Bixby Jones interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is Bixby Jones. I previously self-published a series of mystery novels under a different pen name. I am approaching forty, happily divorced, and live in Texas with my mother and cat. 

When did your love of books begin?

From childhood, no doubt. I had a wide variety of Little Golden Books that my mother would read me every night, and I would always head straight for the books section in every store we frequented! 

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

When I was ten years old—actually, that’s only half true. I started writing fiction when I was ten years old, but at that time, I was more thinking in terms of writing episodic television. Hey, if you’re gonna dream, dream big, right?! 

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

There’ve been lots of fits and starts along the way, I have to say. I wrote episodic serials for almost ten years, throughout my teens and early twenties, and then finally graduated into publishing these works online. Think along the lines of Wattpad, but we didn’t have dedicated sites for it in those days—we had to create our own. From there, I moved into independent publishing, and pretty much never looked back! It’s been a fun process, and I’d like to think I’ve learned a lot, too.

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

Be kind to yourself. There is an entire world out there who can and will tear you down—DON’T help them out. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Tell the stories that you want to tell, your way. Never lose sight of the pure joy that comes from creating something out of nothing. And be prepared to work. Hard. It’s not always easy eking out a niche in the independent world, but your readers are out there. It’s just a matter of finding them!

Tell us about your book/books:

My debut romance novel, Soulmate, Stage Right (available February 11) is a contemporary story about Abby Devlin, a drama teacher who’s always dreamt of being a famous actress, but has been relegated to community theater. Her new co-star, Dean Altman, had a lucrative career as a soap actor before a painful divorce, after which he moved back to his hometown with his young daughter and simplified his life. Sparks fly between Abby and Dean almost immediately, but whether is what they have real, or is it all just an illusion? 

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love the camaraderie. There is so much kindness and support to be found there.

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

I appreciate you guys more than you know. It is so easy to feel isolated, or that your words and stories aren’t having an impact, and it is wonderful to hear from you. Thank you so much for your support! 

Where can people connect with you?

Mostly, I hang out on Twitter @itsbixbyjones. I am also on FB and Insta, but nowhere near as active. The links to all my socials are on my website: http://www.bixbyjones.com