J.P. Jackson: “The whole reason I started writing was that queer representation in Urban Fantasy books didn’t exist.”

I’d like to welcome J.P. Jackson to the BLOG. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (He’s a Canuck, like me!), J.P. is the author of several novels and novellas, including the Dark Urban Fantasy Magus Malefica series and the supernaturally apocalyptic Daimonion. He works as an I.T. analyst in health care by day; by night, he delves into the supernatural and fantastical, conjuring up demons, beastly creatures and seductive gay dudes aplenty to cleverly work into his wonderfully dark fiction. J.P. lives with his husband of 25 years and their Chihuahua, Jalisco. Among many topics, in this interview, J.P. discusses his introduction to Horror, why the genre of Urban Fantasy and its darkness resonates strongly with him, and how he explores and utilizes queerness and diversity within his work. 

Reviews of some of J.P. Jackson’s fiction can be found in several of my BLOG posts.

Who or what inspired you to start writing, and when did you know it was time to move beyond writing for personal pleasure toward the intimidating world of publishing? How did you handle any nerves or anxiety about showcasing your work to a global audience? 

Funny, I often wonder where my head was when I thought to myself – I should write a book. I’ve been a reader my entire life. The first adult book I read (in Grade 7) was The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty, followed up with The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson–so you can see where this all started. Anyhoo, after years of reading and never really finding books with guys like me in them, I decided to write a book where a queer guy was the hero–or antihero. Once I put “The End” on it, I immediately wanted it published. I wanted it out there for the world to see. I wanted people to see that guys like me can also be the hero. Not just straight white guys.

I’ve always been an extrovert. Was I nervous about showing people what I wrote? Sure. But more because of the content (not the queer aspect, but the horror). Putting my books out into the world just showcases how dark and twisty it is inside my brain. Sometimes I don’t even realize how dark and twisty it is until someone tells me, “Oh, my god, what’s wrong with you? Who hurt you?” LOL.

I see Horror and Queer Horror as two sides of the same “Genre-Coin,” with one side championing queer representation and LGBTQ+ content in Horror Fiction. Your work is often categorized as Dark Urban Fantasy featuring LGBTQ+ main characters and M/M Paranormal Romance. How do you see these two categories fitting within the larger framework of Queer Horror? What does it mean to you to write queer romance and sexuality (often M/M) through a supernatural filter?

Okay. That’s a great set of questions. I’ve always seen Urban Fantasy as the grittier and more violent cousin of Fantasy. I mean, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings wasn’t a fluffy read in any sense, but Fantasy (for me) lacks a certain undertow of imminent and relatable evil. I can’t describe it. Maybe it’s because a lot of Fantasy is set in made-up worlds, and Urban Fantasy is more about the here and now–and let’s face it, the here and now is completely fucked. We’re on a collision course to annihilation. I feel that in my bones. Maybe it’s because I have a pessimistic view of humanity. I don’t know. As for the M/M Paranormal Romance stuff, I struggle. I don’t write typical romance stories (although a few might be in the works). I write about adventure, quests, and impending doom, and in the center of it all, I throw in a blooming relationship–and at some point, those characters are gonna want to have sex with each other–so I let it happen. Is that romantic? Are the characters really going to get horny while battling a demon? Meh, well, maybe! How does this fit into Queer Horror? I’m not entirely sure they do. I’ve kinda smashed them all together and expect people to read it. 

It becomes problematic because the Horror fans are like, “Ewww gross, there’s kissing.” And the Romance fans are like, “Ewww gross, \the demon is ripping that person’s skin off!” I can’t win. And yet, these complex, sexy, violent, and gritty stories emerge, and generally, I get really good feedback on them.

What does it all mean to me? Well, if you haven’t guessed, my life is filled with magic and mayhem. I am not mundane. The dead are everywhere, and humans aren’t the only thing that walks the streets at night. I know, I’ve seen them. I might not even be human myself. There’s a family secret hidden by my ancestors; I just know it! Listen, human existence is complicated. We are disturbingly awful to each other yet have this amazing propensity for love and kindness. So, I don’t see a problem with incorporating the fantastical into the lives of queer people. I mean, after all, the Rainbow Mafia members exude a magic all on their own. Anyone who’s had a gay best friend will tell you–we’re charmed. I think it all just comes naturally to me.

With your writing, and I’m thinking particularly about your novels Summoned and Cursed, what attracts you to working with the Supernatural and Dark Fantasy elements of the Horror Genre over other aspects, like Slasher, Splatter or Body Horror? Do you feel writing in these landscapes better communicates your unique queer voice? 

Expanding on what I said above, there’s something unique about the supernatural that makes it far more compelling and dangerous for me. There’s this imaginary line of good versus evil; depending on who you are, that boundary will shift in either direction. I like dancing the line between good and evil. I want to poke a stick into the shadows and see if anything grabs on. I like flirting with danger. I love the magical rituals and the possibilities of conjuring chaos. What I don’t enjoy is gratuitous violence for violence’s sake. I have a hard time watching A Nightmare on Elm Street, Saw, Friday the 13th and Scream movies. And yet, they are canon to the Slasher Genre. But it’s humans doing harm to each other. I find that far more disturbing. Instead, if we have mythical beasts delivering the nastiness, personally, I find it more tolerable. In addition, humans are vulnerable. Right? A gunshot, an axe, a heavy candlestick–it’s always surprised me with the slasher movies where it’s human against human that the villains don’t get it more often – because they are human. In the Supernatural stories, how can you kill something that’s already dead? Does the silver bullet really end the werewolf? Or was that all myth? I think dealing with intangibles like demons is far more terrifying because they are elements outside of our control.

Do you presume being gay subconsciously influences your work, causing it to be inherently queer-centric, or do you believe, as a writer, you’re always conscious of your queer content, actively choosing to write with an LGBTQ+ focus?

I actively choose to write queer content. I’ve had a couple of editors tell me that my work would have been picked up by traditional houses if I wrote mainstream stories (read: without the queer characters). But I’ll never do that. The whole reason I started writing was that the queer representation in Urban Fantasy books didn’t exist–it does now, and there are lots of options to choose from. That makes me unendingly happy, but it doesn’t change the fact that we always need more.

But on the other side, I think being gay subconsciously affects my work too. I think all writers draw upon their experiences, mix them together with their imagination, and then Alakazam, you got yourself a story. With me, part of that magic is going to include my queer experience. I don’t think I can separate it. Being queer isn’t everything I am, but it flavours everything I do.

In your work, including the novellas Hood’s Ride is Red and Dragged to Hell, I see a fondness for classic monsters, like werewolves, vampires, and demons. Readers’ expectations of familiarity and the comfort that nostalgia brings can erect creative roadblocks for writers. What’s your approach to reimagining and reinvigorating traditional horror clichés for contemporary queer stories and LGBTQ+ audiences? Does writing within a supernatural and dark urban fantasy landscape allow you to better transcend expectations of conventional horror tropes? 

Short answer? Yes. My approach is to take something we all know and love–or have expectations for, and then turn it on its ear or introduce a new element–something folks haven’t considered before. For example, we all have preconceived notions about ghosts. Popular T.V. and other media outlets have layered those expectations with additional myths and knowledge–like ghosts are repelled by salt. Or flickering lights are a sign that demons are close by. I’ll take those aspects and either disband them in some fashion and create new mythos to go with the beastly creatures or add to it.

For example, ghosts are repelled by salt, but if you let them touch you, you’ll feel an electric shock. But I also like to search out new and rarely used creatures. For instance, a Leshy–that’s coming up in the third book of the Magus Malefica series. Giving readers new things to mull over and adding to the urban legend creates more texture and a realness to your stories. Another example–all the spells in my works are thoroughly researched on pagan and witch websites and gathered from personal experience. There are grains of truth in everything I write, which I think readers pick up on and help ground the fantastical into reality, making it seem that much more plausible. I don’t really think the Urban Fantasy landscape allows me the license to add or subtract from conventional expectations. I think it’s what readers want. After 100+ years of vampire stories, we need something new. As creators, it is our job to spin the tale, reinvigorate it, and make it fresh. 

Some writers may feel that making a character, supernatural or not, “gay” or “LGBTQ+” adequately embraces queerness in their fiction. What’s your opinion on what constitutes thoughtful Queer representation in fiction, regardless of genre.

Oh, good question. I think, really, we could spin this in any direction. As a Caucasian cis gay man, how do I write a story about a first-generation Canadian born of East Indian parents? Or from a lesbian witch’s perspective? Or–the list is endless. As authors, the stories that spawn in our heads and the people in them are where the magic starts. But writing those characters who do not come from our own experience requires research, respect, and careful consideration. Getting “sensitivity readers” when writing outside your own experience is also helpful. I don’t think we should ever gatekeep or tell writers what they should and shouldn’t write. But it is up to us as authors to ensure we write the best possible piece. That means we sometimes need to consider, “Is this my story to tell?”

I will say I’ve read queer lit that wasn’t written by #ownvoice authors, and even though the story was good, it often lacked that “magic” that makes it relatable. Whereas I’ve read queer lit from authors who directly identify with the characters they are writing, and you always get to those points in the story where you’re nodding your head saying to yourself, “Yup, I’ve lived this.” But then other authors who aren’t Rainbow Warriors are telling queer stories and just get it. They did their homework. They had sensitivity readers. They had the empathy and ability to slip on the shoes of someone who has lived a queer life, and the magic is palpable. They got it right.

In your novels, such as Summoned and Devil’s Due, you don’t shy away from writing characters that are queer and from different backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities (as well as demonic classifications, but that’s a whole different kettle of demon fish). I’m especially enamoured with Dev and his family in the Magus Malefica series. What advice would you give a writer attempting to navigate the tricky path of respectfully broadening diversity in their work beyond just including LGBTQ+ characters?

Research. Research. Respect. More research, and then you know, you just write your story. The small details help delineate culture. Being keenly observant of other people can also inform your writing practices. Despite the influences of who brought us up, where, and when, the bottom line is – we all are human, and despite the outward appearances, I wholly believe that as a species, we’re not that different. The human experience is, on the surface, universal. I also believe that life is full of patterns, and patterns repeat. Queer people tend to have very similar lives. It’s the details that make each person unique. Coming out is a universal experience–all queer folk go through it. The details, though? Some are fortunate and have more accepting and positive coming-out experiences; others do not, but dealing with overprotective or overbearing parents transcends culture. 

Specifically for Dev’s character in Summoned, I have a few friends who are exactly in Dev’s shoes–first-generation born Canadians of East Indian parents–so I asked them to read the chapters where the family interactions took place and whether or not the names I chose made sense, and if I had selected the right dishes. In essence, they did a sensitivity read for me. I had to change a couple of things, but nothing major. The small details – that’s where I needed help. But those details also give the story texture. They’re just as important.

How do you navigate the placement, context, and degree of sex and violence in your work? Do you write with an awareness of self-determined parameters you’re comfortable with, or is there no “graphic detail” level you’re scared of writing? Does it all simply depend on the story you want to tell?

Oh my. I think that highly depends on the story. For instance, Daimonion was extremely graphic as I was writing it, and I had to pull some of it back. Whereas with Magus Malefica, I wanted there to be some sexy fun parts, but not a lot–it was more about the story. Magic or Die kept wanting to go to the sexy fun parts, but I wouldn’t let it. And then we have the Skin Sessions series, and that’s flat-out, no-holds-barred sex, kink, and darkness all rolled into one.

I think, to some degree, I’m always self-editing or selective in content. You can’t just throw everything in with the kitchen sink and expect the story to be well-rounded and make sense. So in that regard, yes, I’m very careful about placement and context. My brain, on the other hand, well, that’s more of a wild west situation.

What book on the nightstand or in your eReader are you currently devouring?

OMG, there are so many. Honestly, it’s insane. But currently: Tal Frost’s – Lust and Other Demons; Lark Taylor’s – Devil’s Mark; Christian Baine’s – My Cat’s Guide to Online Dating.

What does the future hold for author J.P. Jackson? Do you have any plans to transform any of your novellas into full-length novels? Or a return to the Magus Malefica books? Are there any new devils on the rise? Disclose all your secrets!

My brain is FULL of stories, and I simply do not have enough time to write them all. And I’m terrible at starting series and then letting them sit–which is stupid and makes your readers very angry, so I wouldn’t recommend it. Right now, I’m focusing on the Skin Sessions–a series of very dark, kinky, demon-fueled short stories, each one centring around the characters in a gay brothel that is run by an incubus. Not only are there individual stories to tell, but there are overarching tales that run through the whole piece. I’m trying to put out one short every two months, and they vary in length from 10k to 30k words. I am almost done with the second novella of the Hellfire & Damnation series–the next book after Devil’s Due. This is called Better the Devil You Know. I need to write Possessed, which is the third book in the Magus Malefica series. And then I have a couple of special projects in the works. Can’t divulge any info on that but stay tuned! I often give writing updates in both my newsletter and my Facebook author group.

Thank you, J.P., for taking the time to chat with me so candidly and with such enthusiasm about the genres of Dark Urban Fantasy, Horror, and M/M Paranormal Romance. It looks like we have a lot of exciting stuff to look forward to from you in the year to come. Continued success with all of your seductively dark and fantastical series.

For more information about J.P. Jackson, visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter. Also, sign up for his Newsletter or join his Facebook Fan Group Page, The Demon Horde.

J.P’s work can be purchased online at Amazon, Indigo, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.