James Kinsley

“Welcome to my website.” Do people say that? Anyway, hi.

I’m a writer based in Thorpe Hamlet, Norfolk. My first novella, Playtime’s Over, is available from Propolis. My second book, a collection of interwoven short stories, will be released in 2023 by Deixis Press.

Playtime’s Over is the story of a man forced, as he’s dying, to confront the reasons for taking his own life, and face up to the consequences. It’s a journey through his own subconscious, accompanied by Viktor, the avatar of his own internal voice.

“In the seconds before death, Will finds himself transported from the depths of the North Sea to the end of a deserted pier. Deserted, until Viktor appears…

Together they journey across time and place, scrutinising the interminable balancing act of being alive, which ultimately led Will to make his final, fatal move.

Playtime’s Over is a story about resilience and surrender, told with darkly absurd humour. It is both a powerful meditation on mental health in a world with little refuge, and a touching portrait of a friendship forged in the most bizarre circumstances.“

Playtime’s Over is a response to my own mental health issues and worldview, using a fictional format to analyse some of my own thought processes. It’s funnier than it sounds.

Outside of this, I have interests in books, classical music, film and the environment. I collect postcards, scifi paperbacks from the 50s/60s/70s, comics and Lego. I’m a paid-up member of the Green Party, which you can join here.

I also publish sci-fi and fantasy under the name Ray Adams.