Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Greetings! I grew up in Washington State, and had the run of the whole Pacific Northwest as my playground for many years. After over twenty years of turning wrenches and managing repair shops for a living, I went to work for GM, moved to the Midwest, and spent nineteen years doing a variety of work for them including technical training, catalog development, and many IT projects as SME and Business Advisor.
I also read prolifically in numerous genres, and about fifteen years ago read one novel so horribly written that I was amazed it could ever have been published. That challenged me, as I thought even I could write a better book than that! So, I opened my word processor and began.
Since that time, I have written four fantasy novels, eight science fiction novels, one suspense novel, five thrillers, and five westerns – for a total of twenty-three completed novels. I am currently working on numbers twenty-four and twenty-five,
I have only published one science-fiction novel thus far, and I chose to self-publish. I definitely want to publish more, but publishing carries cost for professional editing and for good cover art. I am hoping to engender enough sales to provide support financing to publish more.
When I first started, I was writing for my own enjoyment as a hobby. Turns out, I loved writing and became addicted to it. So, I would finish one, have more ideas, and begin another. Years later, several of my beta-readers implored me to publish. I eventually warmed up to the idea, and published my first one on Amazon, Google, and Barnes & Noble.
Look for more, soon!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest completed novel is tentatively called “SKY WARRIOR.” It is a fantasy novel, about a small group of friends struggling to survive after a world-wide high-altitude EMP blast series completely destroys all integrated circuit based electronics and sends the Earth back nearly to the Stone Age.
Here is the teaser text for SKY WARRIOR:
Aliens, high-altitude nuclear explosion, a comet striking the atmosphere, or even God finally turning His back on human apostasy, something caused the EMP effects which took out all electronics in what is now called The Blast.
Over the last twenty-odd years, the ozone has been depleting at an ever-increasing rate, producing mutations as plant and animal life tries to adapt. Sunburn and increased exposure to radiation is the greatest enemy, even greater than Warlord Joshua, whose small army controls the area around Flagstaff, Arizona.
Kat Manklin and her small band of friends use their mutant psychic powers to escape that hell, and the man who raped, tortured, and murdered her own mother. Kat leads them to the LA area and JPL, where she hopes to contact any remaining scientists who can tell her more about the Blast, and why the Earth is dying.
Then the military springs a bit of shocking news. Kat and her friends may be the last, best hope for the survival of mankind, of all life on Earth. All they have to do is travel fifteen hundred miles to reach the scientists who have a theory of how to stop the decline of the ozone, and maybe even reverse it. They will have to battle much worse than mutant animals along the way, and the dark secret Kat carries which will haunt them, and hunt them.
This novel was inspired by two things. First, is that few such novels feature minorities and females as lead characters . . . until recently, anyway. Second, there is much concern and debate recently about the increasing heat levels of our home planet, and a very real concern about lowering survivability in the future.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None of which I am aware. I mean, I don’t habitually write while naked sitting in a tree under the moonlight or anything.
I have used careful planning with numerous detailed lists and lengthy character studies, evolving each detail and plot twist. I have also used the stream of consciousness writing style, and found it to be quite effective for me.
I research what I need to in order to sound more believe-able, and to provide acceptable levels of detail or solid basis for hypotheses. Fortunately, the Internet provides wonderful research abilities these days.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Oh, that list is lengthy, indeed! Begin with Andre Norton and Edgar Rice Burroughs, then progress to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Ringo, and so many, many, many others.
I do not believe for one second that I am competing with any of them, as they are obviously masters of their craft. I am just a guy who loves to write, loves to tell stories, and desires to share some of my stories with others.
What are you working on now?
I currently have two novels under construction. One is a sequel to SKY WARRIOR, and the other is a new subject. I wondered what the world might look like if Texas was never annexed by the U.S. after they declared their independence from Mexico. I thought I would explore that idea as an alternate history novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know yet, honestly. I am actively working on the promotions thing. The trouble is, I have never honestly liked anything to do with marketing or sales or promotions. Blatant commercialism makes me gag. So, promoting my own books for sales seems to be a friction point for me and I struggle with that.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
READ massively, non-stop! Write! Write! Write!
You are most definitely going to experience emotional turbulence in a big way concerning your writing efforts. Do the best you can and learn constantly. Buy several books on style, primarily the Chicago Style which seems to be currently in vogue – but don’t let that rule your life. Publishers and agents claim they will not even look at anything pitched if it is not in the current vogue style, but that is a crock. Just look at what is being published now, and you will see many styles.
Make every effort to learn and to get better at your chosen craft. Take classes and courses, and join writing sites and clubs.
DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!
Learn marketing early!
Writer sites and groups are nice, but my experience with them has been quite negative so I am not sure I can provide the best advice for those. I have read over a hundred novels for other writers as a beta reader, and provided what I considered my best to them in terms of review and advice while always trying very hard to be nice and considerate at all times. In return, I have had only eight other writers from those sites even offer to beta read my stuff, and one of those people was actually cruel in their response.
There seems to be quite a bit of competition underlying most interaction with people from those sites – in my humble opinion and experience. That said, these types of groups and activities can be very instructive and useful if approached with a bit of caution and a very thick skin.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Remain true to yourself and your own beliefs and principals.
What are you reading now?
Dean Koontz, Lee Child, Stephen King, and Jim Butcher.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I don’t know. Hopefully, struggling with new fame and fortune!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I cannot even imagine being able to consider such a question, much less being able to answer it.
Author Websites and Profiles
James Heritage Website
James Heritage Amazon Profile
James Heritage’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile