Talks By The Firelight 3.6: Midnight and Mystery
Jim Aitchison, Writer and Voice Actor
I believe that as an author I am a brand. And that my books should build upon that brand.
From a brief, yet successful stint in the advertising industry to carving a niche for himself as a bestselling author of children’s horror stories, Jim Aitchison’s claim to fame has been a fascinating one. Having authored numerous books for children under the pseudonym of James Lee, his work has won him acclaim from all over the world and made him a household name in Singapore. Read on as he opens up about his life, journey and more!
You were a voice actor and a creative director at an ad agency before you took to full-time writing. What prompted you to make that switch?
I had always wanted to be an author and had written short stories, radio drama, and TV scripts while working in advertising. But writing books was very demanding. While some authors can balance two careers, I knew I needed a dedicated window of time exclusively for writing so that nothing else could distract me.
People asked, “Why are you leaving now, when you’re at the top of the advertising world?”
My answer was, “What better time to leave than when you are at the top?”
I knew I was leaving the familiar territory. I didn’t really know what to expect. I certainly didn’t expect a lot of rejections. So I went to a writers’ conference and listened to what editors, literary agents and other authors had to say about publishing. I had to learn a new trade from the ground up.
Writing for the first time and getting a book published must have been an exhilarating experience. Could you share how you felt while your first book was published?
My book on advertising creativity, Cutting Edge Advertising, was an instant bestseller around the world. It was a trade book, a professional step-by-step guide to creating compelling advertisements. But, “one book does not maketh a writer.”
Publishers invest a lot of money in building a new author and that’s why it’s crucial that authors take their roles seriously. I was fortunate in that advertising and marketing taught me the value of branding. I believe that as an author I am a brand. And that my books should build upon that brand — not just in tonality and content, but in terms of jacket design as well.
You are popularly known for writing horror stories for children and your books have a very loyal fanbase in Singapore. Why did you choose to work in that genre?
My publisher, Alex Chacko, suggested I try the genre. He saw an opportunity to develop a series of horror books for middle readers with a uniquely Asian flavour: Asian characters, Asian settings, Asian names. I gave it a shot. I didn’t know much about the horror genre, but I did know Asia. And family connections with Asian kids gave me an insight into how they talked and thought.
One important element often missing in horror stories is humour. Alfred Hitchcock is known for weaving elements of humour even into the darkest of his films. This has always intrigued me and I often try to incorporate it in my stories too.
What are the constraints, creative and otherwise, in writing horror stories for such a young audience?
Parents, as a rule, don’t like their kids reading or watching scary stuff. Too many nightmares! So I made sure the dangers and conflicts weren’t too extreme. But there’s another deeper issue in play in my books.
I believe that the horror genre is a metaphor for real life. So young kids in my stories face problems and solve them through ingenuity rather than by magic. Life is tough, life is full of stress, and there is no magic wand to get yourself out of trouble.
I want kids to learn from my stories that the answers to life are in their hands. Have courage, don’t be afraid, learn to think your way out of trouble. And also, remember that both series are being read by kids whose first language might not be English — I keep to simple vocabulary, spiced with a few challenging words now and then. The biggest response I receive from parents is a heartfelt thank-you for encouraging their kids to read. It’s a comment I hear again and again: “My son/daughter hated reading until they started reading your books.” I’m always thrilled to hear that; it means I’ve helped someone to discover the joys of reading.
You have two series by the names Mr. Midnight and Mr. Mystery. What do you keep in mind when writing each of them, and how far do you prefer to vary your writing style when writing these different series?
Horror and mystery are two very different genres. Simple as that. Makes my job easy. Horror stories grow out of spooky situations, they’re rather organic; while mystery stories need tight plotting and logical resolution. The “whodunit” is a very disciplined genre. In a sense, horror writing is more fun, because literally anything can happen in the writing process. On the other hand, mystery is a very tightly paced process, adding in lots of clues so that I’m being fair to the reader before that final showdown when everything is revealed.
Why the pseudonym ‘James Lee’?
My real name, being Scottish, doesn’t trip off the tongue so easily. Also, the name Lee is an East-West name — General Robert E. Lee, the actor Christopher Lee, and many more. So my publisher and I chose James Lee as a memorable, easy-to-pronounce name in the Asian context. When I appear at schools or in bookstores, people understand that it could well be my real name.
Have you ever felt a special connection with a specific book you’ve written?
All the time. Maybe I’ve set it in a place that was special to me. Or maybe the story contained some plot twist that was a tough nut to crack. Essentially though, every book I write has to feel special. And I want it to be special for my readers too.
The Mr. Midnight book series was launched in 1998 and the latest book was released earlier this year. Could you describe the shift in dynamic in your work, considering that your target readership would’ve changed significantly over the years?
Your best question of all: the shift in dynamic. The target audience hasn’t changed over the years. Obviously, many of the kids who read my books in the 2000s have grown up and now have kids of their own.
The real shift in dynamic is within the author.
Having written 134+ books for kids, I have sought new ways of expression, new ways of constructing scenes. As an author, one is always shifting and growing and hopefully improving. Too often, authors get sick of their own creations (Conan Doyle killed Sherlock Holmes, remember?). As an author, you have to accept that your task is to supply the same again and again, but differently. Your readers have certain expectations and it’s your job to fulfil them. At the same time, you can become boring and formulaic. You have to keep digging down for new twists, new “magic” to keep your readers wowed.
Children possess an undying curiosity to examine and learn about the world around them. You have forged a bond with the minds and emotions of kids all over the world with your books and characters. How do you think quarantine and the uncertainty that follows COVID, affects the young, wandering minds?
I’m very worried about the effects of lockdowns. We can’t avoid them, we have to have them, but kids are slipping behind without their classroom teachers. Kids are losing social contact with friends. Some may even have to repeat a year of school. It is a great tragedy, and I think the true effects will be felt years from now.
When we fight for children’s rights, we are fighting for the world’s future.
Anyone over the age of 40 has probably experienced seamless growth, opportunity and prosperity. It worries me that young kids, teenagers and those in universities will find a less than perfect world awaiting them. It behoves every parent, every teacher, and every national leader to strive for fairness, opportunity, and security for our next generations. As an author, I’d like to entertain kids, empower them, educate them.
Horror and children, who would’ve imagined this pair to exist! But here is Jim, inking those fancied thoughts into reality day in and day out. There possibly cannot be a gateway into the enticing world of mystery and suspense as rewarding and illuminating for such a young audience as Jim’s creations, more of which can be found here.
While the interview provided invaluable insights into the life and work of the author, it is impossible to miss his unrelenting commitment to child rights as he talks about the impact of the pandemic on the young population.
CRY, India (Child Rights and You) is an NGO working towards the upliftment of underprivileged children by enabling free education and healthcare programmes among other projects. In these testing times, even a little help will go a long way in brightening a child’s life. Festember, in partnership with CRY, hopes to provide a safe and fulfilling childhood — something that every child, regardless of their background and stature, deserves. We take this opportunity to request you to donate to the organization and help them in their mission of making a difference, one child at a time.
Click here to donate to CRY today.
This interview was taken in collaboration with Akshaya Subramanian, Vishnu Dhinakaran and Sree Ranjane.
