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| Bill Jones Jr |
One of the great perks of being an Indie Wizard is the pleasure of both meeting new people and people you admire from afar. I hear great things about Bill Jones Jr's fantasy work on a regular basis and I was introduced to him by a mutual acquaintance and wasted no time in reaching got the Wizphone.
Here's what Bill had to say from somewhere over the ocean.
Hi Bill.
Hi Wiz!
UK readers have heard
about The Stream due to your membership at the Independent Paperback Gift Shop.
Tell us a bit about Bill Jones Jr?
I grew up assuming I
would be a professional photographer one day. However, like many kids, I was
steered away from the arts and into a “normal” profession in the business
world. I’ve had a rewarding career, but I think there’s something inborn in
artists that can’t be quelled any other way but through art. I started writing
poetry, and had quite a few published in obscure little journals here and
there. Then, on a dare from a friend, I decided to try my hand at writing
fiction in 2009. I became immediately addicted, and wrote my first two books
back-to-back. Now, after having written four books and a short story
collection, I’m finally allowing myself to call myself an artist.
Of course, that could
just be because my mum finally read my first book, and liked it. If your mother
doesn’t think you’re an artist, you aren’t.
Tell us about The
Stream series
The Stream is a
fantasy fiction series starring two brilliant adolescents, Charlie and Robin,
who discover they share the ability to walk into and influence others’ dreams.
Charlie’s vivid dreams are initially merely an escape from their shattered
family lives. They jounce from one adventure to the next, amidst warm-blooded
dragons, mythical creatures, and increasingly, a growing darkness. There is
more to the land of dreams – the Stream – than sleepers, they learn. Something
there has trapped Charlie’s best friend, his great grandfather, and he and
Robin will stop at nothing to find him, and bring him home.
Always been a big fan of your covers, BIll. The former has something of the "Shrooms" and "Blair Witch" about it.
Thank you, Wiz. They're pretty sharp.
Who is your target
audience? Are you a primarily a YA author?
Although my main characters in The Stream are
12, the books are actually targeted at adults. There are dream adventures based
on history, re-imagined mythologies, as well as some fairly adult themes.
There
is no language or sexuality that’s inappropriate for kids, but my “perfect
reader” as I imagined her, was a parent who loved the Harry Potter and Narnia
series, but pretended they did so for the sake of the children.
I believe the
books are appropriate for ages 12 and up. While I enjoy YA fiction, and have
kept all 3 books of The Stream safe for younger readers, most of my other work
is targeted directly at adult readers.
How do you write? Do
you binge, or are you a strict 2,000 word a day man?
Ah, binge
writing – I love that concept. hahaha,
Since I have a day job, I am a strict 2,000 word
a day writer. I actually started writing novels during the National Novel
Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in the U.S., and found that format (write a bit each
day) fit the fact that I had to drag myself out of bed early every morning and
go to work.
If I were stinking rich, and could write full time, I’m sure I’d
turn into one of those book hermits whom you never see for three months at a
time while he writes around the clock and forgets to bathe or eat. Hmm, maybe it’s
good that I have a day job.
I binge in a way, in
that I set aside months out of the year where I do nothing but write. This past
June, for instance, I wrote about 100 pages of short stories.
I understand you are a
photographer. Tell us a bit about that?
I have always loved photography. My
grandfather, with whom we lived, was one of those old gents who always had his
camera with him. My fondest family memories were all of us grouped in the
living room, looking at granddaddy’s slides projected onto the wall. I also had
a great uncle who would come to visit, and never seemed to tire of taking
Polaroid shots. So naturally, when I got my first camera at age 12, I was
hooked.
I’m sure my
photography has been influenced by both men, as I love candid and street
photography, and rarely take posed or studio type shots. If you see me without
a camera, I’m having a bad day. I do a bit of freelance work, but mainly, it’s
for the love.
You have been
kidnapped on the way to the Walgreens by strange furry purple aliens. You are
locked in a spaceship brig. Your gaoler is a kindly alien and allows you three
books, two cd's and a dvd. What would you choose?
I would choose Isaac
Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy, because I have started, and been interrupted while
trying to read those books for 10 years. I am determined to finish them or die
trying.
My CD’s would have to be Bob Marley’s “Legend” and probably some jazz, any jazz; otherwise I’d never be able to write.
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| Magnificent Mike Figgis Jazz score for Leaving Las Vegas |
A dvd would be harder; the alien would probably shoot me before I could make up my mind. Perhaps “The Day the Earth Stood Still” would feel appropriate.
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| Original Poster |
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| Casual Vacancy at Bill's table for JK |
Which writer, and
which photographer, would you be pleased to see knocking at your door with two
bottles of Claret? And what would you cook?
I would honestly love
to see J.K. Rowling show up, not because of the success of Harry Potter, but
due to the incredible blend of imagination and detail her books showed. Even
more interesting to me, is the determination she showed in going through rejection
to reach success. I could learn a lot over dinner I think.
The photographer I’d
pick would be Annie Liebovitz. I’ve never been satisfied with my portraits, and
she is just the master at connecting with her subjects. Of course, if death
were no obstacle, it would be Diane Arbus. Such a talented, tormented woman.
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| Annie Liebovitz portrait of America's First Family |
Since clarets are
earthy wines, and I don’t eat red meat, I think I would have to cook them my
version of my grandmother’s Shrimp Creole. It’s about as earthy a food as you
are going to get. Plus, if you want to get a genius talking, a bit of spice
with their wine can’t hurt.
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| Magnificent Shrimp Creole |
What do fans of Bill
Jones Jr have to look forward to in the coming year?
In the coming year I
will be releasing my first full-length science fiction adventure, Hard
as Roxx. In Roxx, in a 22nd-century world that is a distorted hybrid of
rigid control and absolute freedom, one woman broke a cardinal rule: she
got pregnant, without permission. Worse yet, it was her second pregnancy, in a
world where only one is tolerated. The penalty for breaking the One Child law
is death. Roxx, however, is not the victim type.
In addition, I will be
releasing the final book of The Stream trilogy – Emprise, as
well as my first short story collection. It should be a fun year.
Bill, it's been an absolute pleasure to see you round the Cauldron. I wish you every success in the future.
Wiz, the pleasure was all mine!
Stalk the Writer
Contact Bill on his website:
Buy The Stream: Discovery:
On Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/3778886
You can also buy Bill's beautiful books IN PAPERBACK - along with the work of a hundred other Indielit authors - at
Read much more about Bill with the wonderful Mary Ann Bernal
