About this site
My name's Jonathan Pinnock. I lead a dual life. In one half of this, I run a software development company called Jonathan Pinnock and Associates. If you've come here looking for that, here's where you need to go.However, if you've come here to find out about the other half of my life, as a writer of fiction and non-fiction, you've come to the right place.
If, on the other hand, you've arrived here by accident whilst searching for Japanese Tentacle Porn, I suggest you try using a different search engine.
If you'd like to contact me, my e-mail address is jon AT jpassoc DOT co DOT uk.
Jan
5
Wow. Apparently I am the Audience award winner in Round Group 19. So a humungous THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me.
The only problem now is that the final is at 7PM EST tonight. Or 2AM in the morning midnight, UK time. Have a feeling that I may not be at my best …
Jan
4
Preditors and Editors Annual Readers’ Poll
Filed Under Competitions, The Literary World | Leave a Comment
It’s that time of year again. Last year I found out way too late that my poem “School Uniform” had been nominated in the poetry section of the annual Preds and Eds readers’ poll, and I didn’t have time to muster up sufficient support to push it into the top places (or even vote for it myself). Despite this it actually did quite well – much to my amazement.
This year, however, I’m determined not to make the same mistake, so I’m asking you (once again, I’m afraid) for your votes. I’m in the following categories:
Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels (”Mrs Darcy vs The Aliens”)
Horror Short Story (”Anniversary Feast”)
Romance Short Story (”Hidden Shallows”)
Poem (”Professionalism”)
Nonfiction Article (”Anatomy of a Flash”)
Author
If you only have time to vote for one, please do vote for “Mrs Darcy vs The Aliens”, as it would give the project a tremendous boost. Here’s the link to the main page for the poll.
Many thanks in advance!
Dec
17
NYC Midnight “Tweet Me a Story” Contest
Filed Under Competitions | 2 Comments
Last night I heard that all three of my entries to this contest had been selected in the top 25 for their group. What happens next is that one out of these is chosen by popular vote to go through to the next round (which appears to start at 2AM in the morning, UK time, but we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it). A further four entries are picked by the judges, making a total of five entries going forward out of each group.
Now as far as I can tell, there are no rules against soliciting votes. However, it does seem a tad unethical, so please understand that what follows is purely for information, OK?
Here are my three entries:
She knew how to make an old man smile and get his pulse racing. She also knew not to trigger the heart attack until he’d amended his will.
We watched as the attack took Earth by surprise. The final war lasted barely seconds before the human race was totally devoured by nanobots.
It was a vicious and unprovoked sidelong attack – and from someone who claimed to be a knight as well. But we were all just pawns to him.
And here’s the voting form for Round 19. Just in case. Y’know.
Dec
15
More Twitter and Stuff
Filed Under Competitions, Publications, The Literary World | Leave a Comment
We seem to have entered that time of the year when I lose track of things even more than I usually do, which is why I have completely failed to mention the publication of this tweet of mine. So there it is.
Looking forward to going to tomorrow night’s Ride the WorldWord event to celebrate the excellent Short Circuit. The list of people reading is pretty much a Who’s Who of short story writers in the UK, so it should be a good night. I’ve been intending to do a review of said book ever since I read it on holiday, but have so far failed to do so (see first paragraph for excuse). In the meantime, I’ll simply say that anyone who writes short stories and doesn’t have a copy should order one immediately. Don’t wait. No excuses. Just do it. OK? I’ll be interviewing Vanessa Gebbie, the editor, on this very blog on February 1st next year, by the way, which should be interesting – especially as I’ve never interviewed anyone before.
And I’ve just remembered that I still haven’t tweaked my entry for the Willesden Herald competition, and there are only four more days to go until the closing date. When will I ever learn?
Dec
2
Last night I received a nice e-mail from Southport Writers’ Circle to tell me that my rather odd piece, “The Last Words of Emanuel Prettyjohn” had been commended in this year’s short story competition. I’m particularly pleased about this, as it is one of my oddest stories, but also one of my favourites, and it’s taken quite a few attempts to find someone out there who likes it.
Nov
3
The near-misses are coming thick and fast. I found out today that my poem about Lizzie Siddal, “Imitation of a Suicide”, was Highly Commended in the Hastings International Poetry Competition. This is probably my most complex poem to date, so I’m especially pleased that it’s (almost) hit the spot. The letter also said that ‘your work is worthy of consideration for “FIRST TIME MAGAZINE” should you wish to submit your poetry’. So I have 
Nov
1
Global Short Story Competition
Filed Under Competitions, Placings | 6 Comments
Here’s another of those “persistence pays off” stories. Sort of. I’ve been entering the monthly Global Short Story competition on and off ever since it started, with absolutely nothing to show for my entry fees. I’d actually got to the point where I’d decided that they just didn’t like me there, but in September I thought I’d have just one more go, so I sent them my curious tale of obsessive love, “The Magnolia Bedroom”. That particular story is going to be in this year’s Whittaker Prize anthology, in fact, but I thought it might be nice to give it a public airing before then. And I found out today that it was shortlisted. So I’m pleased to have finally broken my duck there, even if I’m still way down on entry fees …
Oct
31
JBWB Autumn Competition
Filed Under Competitions, Placings | 4 Comments
I just found out that I’ve got a “Highly Commended” in each category of this quarter’s JBWB competition. The fiction one is for my not quite ghost story “Unquiet”, and the poetry one is for “The Orange Girl and the Philosopher”. Slightly bittersweet feeling: I know I should be really pleased about this, but on the other hand, I’d quite happily swap one of them for an upgrade to the other one. Ach, I’m being greedy.
Oct
17
City of Derby in Pictures
Filed Under Competitions, Placings | 1 Comment
Not entirely sure whether this is a good idea or not, but here we go …
Now what was that story about ...
Think ... think ...
Phew. I think I got away with it ...
The most important bit
Oct
12
City of Derby Writing Competition 2009
Filed Under Competitions, Placings | 2 Comments
Weird business going in for short story competitions. On the one hand, there are some that I regularly enter where I’ve never had a sniff of the longlist, let alone a prize. And on the other hand, there’s City of Derby. Last year, when it was judged by Alex Keegan, I came joint second. This year, when it was judged by Sara Maitland, I came third. To say that I’m gobsmacked is something of an understatement.
Anyway, Mrs P, daughter P and I went to Derby on Friday for the award ceremony and a good time was had by all. Sara Maitland was an outspoken and generous judge with an obvious passion for the short story form. Last year we didn’t get to read any of our work, so I was a little surprised to be asked to read an extract and talk about it. I usually quite like reading my stuff out, but I think I rambled a bit this time. Actually, I rambled a lot. But the audience laughed once or twice, and on at least one occasion in the right place. And the winning story, Kite, by Gaby Pritchard, was very very good indeed.
I am also now in the possession of a signed copy of Sara Maitland’s book “Far North and other Dark Tales” with the word “CONGRATULATIONS” all over it. Which is worth more than any cheque really. I’ve only had time to read the first couple of stories in it and they are rather wonderful. Looking forward to reading more of her stuff.
Here’s the link to the winning stories. Obviously I’d like you to take a look at mine, but have a peek at the others as well. Especially the winner. It is quite special.