Ask the Author: Adele Jones
Answered Questions (19)
Adele Jones
Hard drive fail. Back-up incomplete.
Adele Jones
My most recently contracted book is coming out in April, 2024, and it came from seeing repeated reference to 'frequency' in many different contexts. Seemed I should put it in a story ... :)
Adele Jones
I wish there were an easy answer, Ruth. There's a lot of juggling, late nights, and very little television. I think to keep a healthy balance between writing time and the stuff of life, there has to be a significant amount of give and take, but finding what works for everyone is a challenge.
Adele Jones
Thanks for your question, Nola, and the suggestion the Blaine Colton trilogy is 'mini-series worthy'. I have been asked previously whether I've considered re-writing the story for the screen, but have the same restriction now as I did then. Time. (Rather, limitations on it.) So, any script writers out there who are keen???? LOL.
Adele Jones
As summer's a long way from now (for me), I'm still working on my winter reading list. Cosy corners, hot chocolate with marshmallows, snuggly blankets ... perfect reading conditions. ;-) #southernhemispheregirl #enjoyyoursummernorthernfolk #tbrlistforallseasons
Adele Jones
Thanks for your question, Jeanette. I've been working on two manuscripts this year. One is a science fantasy spinoff of the Blaine Colton trilogy, while the other is a parallel historical-modern YA narrative that sits somewhere between the realms of science fantasy and slipstream fiction. Both quite different books from the trilogy, which has been interesting to pull together.
Adele Jones
Hi Ruth, yes there have been queries about whether I'll write another book in the Integrate ('...ate' lol) series. I'm afraid I can't alleviate a great deal of curiosity, only to say there has been another story written, but it's a spin-off, not really a sequel. I was given a very apt 'ate' title suggestion for this ms recently, but whether to keep the 'ate' going is another decision I'll have to make, once the future of the story has been determined.
Adele Jones
Ah, the mustering of creative juices ... Thanks for asking, Ruth. I tend to jot notes/ideas with pen and paper, things that usually come to mind at the most inconvenient moments, and then my mind starts piecing things together with increasing momentum. Usually this develops into a scene of considerable clarity, which I then type into an electronic version.
Adele Jones
Hi Christine, Thanks for your question. I enjoy the challenge of writing suspense and would love to tell you I'd researched the market and discovered the YA genre has seen increasing popularity amongst readers in recent years, even by readers outside the traditional YA target audience. Although this trend has been observed, truthfully, I kind of fell into it.
Primarily I'd been writing historical fiction novels and poetry. When waiting on edits on a historical ms I decided to write a YA novel in a month, based on the premise, 'What if science could?' A couple of weeks in, an unpublished ms award was announced, which happened to be accepting YA & children's fiction, up to a word count that equalled my target. It seemed to be timing, so I wrote my tail off and entered .... and .... six months later my first YA techno-thriller ms was awarded the prize. It was published the following year.
Since tumbling into the genre, I've discovered a written voice I just love and continue to work at improving my craft. YA protagonists are so much fun to write and fast-paced thrillers always a heady ride. Love it!
Primarily I'd been writing historical fiction novels and poetry. When waiting on edits on a historical ms I decided to write a YA novel in a month, based on the premise, 'What if science could?' A couple of weeks in, an unpublished ms award was announced, which happened to be accepting YA & children's fiction, up to a word count that equalled my target. It seemed to be timing, so I wrote my tail off and entered .... and .... six months later my first YA techno-thriller ms was awarded the prize. It was published the following year.
Since tumbling into the genre, I've discovered a written voice I just love and continue to work at improving my craft. YA protagonists are so much fun to write and fast-paced thrillers always a heady ride. Love it!
Adele Jones
My friends and I probably spent much of our childhood making up mystery plots from the real scenarios around us. Abandoned cottages, disappearing pets, stolen fuel from farm storage tanks, intruders being chased from the house in the middle of the night - all were fodder for a good story, not to mention the things we invented. Perhaps the strangest puzzle was the discovery of segmented birds in our backyard. They were always 'torn' the same way, and only appeared a certain times. Was there some peculiar group seeking alignment with the darker forces? Was there a malicious animal or person hunting for sport? Eventually I discovered it was a malicious act, but of the feathered variety, being another bird attacking this more vulnerable species. But let's not allow this minor detail to get in the way of a good story ... ;-)
Adele Jones
Thanks for the question, Ruth. The trilogy will end with 'Activate'. But that's not to say there won't be possible spin offs in the future. Whether the 'ate' pattern continues is yet to be seen.
Adele Jones
Thanks for your question, Mary. 'Activate' is scheduled for release next year (2016). I've written the manuscript, but am currently undertaking further research to ensure everything in the storyline/plot checks out. (I try to do enough research to get the first draft down, then go back to interweave more details and validate the scenarios that have developed.) If it doesn't work, it's rewrite time! Hopefully everything will come together relatively quickly so readers can discover what happens to Blaine, his friends and family.
Adele Jones
When writing a series, where possible, there is great value in having the next manuscript written before the previous one goes for final edits and typesetting. There are often unexpected threads that develop as the sequel is being written, and unless you're a super-plotter (versus pantser) this can have an impact of elements of the preceding story. Also consistency is huge. I say this primarily as a reader, having experienced the frustration of sequels where characters don't think, look, talk the same as in the preceding novel, or in some cases, even have the same name or backstory! So annoying. I try very hard not to do that to my readers.
Adele Jones
I do gain a great deal of creative satisfaction from fitting together those puzzle pieces that exist in each writing project. Whether it's unearthing historical facts (which I'm sure you could relate to, Ruth) or developing a satisfactory scientific framework for a YA, I think it's the underlying passion for the topic of interest that drives me to dig deeper into each element that forms the threads in each story. Some days I wonder if I'm being a little too ambitious, but there must be some peculiar sense of accomplishment that keeps me coming back for more.
Adele Jones
Hi Ruth, I'm currently working on the third book in the Integrate trilogy, Activate. I'm at that point where I'm wading through lists of questions I need to answer to ensure the story is feasible and works. Presently the list doesn't seem to be getting any shorter and I have asked myself a number of times why I keep writing stories that require so much background research. Apparently I haven't learned my lesson yet. :) (And if the truth be told, I actually quite enjoy piecing together all the facts ... just wish they were a little easier to come by!)
Adele Jones
Thanks for the question, Tonia. I do aim to have set times for writing, but still frequently fall prey to the unexpected disruptions (or distractions :) ) of life. My best friend is my diary list, which helps me triage the most pressing deadlines and keep me on track, and I think this is even more important when time is limited. I'm a big believer in writing being a habit, and run by the philosophy 'something is better than nothing'. I figure one can't edit nothing - but even if what I've written is eventually deemed rubbish, at least I've learned what won't work through the process.
Adele Jones
I'm currently working on a sequel to 'Integrate'. I wrote the first draft in March this year and am currently editing that draft. It's always a little tricky to know what to focus on once a writing project has advanced to a place of completion. The sequel won priority over another independent work of fiction, and hopefully my focus has been well directed, given since the release of 'Integrate' I've had numerous readers say they'd like to find out more about the characters and their continuing stories. Interestingly, the sequel has brought quite a few surprises with it - including for me, the author!
Adele Jones
Integrate’s technological framework was founded on knowledge gained through my professional background in the field of science and additional research into Blaine’s proposed genetic condition. The gene-therapy alluded to is hypothetical, but based loosely on actual approaches or concepts with theoretical potential. Even though the implied techniques push the bounds of what is scientifically feasible, I wanted to base the technology enough in reality that a reader could believe it to be possible.
Adele Jones
If I experience writer’s block it’s usually when I’m in a busy life season and my writing’s frequently interrupted - or sometimes when facing a seemingly unattainable deadline. It’s like the more I strain, the less inspired my writing becomes. I have discovered (in conjunction with a very spiritual ‘Help, I’ve got nothing!’ :-) ) if I give my attention fully to the project at hand and let it (and myself) breathe uninterrupted for time, gradually the words start to come. (‘Uninterrupted’ usually means between 10pm and 2am!) Doing this habitually helps initiate a run of thoughts that keep me connected to the project in between writing stints.
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