Meet Jon Mason

Please tell us about your current line of work and how you got started in it. 

I had often said that I had enough experiences as a police officer to write at least one book. I began writing when I was sixty-six after reading Fifty shades of Gray and was still hitting the headlines after twelve months. It must be for the sado-masochistic sex and not the scintillating plot.

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Then, I had the thought, why not write about what you know?

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But how could I make it different? The decision turned out to be unique. I began the series with the first day of an officer’s career. His first day in training. My Brian Blake series written under the name of Jon Mason was born. I write as a former police officer observing the work that comes our way.

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There is no such thing as a cozy murder. Someone has to die. Murder is brutal.

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There are now five books in the series: one novella and four novels. All available in e-book and print format.

Dance With the Devil. Series prequel and available as a free download from my website.

The Blooding of Brian Blake.

Nemesis.

Counting the Dead.

Death in The Slushpile.

Macello. Nearing the end of the first draft.

Checkout my website: https://jonmasonbooks.com for your free/complementary download.

The only complaint I have received about my work was from Debbie. A shop owner in the Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield. She  was relaxing one evening and decided to read a couple of chapters of The Blooding of Brian Blake before retiring. She finished the book at 2:30 am. “It’s too short.” She read them all.

Can you tell us about yourself?

My name is Ian Walker. I was born in Huddersfield, England, in what was the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the Spring of 1946 with a brother WW2 older than I. My father had returned to the tailoring trade after spending 1939-45 as a dispatch rider in the RAF. My mother spent the same period of time working on the industrial frontline, x-raying the wheels of battle tanks for cracks – the last thing you need.

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I was not intended for Academia, nevertheless I passed an exam called the 11+ and was able to attend King James’ Grammar School, created by a royal charter granted by King James 1 (King James VI of Scotland) in 1608. I was one of the strongest in the school, i.e. always near the bottom of the class, one of those making the good students look even better.

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In 1965 I joined the West Riding Constabulary on an annual salary of £700 per annum – untold riches. I retired in March 1993. During that time, I worked as a beat officer and saw my first dead body and witnessed my first postmortem examination (autopsy) at the age of 19; we were all Coroner’s Officers. Took up target shooting and became quite a good shot.

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I spent five years as a Road Traffic patrol officer and was trained in firearms. After a further two years in Force Control was promoted as sergeant for Western Area Control and subsequently seconded to the embryo Computer Unit to work with Ferranti International in developing a national computer system for the UK Government. It was called Command and Control – for incident logging, resource deployment and analysis.  Following that, the setting up of the Communications Training Wing.

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Eventually I was told I had to go back to real policing but could pick where I wanted to work and my wish would be granted. They lied. The only subdivision where no-one wanted to work was Holbek in South Leeds. Heavily under strength and a not so salubrious area. So, I said anywhere bar Holbeck. The upshot being I served my last ten years in a not so salubrious area in South Leeds. But I have to say that, for the most part, I enjoyed it. Three years as patrol sergeant, three years as a Custody  Officer and my last four years as the Station Sergeant. Also working in Air Support on an ad hoc basis and, when prison officers were working to rule on a national basis the Home Officer instigated Operation Container, whereby some convicted prisoners were kept in police cells. Managing that for Holbeck became my baby as well. It could get tiring at times.

Do you have any mentors or sources of inspiration?

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Sources of inspiration can be anywhere. From my, or other officers personal experiences. A snippet of conversation overheard in the supermarket. From the newspaper or tv.

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Mentors: Robert Woodcox of Orange County LA. Ghostwriter and former Pulitzer nominee. It was too good to get lost in Amazon's maze. He gave me a personal introduction to Sydell Albert, film producer who liked my work just as Netflix decided they would only back books from the New York Times Best Sellers List.

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David Thompson of Orange county LA. Author of crime novels and literary judge who described my writing style as exciting and as good as James Patterson. 

David Booker, ex-USAF of Beaver Creek, Dayton, OHIO, and now author of Sci-Fi and Time slip stories who couldn't put them down. 

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Finally, film producer, Brian McLaughlin IMDb who assessed The Blooding of Brian Blake. He described it as "Well written and held the reader's attention well. It was unique in its approach and good enough for a film or a TV series; probably a TV series.”

What parts of your work do you enjoy most? Why?

I think when I have done as much as I can. The book has been professionally edited and everything upgraded and my finger hovers over the button that says PUBLISH. I can do no more.


What are your favorite things to do when you have free time?

Free Time? I do like gardening, although to see my garden now you wouldn't think so. I like walking. In Wakefield we have two medieval castles.

Are there any dream projects you'd like to pursue?

Yes. To complete the three unfinished manuscripts. The Grove, A Secret's Worth and Roberto's War, then get them in print.

How can we learn more about you?

Instagram - jonmason2768: https://www.instagram.com/jonmason2768/

Facebook - Ian Walker: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075917929404

LinkedIn - Ian Walker https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-walker-09048510/