Beyond the Pages: An Inside Look at the Mind and Motivation of John Delaney
- BirdieMama
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
Author, game creator, musical writer, and opera co-writer are just a few of the many titles held by John Delaney, a hugely creative man hailing from the United Kingdom.
Who is John Delaney?
Not too long ago I put a call out on the Threads platform looking for authors who would be interested in doing short interviews with me to feature in this spotlight section of my blog, Beyond the Pages. I find that cold-dm'ing people online can be daunting and even set you up for some pretty awkward interactions so I thought well, let's approach this differently. I'm so glad that I wound up doing the call out because I had just an overwhelming amount of interested authors, so many in fact that I had to stop accepting people to interview because the list was going to far out into the future for me. Among the interested parties was a man of many talents and versatility, author John Delaney. John quickly listed some of his many accomplishments and I couldn't help but be intrigued, which led me to wanting to learn more about him.
John has written a mystery thriller trilogy aptly named the Jurassic Jemma Trilogy, which includes the titles, A Dangerous Fossil, Jurassic Jemma and the Mysteries of Time, and Jurassic Jemma and the Trail of Evil. Along with having written a successful book trilogy, he has also showcased his creative prowess by writing an astounding forty murder mystery game plots, three musicals, and a number one opera on the iTunes Classical chart. John has very clearly found great success within his life, and his myriad of accomplishments reflect his tireless pursuit of creativity and excellence. These accomplishments are also a testament to his knack for storytelling, his ability to entertain the masses, and his significant contributions in several areas of the art landscape. As he continues to explore new ideas and projects, it is evident that John’s journey as a creator is far from over, promising even more thrilling adventures and artistic endeavors in the future.
The Interview
Chapter Chirp: Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you decided to become an author?
John Delaney: I was a CPA for 40 years before retiring in 2020 but have written for a long time. In 1999 I was given a publishing contract for a boxed murder mystery game plot. I then wrote a further thirty game plots which are still on sale as downloadable games from my website www.playmurdermystery.com With worldwide sales in excess of 100,000 units and an average game size of ten guests it is amazing that over a million people have played my games.
In 2015 I co-wrote a musical which was staged at the Lichfield Garrick, a prestigious Midlands theatre. I have since co-written two more musicals (one of which has been on tour in Yorkshire) and an opera. One of the arias from the opera called This Mortal Man featured on the the composer, Oliver Davis' album Solace, which reached number 1 on the iTunes classical chart which was fantastic
In 2021 I decided to write a book, A Dangerous Fossil, which was released in November 2022 and Jurassic Jemma was introduced to the world.
Chapter Chirp: How long did it take you to write your latest title and what was your inspiration for this book?
John Delaney: I started the third book in the Jurassic Jemma Trilogy, Jurassic Jemma and the Trail of Evil early in 2024 and published it in November 2024. The inspiration for my sassy fossil hunter, Jurassic Jemma Thorne, was the 19th Century palaeontologist Mary Anning. I decided to create a modern day version of Mary and set the books on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast where Mary discovered and identified many of the first plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs
Chapter Chirp: What is your favorite part of this book (i.e: character(s), theme, title, cover art, etc.) and why?
John Delaney: My favourite part of Jurassic Jemma and the Trail of Evil is the car chase towards the end of the book. I got very excited when I was writing it and I hope that comes across to readers
Chapter Chirp: What was the most surprising thing that you learned while writing your most recent book and did you face any challenges while writing this title?
John Delaney: I had to do a lot of research about Northern Cyprus as the second half of the book is set there and it is a surprising place. It is only recognised as a separate country by Turkey who invaded it in the 1970’s. It also doesn’t have many extradition treaties with other countries so it is useful as a lair for some nasty baddies.
I would have loved to go there to get a feel of the place but couldn’t fit it in so had to watch lots of videos instead.
Chapter Chirp: What in your opinion do you believe makes a story truly good and why?
John Delaney: I think there are lots of elements that make a brilliant story. The pace has to be right for the level of action and section of the book. I tend to make my chapters shorter in the faster parts to increase the pace of the story. I also think that the main characters need to be believable and interesting. You have to want to take their side, even if they are flawed in places. I also like it when a book is set in a great location.
Chapter Chirp: What's next for you, can you share a sneak peek or drop some teasers about your next book?
John Delaney: Following the completion of the trilogy I am taking a break from novel writing to go back to poetry and song writing. I perform at music open mics and want to increase my repertoire of original material. I have also started attending a poetry open mic, so have started writing poetry with performance in mind.
Final Thoughts
From our brief interview, you can easily see that John Delaney is man who wears many hats and has a plethora of talents which he continues to endlessly explore. I find this exploration admirable and even inspiring to me in my own life. His diverse skill set spans several areas throughout the field of art and showcases the many sides of his very likable personality, revealing not only his intelligence but also his passion for creativity. He demonstrates a deep dedication to innovation in his artistic pursuits and exhibits a passionate commitment to exploring new creative outlets. In a world where many individuals feel limited by circumstance, John's achievements are a beacon of inspiration and a testament to the power of hard work and curiosity. I'd like to thank John for taking time out of his busy life to sit down and provide very interesting and thoughtful answers to my array of questions. I would like to encourage my readers to check out John's work and support his past and future endeavors using the links provided below.
Author website: https://www.jurassic-jemma.co.uk
Game website: www.playmurdermystery.com
Photos from left to right include: John with copies of his book A Dangerous Fossil, John showcasing several of his murder mystery games, and John's Jurassic Jemma Trilogy featuring all three books. To enlarge photos, click to expand.
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