M Jonathan Lee (born 5 April 1974)[1] is a British author. His debut novel, The Radio, was nationally shortlisted in The Novel Prize 2012, a prize for unpublished authors.[1] He has since released four further novels, and written on mental health issues for the Huffington Post.
M Jonathan Lee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 5 April 1974 Barnsley |
| Occupation | Novelist, public speaker |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Thriller |
| Notable works | The Radio and 337 |
| Website | |
| mjonathanlee | |
Early life
editLee was born in Barnsley in 1974.[1] He is the second of three children.[2] He attended St Matthew’s primary school and Keir Street Junior school before continuing his education at the Kingstone school.[citation needed] Following two years at Barnsley College, he trained to be an accountant. He eventually studied business at the University of Central Lancashire.[citation needed]
Career
editLee was a manager of the Tax and Trust Department at Leeds wealth management company Pearson Jones Plc when he published his first book.[1] He began writing seriously at the age of 9[3] at which point he self-published a magazine which ran for six issues and sold more than 500 copies. Since then, he has written a number of short stories and journals of ideas before finally writing The Radio.[4] The Radio was published by Troubador in April 2013 and was described as "very moving...and wonderfully well observed" by Yvette Huddleston of The Yorkshire Post.[5] It is a black comedy which tackles the difficult subject of suicide. In an interview with Female First magazine in June 2013, Lee described the suicide of his older brother in 2005 and explained that "[it was]...very cathartic sharing this in The Radio."[6] It is part of the 'The' trilogy and has since sold out its first print run.[7] In March 2016, The Radio was voted "Book of the Month" for March 2016 by The Dadness.[8]
In January 2015, Lee's second novel, The Page was published through Troubador[9][10] and his third novel A Tiny Feeling of Fear was published by Solopreneur Publishing in September 2015.[11] A Tiny Feeling of Fear tells the story of Andrew Walker, a successful businessman who appears to be a happy, well-adjusted man, with the respect and admiration of his colleagues – but behind closed doors, his private life is a mess. The novel is in some ways autobiographical and deals with mental health issues and ultimately is a story of hope.[11][2]
In November 2015, Lee travelled to Boston, MA to begin work on a rock-biography about US alternative rock band, Hallelujah the Hills.[12] In 2016, Lee featured in the Hallelujah the Hills video for the single, "We have the Perimeter Surrounded".[13]
Lee has written on mental health issues for the Huffington Post.[14] He has appeared on BBC Radio Sheffield's Live-ish comedy show[15] and at Sheffield's Off the Shelf Festival and Doncaster's Turn The Page in 2013 and 2014.[16][17]
In May 2017, Lee signed a deal with Hideaway Fall publishers.[18] In the same month, the film “Hidden” was released filmed by Simon Gamble and based on the book A Tiny Feeling of Fear. It is filmed in a documentary format and charts Lee's life and discusses his own mental health issues.[19]
In August 2017, The Big Issue described Lee's fourth novel Broken Branches as “an examination of grief and loss in a unique way”.[20] Broken Branches was voted book of the month for August 2017 in Candis Magazine.[21]
In 2018, Lee's fifth novel, Drift Stumble Fall was released.[22]
On the 30th November 2020, Lee's sixth novel 337 was published by Hideaway Fall. 337 is the first of his books to be published as an audiobook with actor and poet Matt Weigold narrating.”[23]
Personal life
editLee's novels often depict characters who have mental health problems, but beyond his fiction, he is a regular contributor and now writes monthly on mental health issues for the Huffington Post. In an interview on the Paulette Edwards show, Lee spoke candidly about his decision to establish a group for those affected by bereavement by suicide in his local area. The interview was broadcast on BBC Radio in March 2020. He has also spoken openly in the press about losing his brother to suicide and the difficulties of getting help for those left behind.
Lee was divorced with three children,[1][2] He suffered episodes of depression after his brother's suicide.[2] In 2017, he established a mental health forum in Barnsley, run by volunteers.[20]
Books
edit- The Radio (2013)
- The Page (2015)
- A Tiny Feeling of Fear (2015)
- Broken Branches (2017)
- Drift Stumble Fall (2018)
- 337 (2020)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "First-time author tunes into success with The Radio". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Why it is time to talk openly and honestly about mental health". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Author finds 'his voice' on the Radio". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 14 November 2015. [dead link]
- ^ "My Passion With Jonathan Lee". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Domestic thriller with a dark twist". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "The Radio by M Jonathan Lee". Femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "The Radio by Barnsley Author M. Jonathan Lee". TownTalk. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Book of the Month – March 2016". Dadness.uk. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "Readers asked to solve book ending". Sheffield Star. Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "A novel offer for charity". South Yorkshire Times. Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ a b "How Jonathan found creative solace after brother's death". Sheffield Star. Archived from the original on 23 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Ryan Walsh of Hallelujah The Hills on 10 years of being in a 'real band'". Vanyaland.com. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
- ^ Ten Years of Hallelujah The Hills
- ^ "Entries by Jonathan Lee". HuffPost. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "Love Where You Live". BBC. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Turn the Page 2015 Festival Weekend". Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Try Reading Someone New". Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Latest Books - Hideaway Fall". Hideaway Fall. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "How To Save A Life By Jonathan Lee". Female First. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Broken Branches: How a book is helping communities discuss mental health". The Big Issue. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Candis Magazine on Twitter". Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Feature: Jonathan's ongoing battle against mental health stigma". Sheffield Star. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Sheffield actor Matt Weigold is the voice of new mystery audiobook '337' - by M Jonathan Lee". Sheffield Star.