Ask the Author: J.B. North
Answered Questions (13)
J.B. North
Hello! I'm so glad you are enjoying the series! I'm planning to release Sandstorm at the end of March, but will settle on an official date soon. There will be one more book in the series after that, which I'm hoping to publish later this year. Thanks for the question!
J.B. North
Hi, Sierra! I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for asking the question! I would have to answer the same way most authors do; reading is essential. Read, read, read, and while you're reading, study the structure of the books you love. Their dialogue and descriptions, and the way they build characters, conflict, relationships, and worlds. A story is really a patchwork quilt of everything you absorb from other books, movies, and experiences.
As writers, we have to look at the world in a different way. We have to observe every moment and picture it written on a page. And actually write some of those moments on the page. The more you write, the better you get.
So my advice is to read, observe, and most importantly, to write as often as possible, even if it's just a paragraph a day. I count myself blessed that I got an early start in my career, and I think it's SO cool that you're headed in that direction, too.
Again, thanks for the question, and good luck writing! :)
As writers, we have to look at the world in a different way. We have to observe every moment and picture it written on a page. And actually write some of those moments on the page. The more you write, the better you get.
So my advice is to read, observe, and most importantly, to write as often as possible, even if it's just a paragraph a day. I count myself blessed that I got an early start in my career, and I think it's SO cool that you're headed in that direction, too.
Again, thanks for the question, and good luck writing! :)
J.B. North
Thanks for asking, Morgan! I know it's going to be a lot later than we all hoped for, but the official date for publication is September 28, 2015. It will be available for pre-order on Amazon later this month and maybe even this week. I'll post an excerpt from the first chapter on my website (authorjbnorth.com) later this month as well. :)
J.B. North
Yes, definitely! Although I had to move the publishing date of Icebound (Legends of the Shifters Book Two) again, it WILL be coming out in 2015, hopefully before the summer hits. Then, after the third book, I have all kinds of story plots that I'm sorting through to figure out which one I should write first.
I'm glad you enjoyed my first book and that you're looking forward to my future works!
I'm glad you enjoyed my first book and that you're looking forward to my future works!
J.B. North
Unfortunately, I had to move the date a little further down the road. Although I'm not setting an exact date yet, this time I'm planning on a May release, maybe sooner if everything goes well. Glad you're looking forward to it!
J.B. North
Thank you! And the cover art was done by Widhi Saputro on 99Designs. You can view his profile here: https://99designs.com/profiles/widhis...
J.B. North
Thanks for asking!
I decided to self-publish because I didn't want to go through the heartbreak of getting multiple rejections from publishing companies. I had heard so many stories of authors being turned down time after time, and I wanted a head-start on my writing career. Now that I'm published, I'm so glad I did what I did. Not only has it offered me freedom (I'm basically my own boss), but it's also provided me with a good sum of money that I'm able to put back into my future books.
I decided to self-publish because I didn't want to go through the heartbreak of getting multiple rejections from publishing companies. I had heard so many stories of authors being turned down time after time, and I wanted a head-start on my writing career. Now that I'm published, I'm so glad I did what I did. Not only has it offered me freedom (I'm basically my own boss), but it's also provided me with a good sum of money that I'm able to put back into my future books.
J.B. North
I do most of my writing on a computer, so whenever I run into a brick wall, I just take out a pencil and a piece of paper and begin penning out my ideas. Then, I brainstorm until I just can't help but dive back onto my laptop and begin typing again.
But of course, there are those other days when my brain just feels like a lump of pudding. On days like that, I force myself to write at least a paragraph, and most of the time, that creates more ideas for the next paragraph and the next. Sometimes, you just have to push yourself through it.
But of course, there are those other days when my brain just feels like a lump of pudding. On days like that, I force myself to write at least a paragraph, and most of the time, that creates more ideas for the next paragraph and the next. Sometimes, you just have to push yourself through it.
J.B. North
For me, writing is calming. If your life is in total turmoil, writing is a way to transform all your worries into an art. Not only that, but writing makes you think about life in a totally different way. Whenever something bad or funny or gross happens to a writer, one of their first thoughts is, "What if I put that in a book?" Being a writer brings a whole new perspective to every situation.
J.B. North
My advice for aspiring writers is NEVER give up. People may read your work and tell you that's is a pile of rubbish, but keep on writing. The more you write, the more your talent grows, and the more your talent grows, the better your writing becomes. Sometimes you might get discouraged or tired, but never quit. There are so many books out there waiting to be written. Could you imagine if J.K. Rowling just gave up? What if Hogwarts were just stashed away in the bottom of a drawer? I don't know about you, but my life would be a lot more dull without Harry Potter.
Take inspiration from everything around you and write about it!
Take inspiration from everything around you and write about it!
J.B. North
I actually have many books I've been working on, but the main one is the second book in the Legends of the Shifters series (which is going to have a lot more romance than the first ;) ). I also have a few dystopian novels that I've already started on and another fantasy series that I plan on writing. But that's just the beginning...
J.B. North
Easy. I just look out the window or walk through the grocery store or watch a movie. I really take inspiration from everything around me, especially the conflicts of everyday life (which is one way to turn a bad thing into a good thing).
J.B. North
A few years ago, I was reading a book called "Hawksong" by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, and fell in love with the idea of people shifting form. After the first book ended, I wanted to keep the idea fresh in my mind, so I began to think of another world with people who could shift form. It really inspired me when I saw how young the author was, so I knew I would be able to do it, too.
And from there, Ivy Oliver and The Five Kingdoms were born.
And from there, Ivy Oliver and The Five Kingdoms were born.
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