Interviewed by N.L. Banks
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NB
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Meet
J. B. Jones, author of “Cousin Feely,” 2002 EPPIE Award Winner
for Best Mainstream Novel
http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/Authors/jones.html
“Cousin Feely” is also in our review
section.
Jones, using the author name, Janice Jones, has also written a
young adult novel, “Secrets of a Summer Spy. The daughter of a
physician/surgeon, Jones grew up in a small town in Ohio near the
Miami and Erie Canal. It was here that her imagination grew, too,
providing her with the background and inspiration to build the
characters for “Cousin Feely.”
Besides writing an award-winning novel, she also writes and
edits Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Math books.
Good Morning, J. B. Jones, I would to thank you for taking time
out of your busy schedule and spending time with us. |
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JBJ
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Thank you for being interested! |
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NB
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What
made you first decide to become a writer?
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JBJ
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I
was teaching dog obedience school, when one of my students asked
me to write an article on training terriers for obedience
competition. He was the editor of his breed club’s newsletter and
needed help filling the pages. I wrote an article, he loved it,
and that became my first published work. After the article was
picked up by a national dog training magazine, I got this idea I
could write, so I took some creative writing classes and began
“Secrets of a Summer Spy.” |
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NB
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What
was your first published fiction work? |
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JBJ
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My
young adult novel, “Secrets of a Summer Spy” was my first
published work of fiction. I was thrilled when Macmillan bought it
as an over-the-transom submission. They published it in hardcover.
Random House bought the paperback rights, and now that those are
out of print, it is new again as an e-book. |
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NB
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How
do you think your writing has improved since your first work and
how does it influence your writing today?
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JBJ
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I
hope I have improved. However, some of my early stuff reads quite
like what I write today. I think my freelance work has taught me a
lot. Working as an editor has helped me spot mistakes as I am
making them. |
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NB
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What
advice would you give new writers just starting out? |
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JBJ
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That
old tried and true thing about write what you know. Whenever I try
to step out of the realm of my own experience I get into trouble.
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NB
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How
do you deal with your rejection slips? |
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JBJ
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I
know someone who papered her bathroom with hers. Mine are in file
folders. I just continue to pile them up for someone to find and
throw out after I’m gone. |
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NB
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How
do you develop the characters for your stories? |
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JBJ
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They
just pop into my head and then develop more as I write. Once in a
while a new one will jump into a scene and the story becomes even
richer for his or her presence. I have known so many abominable,
admirable, eccentric, and witty people in my life that they just
spin around my head. I think they fragment and regroup and become
whole new people. |
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NB
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When
developing a story idea, do you outline first or just start
writing?
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JBJ
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I
have never been able to write fiction from an outline. How can I
when I never know what is going to happen next until I get there?
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NB
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Do
you use a story board? 3x5 Cards? |
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JBJ
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No,
but I often use a small tape recorder to interview people when
doing research, or to record my thoughts for later. |
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NB
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What
genre do you like to write in best and why?
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JBJ
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Just
plain fiction. Stories about people that don’t really fit a genre.
However, I do enjoy writing for young adults.
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NB
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Do
you have another book in the works? Can you tell us about it? |
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JBJ
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I am
writing a book that is a life story of a woman who grew up poor
during the depression, became a nurse, and married a doctor. For
now I just call it “Ethel” because that is her name. After she
marries the Doctor, she moves to his small hometown and here we go
again with the small town characters. |
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NB
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Tell
us about your favorite authors and books. |
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JBJ |
Some
of my favorite writers are John Irving (I loved “Cider House
Rules”), Jayne Ann Krentz (who is also Amanda Quick and Jayne
Castle), Lillian Jackson Braun (“Cat Who” series), and Jan Karon
for her “Mitford” books. E.L. Noel, Kate Saundby, Bonnie Mercure,
and Mary Trimble are excellent authors. And their books are
available in e-book format. |
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NB
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Is
there anything else that you would like to tell us about? |
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JBJ |
I
love being an e-author. I have found so many new writer friends in
EPIC and through Double Dragon Publishing. And I have discovered
so many great e-books that are different than the usual bookstore
fare. |
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NB
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I
want to thank you again for agreeing to do this interview, and for
your time with us. I look forward to reading more of your work. |
