Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana and I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was nine years old. I’ve always seen books as a way to escape reality and travel to places and meet people on a massive scale. The words just connected with me in a way that made me want to do the same thing. To date, my published works the two children’s books in the “Little Bot” series, a novella called “Father’s Things” and my Novel “Escape from Undermind” with many more to come.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is book is “Journey to Wondertown: Worlds of Wonder Book II.” It’s a sequel to “Escape From Undermind.” I got a lot of love and support from the first book, so I’ve decided to continue it as a series. It’ll be released on April 17th.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure how unusual it is, but I find that my most productive timeframe is between 2:00am until about 8:00am. It’s been that way since I was in high school. It’s perfectly quiet and there’s a lack of outside distractions. Even social media slows to a crawl around that time.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many. First and foremost I would have to say “Sea of Swords” by R. A. Salvatore was the most influential in terms of getting me into my genre, but “The Hobbit” and “Ender’s Game” got me into reading in general. Since then it’s been, Isaac Asimov, H. G. Wells, Edgar Allen Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, Ed Greenwood and Mary Shelly just to name a few.
What are you working on now?
I’m always working on a few projects. Right now, I’m focused on getting the word out about “Journey to Wondertown,” but I’m working on the “Escape From Undermind” audiobook to release as a refresher before the sequel hits shelves. I’m working on the sequel to Father’s Things and a some shorts stories I’ll be releasing for FREE on my website that’ll be companions to the “Worlds of Wonder” books.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to use my social media which gets the info to my most loyal audience first. I’m on twitter and instagram @jtgloryjones. Then it’s my website JonathanThomasJones.com. I also like to hang around at cons and on Goodreads a bit just to engage with the community and make new friends.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The hardest part is looking at a blank page and then filling it. There are some authors who like to try to organize and outline every step, but the trick to art is that it will never be perfect and it will never even be done if you don’t start. Just put that pen to paper and let the feeling carry you. you’ll be shocked by how much the direction of your story will change with every page. Just craft a complete piece of art and worry about edits and rewrites later without worrying about how it’s going to sell or the time it takes. Tell your story first and foremost.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The first person I can remember saying it is my father, but I’ve heard it several times in my life: if you want to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader. Read all of the books you can get your hands on, even those outside of your genre of interest. There’s a lot of education out there for writers, but those things can be best used as a way to teach you what you’re looking at when you’re reading books. Once you learn to connect that with what you actually read, then you’re truly on to something. Having a solid idea of what you like and don’t like can help you discover your narrative voice.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading “The Holder’s Dominion” by Genese Davis with “Child of a Mad God” by R. A. Salvatore next on the list. I swear I have an infinite backlog.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have an immense love for education and desire for more diverse representation in fiction so I’ve been writing for younger audiences for a while. I think I’m ready to start writing for a more mature audience. I’m also interested in writing for other mediums like television, film, comics and especially video games, so we’ll see how that goes.
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 think I would rather a ton of pens and notebooks so I could use that peace and quiet! Seriously though, I would want a Mirriam-Webster Dictionary, “The Languages of Tolkien’s Middle Earth,” “The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe” and “Bulfinch’s Mythology.” I picked the first two so I could stimulate my mind with constructive activity and I could use the other two, which are anthologies, to ration one story a day as entertainment and reward for surviving. They’re pretty big anthologies, so hopefully I won’t have to read them over and over by the time I get rescued. I’m eventually getting rescued right?
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