Ask the Author: Jim Neville
Answered Questions (8)
Jim Neville
When Goodreads asked my to write a two-sentance horror story, my head exploded. Microscopic fragments of grey matter dispersed around the world and created millions of automatons who think like me.
Jim Neville
Jim Neville has noticed the synchronicity of events in his life, but will he discover the cause? Is it an indicator of paranormal potential or could it be something sinister? Are you a part of his reality or is he a part of yours? Is he the puppet or puppeteer?
If he is a puppet, then you may be one too. Who controls the strings? What are their intentions? If he is the puppeteer, then he'll open you mind. You should start praying he's the puppeteer even if you don't believe in such things. If Jim Neville is pulling the strings, the worst thing that will happen is you will read his books as the world is filled with love.
If he is a puppet, then you may be one too. Who controls the strings? What are their intentions? If he is the puppeteer, then he'll open you mind. You should start praying he's the puppeteer even if you don't believe in such things. If Jim Neville is pulling the strings, the worst thing that will happen is you will read his books as the world is filled with love.
Jim Neville
I answer questions like this one. Since I absolutely detest the administration and promotion side of being an indie author, I usually have lots of neglected duties in those areas. Sometimes, I work on book covers for future projects.
When I've procrastinated long enough, I read and edit what I've written so far. Sometimes it works like push starting a car. At the very least, I can fix any errors I find.
I actually have more trouble with the opposite of writer's block. There are many times I'm inspired to write something, but I'm at work or driving my car. By the time I get home, the inspiration has disapparated like a fart in the wind.
When I've procrastinated long enough, I read and edit what I've written so far. Sometimes it works like push starting a car. At the very least, I can fix any errors I find.
I actually have more trouble with the opposite of writer's block. There are many times I'm inspired to write something, but I'm at work or driving my car. By the time I get home, the inspiration has disapparated like a fart in the wind.
Jim Neville
Being able to touch people's hearts is probably the best part. I also like it when people love a character. It's kind of like a proud parent wanting everyone else to love their child as much as they do. That's the great thing about love ... it's best when shared. The characters in my book are like my children.
I have a clear vision of each of my characters and let them live and speak as my fingers dance across my keyboard. I laugh and cry as they live their lives. Nothing is impossible, but it must still be plausible. I often find out what happens as my characters interact in my mind. Just like we are bound by duty and obligation, my characters are also bound by the framework of my plot. How they get there is completely up to them.
I have a clear vision of each of my characters and let them live and speak as my fingers dance across my keyboard. I laugh and cry as they live their lives. Nothing is impossible, but it must still be plausible. I often find out what happens as my characters interact in my mind. Just like we are bound by duty and obligation, my characters are also bound by the framework of my plot. How they get there is completely up to them.
Jim Neville
I will never be qualified to truly advise "aspiring writers." There are so many different styles of writing and so many different psyche profiles of writers. What all good writers have in common is the ability to communicate with the written word. A "How-To" author can provide instructions which the target audience can follow. A horror author can scare the heck out of you. Others can tug on your heart strings. There are also writers who are better bards than scribes, so they have to speak their words. In a nutshell, an author must be able to communicate, know their skill set, and face their limitations.
Jim Neville
I haven't updated this in a while. I was working on a sequel to Mr. Saxon & the Droid. I did that, and then wrote a prequel. I converted all that to a YA version in the Crux series and wrote a final book in that series. I also released a Choose-Your-Own Fantasy adventure book called Karma's a Sexy Bitch (my best-seller).
Then I was inspired to write Hermes High, a school where gifted teens are taught to become gods. It was so good, I started to look for an agent. Unfortunately, I started writing some thoughts about a second book; the next thing I knew, I was writing Hermes High, Multiverse. With those two written, I should start working on finding an agent again, but Hermes High, The Barbarian is begging to be written.
Long story short, I'm trying to find an agent for my Hermes High series while resisting the temptation to write another. You have no idea how hard that is (resisting the urge to write).
Then I was inspired to write Hermes High, a school where gifted teens are taught to become gods. It was so good, I started to look for an agent. Unfortunately, I started writing some thoughts about a second book; the next thing I knew, I was writing Hermes High, Multiverse. With those two written, I should start working on finding an agent again, but Hermes High, The Barbarian is begging to be written.
Long story short, I'm trying to find an agent for my Hermes High series while resisting the temptation to write another. You have no idea how hard that is (resisting the urge to write).
Jim Neville
The short answer is fans. The long answer is:
Several people suggested I write more after reading my post on LinkedIn. Finally, a colleague, Morgan, suggested the same and I did. She also read the second chapter in Mr. Saxon & the Droid which was also posted on LinkedIn. Morgan's life went topsy-turvey as all our lives do every once in a while and she didn't have time to read. This is when Lindsay became my inspiration. She was there every step of the way from this point on. She provided the positive reinforcement which kept me going. Lindsay suffered through every chapter ending cliffhanger and discarded dumb idea. She was my gauge to express my thoughts.
Several people suggested I write more after reading my post on LinkedIn. Finally, a colleague, Morgan, suggested the same and I did. She also read the second chapter in Mr. Saxon & the Droid which was also posted on LinkedIn. Morgan's life went topsy-turvey as all our lives do every once in a while and she didn't have time to read. This is when Lindsay became my inspiration. She was there every step of the way from this point on. She provided the positive reinforcement which kept me going. Lindsay suffered through every chapter ending cliffhanger and discarded dumb idea. She was my gauge to express my thoughts.
Jim Neville
I think I need to update this question more often. The first time I answered this, I only had one book. I updated it again when I had six written. Now I have ten (two removed from publication by myself and two yet to be published). Since I'm not good at keeping this updated, I'll be a little generic.
Many of my ideas come from the question "What if?" That's basically the premise for all my books. In my first books, I pondered the end result of sophisticated Virtual Reality and Droids with real Artificial Intelligence. Recently, it was the question, "What if the ancient gods had some basis in fact? Could they have been humans with psychic powers?"
The psychic power angle seems to dominate my writing. It was there in my first book, the Crux series, and Hermes High. If I had to narrow it down, I'd say it all started in the sixties.
In 1968, there was a movie called The Power. People were gathered around a conference table and asked to move a piece of paper that was balanced on the tip of a pencil. The point of this exercise was to prove the existence of telekinesis. The person who proved the point had no idea he had the power until he tried.
I suppose I was susceptible to the movie's influence because the 60's were full of paranormal topics on TV. Twilight Zone led the way, but it was followed by many more shows with episodes devoted to the subject. There was even a show called Sixth Sense where a parapsychologist solved supernatural crimes. My parents even gave me a Kreskin's ESP game one Christmas. I suppose my parents were open to possibility, too. They were fans of the clairvoyant Edgar Cayce.
Long story short, I developed a philosophy which I suppose is a conglomeration of all the pseudo-science I was exposed to. I believe we all have psychic potential, some more than others of course. The largest barrier to exercising this power is lack of faith. It's kind of like the power of positive thinking or faith healing. The brain is an amazing organ with boundless potential.
Many of my ideas come from the question "What if?" That's basically the premise for all my books. In my first books, I pondered the end result of sophisticated Virtual Reality and Droids with real Artificial Intelligence. Recently, it was the question, "What if the ancient gods had some basis in fact? Could they have been humans with psychic powers?"
The psychic power angle seems to dominate my writing. It was there in my first book, the Crux series, and Hermes High. If I had to narrow it down, I'd say it all started in the sixties.
In 1968, there was a movie called The Power. People were gathered around a conference table and asked to move a piece of paper that was balanced on the tip of a pencil. The point of this exercise was to prove the existence of telekinesis. The person who proved the point had no idea he had the power until he tried.
I suppose I was susceptible to the movie's influence because the 60's were full of paranormal topics on TV. Twilight Zone led the way, but it was followed by many more shows with episodes devoted to the subject. There was even a show called Sixth Sense where a parapsychologist solved supernatural crimes. My parents even gave me a Kreskin's ESP game one Christmas. I suppose my parents were open to possibility, too. They were fans of the clairvoyant Edgar Cayce.
Long story short, I developed a philosophy which I suppose is a conglomeration of all the pseudo-science I was exposed to. I believe we all have psychic potential, some more than others of course. The largest barrier to exercising this power is lack of faith. It's kind of like the power of positive thinking or faith healing. The brain is an amazing organ with boundless potential.
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