New Zealand Writers
JONES, Tim
'Jones takes a satiric eye to the future, when the new right is old news and the environment is punch drunk.'
JONES, Tim (1959-) writes fiction and poetry. He describes his fiction as 'a mixture of science fiction and 'mainstream' literary fiction; sometimes within the same story.'Jones was born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, UK and emigrated to Southland, New Zealand in 1962.
He has a BSc from Otago University, Dunedin and a BA from Victoria University, Wellington.
His short fiction and poetry have appeared in magazines and anthologies in New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada and Vietnam. (See links at the bottom of the page to read a selection of writing.)
Jones' first short fiction collection, Extreme Weather Events, was published in 2001 and he has edited two anthologies of short fiction and poetry: What on Earth (1992) and Electroplasm (1993).
The writing in Extreme Weather Events was described by North and South as taking 'a satiric eye to the future, when the new right is old news and the environment is punch drunk. These vignettes of black humour are the work of an original talent'.
His first poetry collection, Boat People (2002) are poems of journeys and returning, of separation and reunion. The Otago Daily Times said 'Boat People is full of tough, emotional content but there is also a purr and twinkle in Jones' poems'.
Tim Jones now lives in Wellington.
Updated Information
Jones' poetry has appeared in North and South, the NZ Listener and New Zealand Books. His poem 'The Translator' was selected for inclusion in Best New Zealand Poems 2004.
A second poetry collection, All Blacks' Kitchen Gardens (HeadworX, 2007) has poems that range from Southland to Iraq. Reviewing All Blacks’ Kitchen Gardens, The Otago Daily Times said 'His poems are quite compelling and infectious…. These are deliciously understated poems that offer something challenging and fresh.' And, in the New Zealand Herald, Graham Brazier said 'Each poem stands on its own merit, a polar opposite to its predecessor …. this man is surely one who should be watched with an excited eye.'
Tim Jones’ first novel, Anarya’s Secret: An Earthdawn Novel, set in the universe of the Earthdawn roleplaying game, was published by RedBrick Limited in 2007. It is available in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats via http://www.earthdawn.com/index.php?categoryid=40&p2017_articleid=1
Tim Jones' second short fiction collection, Transported, is being published by Random House New Zealand (under its Vintage imprint) in June 2008. The 27 stories in Transported range from satire to science fiction, from mishaps in the mountains and at sea to an eager lover who isn't good at recognising faces. Transported was longlisted for the 2008 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. "This book is highly recommended, get hold of a copy and enjoy." - Trevor Reeves, Southern Ocean Review
- This author is available for school visits as part of the Book Council's Writers in Schools programme.
- Selected texts may be purchased in a variety of ways through our Purchase New Zealand Books page.
- Tim Jones' blog
- Tim Jones' home page
- Best New Zealand Poems 2004
- Headworx
- Selected poetry available online:
- Selected short fiction available online:
Writers in Schools
Tim Jones is available to visit any age group as part of the Writers in Schools programme. He will discuss writing poetry and short stories, and writing science fiction and fantasy with the groups. He is prepared to travel only within the North Island for this programme, and is happy to run workshops by prior arrangement.
Kid’s Authors' Pictures and Information
Where do you live?
I live in Mt. Victoria, Wellington. I’m just a few minutes walk away from the place in the Town Belt where part of The Lord of the Rings movies were filmed.
What books do you read?
I read all sorts of books but I especially like science fiction, poetry, and books about travel and adventure, especially in cold places like Antarctica.
Who is your favourite author?
My favourite author of books for children is Shirley Hughes. My favourite authors of books for adults are Ursula LeGuin (who also writes for young adults), J.R.R. Tolkien, Jorge Luis Borges, and Gene Wolfe.
How do you think up your ideas?
I often think them up while walking. Sometimes I think them up just before I got to sleep, and I have to make sure I write them down right away because if I fall asleep first, when I wake up I’ll remember that I had an idea but I won’t remember what it was.
What is the best thing about being an author?
The best thing is being able to create a world – whether it’s a world just a little different tot he one we live in, or one completely different – and show that world, or a part of it, in a novel, a story, or a poem.
Some questions from primary students
What sort of pets do you have?
I don’t have a pet, although I like dogs. We just don’t have room for a dog at our house.
What is your favourite colour/food/movie/game?
My favourite colour is green.
My favourite food is toast and honey.
I like some old movies but my favourite modern movie is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
How do you make books?
My publisher makes a master copy of the book from computer files I send him then the printer makes lots of copies and encourages people to buy them.
Where do you go for your holidays?
Sometimes I go to Dunedin, where I have lots of friends, and sometimes I go to Christchurch where my dad lives. Also my wife, son, and I like to go camping in tents.
What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?
When I was in Year 10 I used to light the gas coming out of the gas taps in our school science lab. That wasn’t just naughty – it was really stupid as well!
Some questions from secondary school students
How did you get started?
I started out writing stories and poems for the Gore High School magazine and people seemed to like them (well, the teachers did anyway!) so that encouraged me to keep going.
Who inspired you when you were getting started?
We had some really good English teachers at high school who gave me a lot of encouragement. One of them said my poems reminded him of James K Baxter which sounded pretty good to me!
What advice would you give to an aspiring young writer?
I would advise them to read a lot – both the types of books and stories you’d like to write and others you wouldn’t usually read – and to write a lot. Then, when you’re ready, show your writing to people who can give you helpful comments.
Is it difficult to make a living writing in New Zealand?
Yes, I manage by writing part-time and working at another job part-time. If you want to be a full-time writer you may need to do a lot of magazine writing, teaching workshops, and so forth as well as doing the writing you really want to do.
What were you like as a teenager?
I was pretty quiet. I was a year younger than most of the kids in my class and it took me a while longer to figure out what this whole boy/girl thing was about. Writing was far less confusing!
Is there anything else you could tell the children about yourself?
I’ve lived in Aotearoa/New Zealand since I was two years old but I was born in the town of Cleethorpes, on the east coast of England. Anyone born in Cleethorpes is entitled to be called a ‘Meggie’ but I have no idea why. When I was four years old I lived with my mum and dad in Haast, on the west coast of the South Island where there was the beach, just a few houses, and then miles and miles of bush. I once ran out of the bush yelling that I was being chased by a lion and shortly after that an elderly sheep wandered out after me. I suppose it’s an easy enough mistake to make. There’s an old song that goes “I love you, Timothy/You’re just the guy for me”. I like to be called Tim but Timothy is actually my first name and when I was at primary school, girls used to walk behind me in the playground singing “I love you, Timothy” at the tops of their voices. I never believed them and used to run away and hide. I guess I should have taken the song as a compliment.
