J. Mills interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

J. Mills is the author of The Wild Expanse. A stay-at-home dad by day, novelist by night, he studied business administration at Columbia Southern University and Intelligence Operations Studies at Cochise College. He is a disabled combat veteran who served 13 years in the United States Army as a Multiple Launch Rocket Systems crewmember and a Human Intelligence Collector where he has published several intelligence reports throughout the Intel Community. A Chicago native, he is a lover of coffee, naps, the Blackhawks, and an advocate for children with special needs, currently residing in South Carolina. He loves spending time with his wife and children.

If you want to know when J. Mills' next book will come out, please visit him online at www.twitter.com/authorjmills and https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJMills/.

When did your love of books begin?

When I was a child I enjoyed going to the local library and listening to the nice librarian read to us every week. I was a member of a book club for pre-school-aged children. My mom would take me every week. Later, when I was in second grade, circa 1992, I would discover “The Boxcar Children” book series. I enjoyed those books quite a bit. My true passion for writing came when I was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons around 1996. My older friends would only allow me to play if I agreed to read JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings novels, which I did. I read them no less than four times that summer, I loved everything about the story.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I began writing poetry around that same time, circa 1996. I was also into music and was trying to produce my first album at that same time. Writing lyrics combined with writing full campaigns for future D&D games resulted in stacks of books and notebooks scattered all throughout my bedroom.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

I am a complete Pantser. I will write down anything and everything that strolls through my noodle. I try to organize my thoughts and to follow at least the four primary steps to the writing process, unfortunately for me I am just not always that organized.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

If you write then you are a writer. Keep putting that pen to the paper and inking out those thoughts. Once you've written it down all that's left to do is organize, and have fun!

Tell us about your book/books:

I am the author of “The Wild Expanse”, an exciting adventure that takes place within our world as well as a new, magical world wrought full of beauty and wonder.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love the diversity of the communities, and how affectionate both the readers and other writers are. I always feel very welcomed in either community. I hope that by being associated with one it makes me more understanding of the other.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I hope that anytime someone reads my book that it leads to a discussion. Whether that dialogue is about how great or terrible my story is does not mean as much to me as it does to know that it may have inspired someone else to try their hands at doing it better.

Where can people connect with you?

People can connect with me via the following social media links and sites: Twitter at @AuthorJMills Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJMills My official site: https://authorjmills.wixsite.com/authorjmills Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/135216384 Email me at: AuthorJMills@gmail.com