AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Jason King

Tell me a about yourself. What got you started in writing? 

A court order to write apology letters to all of my victims….just kidding. I’ve been writing books since I was 5. They just didn’t stop sucking until I was about 30.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

I wake up really early, like 3-4 am early. That gives me a couple hours of writing before I have to go to my day job. Also, I do my best work in the morning.

How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or some other method of getting your words down?

I prefer a desktop (I roll old school) and I write in my study/library/studio/kid’s playroom.

What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about writing?

About the actual process? I think when the plot takes over, throws what I planned out the window, and gives something better. Also, finishing the first draft.

How did you come up with your book idea? How long did it take you to write your book?

For Valcoria, I wrote it over several years, and the concept was a pool of ideas inspired by my favorite stories: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Mistborn, and a whole ton of others. For Lure of Fools, and Soulless Grave, it was about six months each.

What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?

I’ve pioneered a new marketing technique that I call streak-advertising. I’ll let you guess what that involves (for a hint see my answer to question 1). No, my emphasis is inline with my day-time position as an internet marketing manager, and I do 75% of my promotion on social media. The other 25% I do at conventions and conferences.

What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?

I have two books slated for release this year, “The Fork of Destiny’s Road,” and “Valcoria Awakenings.”

Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.

Lots of them. They’re kind of in a rotation. But what I really want to get back to is a screenplay I entered in 2009’s Bluecat Screenwriting Competition. It’s a crime noir that I want to turn into a novel.

What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?

Talent is like the starting position in a marathon. It might take you longer to get to the finish line then those running in front of you, but if you hang in there, be patient, and keep running, you will make it.  

My question for Kathryn is, what do you look for in a book for it to qualify as a favorite?

Love this question. I look for books that give me an opportunity to look within. It isn't enough for me to just read a good book, I have to feel something. Even my mysteries are more than just books filled with clues. Hopefully, the reader will see the struggles of the main character, Susan, and get a feeling for her plight. Maybe they will see themselves in Susan and get a clearer idea of how they might appear to others. They might not be a bit like Susan but can feel of her predicament - how does a detective respond to criticism anyway, especially when she isn't really a crime fighter but an average woman that becomes a sort of death magnet? I think the best books out there leave me wanting to learn more about the main character, the secondary characters, and the lives they live.

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Learn more about Jason:

jason@authorjasonking.com

Web: www.authorjasonking.com