Interview: Almond Jones

It's been a little while since my last author interview - let's bring it back in style!

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Wingmen, and to celebrate, I'm pleased to be welcoming author Almond Jones to The Writing Greyhound.

Almond Jones is an independent publisher and author who started a publishing company in 2016, before releasing debut novel Wingmen.

Learn more about Almond Jones and Wingmen below!

How did you first become interested in writing?

It was a skill that developed into a passion when I started my business. I’ve had to reinvent myself several times in between then and now. I still have a lot to learn about my industry.

Tell me about Wingmen.

Celeste Bonalee is a highly skilled courier pilot in 1940. When she is shot down over France at the beginning of WWII, she and her wingmen – she has two – must make it home in one piece.

Why did you decide to write historical fiction?

I didn’t. I started writing the story and decided Celeste was a pilot. Her profession put her in WWII era. She needed the freedom to be her and, as a pilot, I’m not sure she would have that freedom today.

What drew you to writing about the war?

War affects everyone – directly or indirectly. Everyone’s lives are more interconnected than we realize. I could’ve made it futuristic but we have much to learn from the past.

What’s your writing process?

I start with the character work. The story cannot proceed if I don’t know the character well enough. Then there’s the format. The story decides the format – novel, screenplay, television pilot, etc. Once I have the character and the format, I do the work. I start writing. I try to write everyday but I usually have a goal of how much I want to write over a certain period of time. I keep writing until the first draft is done. After the first draft, then a completely different level of work begins.

Tell me about your journey to getting published.

The short version of the story is that I wrote Wingmen several years ago but I’ve given up writing multiple times over the past ten years. I decided I didn’t want to wait for someone to approve my work before I do what I wanted to do. So, I started my own publishing company. Now I make the decisions. It’s not easy and it’s a high learning curve but I’m determined to make it work.

Which authors inspire you?

I respect Mara Brock Akil, Penny Marshall, and Nancy Meyers. I lean toward the writer/director role because that’s where I’m headed.

What are you currently working on?

I’m promoting Wingmen at the moment. I have another project in the works but I won’t know the status for a few months. I hope to start my next book sometime next year as well as adapt a play I wrote into a novel (two separate projects).

What are you reading at the moment?

I just finished reading a book by the late Dick Gregory and I’m looking forward to reading Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime. It came out a few years ago but was released in paperback this year.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I want to start a production company that funnels projects from by publishing company within the next five to ten years. I want it to be self-sustaining but profitable enough to take on other authors and partner with other production companies.

If you can't wait to get your hands on a copy, Wingmen is available to buy now.

I'm also thrilled to be able to offer you the chance to win a copy of Wingmen for yourself! Simply enter via the Rafflecopter widget below.

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Will you be reading the book? Let me know in the comments below!