldritch soulsuckers on the eastern front of World War II in 1943. Beyond that, well, let’s say I’ve got a few ideas…
Thinking about all the stories/work you’ve done, what sticks out most in your mind? Why?
As well as fantasy, I write sci-fi and there are a few from my BSFA nominated collection, The Constellation of Alarion—particularly Most Exalted, which was a story written from the bad guy’s perspective. He’s the former ruler of an evil empire hiding out in an army veteran’s home and that was immense fun to write, narrating as he created mayhem and embracing the dark side.
Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?
Well inspiration/creativity can strike anywhere, so make sure you’ve got something to note it down. Fortunately, mobile phones are perfect for taking notes. I’ve even got a small folding Bluetooth keyboard and stand, which I carry around, which makes things super mobile.
The vast majority of my time is spent in my office (pictured), a dedicated room where I can lock the world away and get to work on my PC. It’s set up perfectly for writing with a big vision-friendly eye care screen, a proper mouse and keyboard and a comfortable office chair. (Ergonomics are a much underrated part of the writing deal. You must be comfortable to write for long periods and backpain and RSI are the nemeses of creativity).
What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?
The massive cliché about inspiration and perspiration. What I’d also offer though is, just get down to it. Writing and creating are skills which develop through exercise and application. The more you do the better you get. Indeed, don’t be afraid to fail, fail again, fail better (Samuel Beckett).
Also, even 500 words of rubbish is better than no words at all. Have patience. Go away, do something else, come back: those 500 words can most likely be edited into something useful. If not, try to learn from what went wrong. You can learn a lot from your mistakes.
My personal take: if you hit a wall creatively, walk away for a while, do something else and let your unconscious mind take the strain. The amount of times I’ve run into a problem, struggled to solve it and then gone away and slept on it. Next morning the solution seems to just magically pop into your head. Thanks, unconscious brain, I owe you one!
What’s your writing soundtrack?
Ah, alas there isn’t one. Music is my other great passion. If I put anything on it would be far too distracting. The gentle hum of a distant M25 is probably the closest I get.
The Quick Fire Round
Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
A blend of all three; there’s no limits in writing.
Quiet or loud?
Quiet
Dark or light?
Dark
Strict lines or genre blend?
Genre blend
Awards or bestseller?
Bestseller
Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction
Poetry or prose?
Prose
Plotter or pantser?
Plotter (with some latitude to pants)
Reading or listening?
Reading
Notebook or computer?
Computer
Favourite SFFH book of all time?
The Player of Games, by Iain M. Banks
Last book you read?
The Casebook of Harry Stubbs, by David Hambling
Favourite podcast?
The Innsmouth Book Club (a bit of a cheat as sometimes I’m a guest, but it is immense fun).
The Home Stretch
What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?
Just that it’s so friendly, welcoming and supportive. People are genuinely interested and engaged with your work and always happy to chat and share knowledge and experience. It’s much needed as writing is a very solitary and cloistered experience, so it’s great to be able to share the burden with people who understand.
Time to plug your stuff! Where can we find you and your work? What have you got coming up? Consider this your advertising space.
The best place to find me on my web site, John-Houlihan.net where first news, information, ideas and extras always appear. You can buy signed paperbacks or digital editions direct which is an immense help and you can even get the first Mon Dieu Cthulhu! novella, The Crystal Void for free.
I’m on all the socials too, usually as Johnh259 and happy to chat with people direct.
Mon Dieu Cthulhu! is my real passion and there are more fiction books on the way in that and my Seraph Chronicles series. I do have a couple of sci-fi and post-apocalyptic series in mind too.
Having spent over a decade in the tabletop gaming and RPG industry, I’m also developing a Mon Dieu Cthulhu! RPG with my custom written D10+ system. The MDC! books provide the background and worldbuilding but I can’t wait to give players a chance to make their own adventures in this dark fantasy world. The basic rules are done, so more on that soon!
Finally, I’ll be launching Keeper of the Hidden Flame at this year’s Innsmouth Literary Festival in Bedford on 19 September; more details on the event here.