Interview with JG Jones

Author of From the Cave Wall: A Stone Age Story

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I grew up in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. I am Now living in Norfolk, United Kingdom with my husband and our gorgeous black cat, Millie.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I moved to Norfolk for university where I studied history. Once my degree was completed, I stayed on for another year studying for my Postgraduate Degree in Education, specializing in Primary education (ages 5-11). During that time I met my now husband, who was happily settled in the county, moved in with him, and the rest is history!

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I left teaching after six years in the classroom, for health reasons. I had always loved history and had noticed a lack of books for children which supported the curriculum in certain areas. I chose to focus on The Stone Age, initially, as this was an area that was particularly poorly represented in children’s literature.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

Each book fits into a timeline of tales which tell our story, brought to life through children’s eyes. This first book tells the tale of Osha and her life in the Stone Age. Experience the trials of living in the wild, hunting or foraging for food and using the natural world to survive. Readers can join Osha, her family and friends to see how the story unfolds.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Children, as that is the intended audience. I explore what it is to be a child during the different time periods, uncovering their individual stories within the specific historical era.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

The process took a long time, about 18 months from conception to completion and I did take a few extended breaks in the middle of it. I was concerned when I did this that I would completely lose the thread of my story. Instead, I was surprised to discover that those breaks actually led to great inspiration and in the end, ensured the story was far better than it had been. By the end, I had rewritten parts of the book about five or six times, but that final manuscript was definitely the best it could be.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Definitely to keep going. Even when things get tough and I felt like giving up, just stop, take a few days and then return and don’t be afraid to throw it out and start again!

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

As many as possible. The book may be written with children in mind, but it has already been enjoyed by readers of a whole range of ages!

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

I love writing and creating worlds but once that finishes, I need to be prepared to potentially rip it up and start again. That has been hard. Instinctively my thinking goes one of two ways: I reread and feel it is the best work I have ever done and NOTHING could make it better vs. It is appalling writing and must be burned and buried in the depths of the earth! Finding the middle of these is something I am still working on. With the help of beta readers, whom I trust implicitly, I am turning this frustration into a writing lesson.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I feel very confident in my writing ability. It comes relatively easy to me and I can get words on paper very quickly. I love building worlds with words and exploring where the story takes me. Publishing and marketing were completely new things to me, but I have enjoyed learning about different methods of marketing and finding interesting ways to promote my book and myself. Publishing was relatively easy, as I made use of Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing which was easy for me to navigate.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

When it comes to writing, I need to learn when to stop! Finding the right balance between lengthy descriptive passages and insightful dialogue is difficult. In the area of publishing, my weakness is artwork. Luckily I have people around me who are willing to provide their skills in support of my work (my husband drew the mammoth on the front cover), I provide the ideas and they help me realize it. Marketing is the area which I am continuing to learn about: finding the best places to promote and share my work is hard, particularly in a saturated market. Another tricky aspect is the need to recognize that as a children’s author, although you are writing for children, you need to promote to those who are purchasing the book – adults. I have never been the type of person to shout about myself – overcoming that reticence to self-promote is something which I am still finding difficult.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I am currently writing my next book, From a Father’s Hands: An Iron Age Story. I had hoped to have it finished by Spring 2020 but this is likely to be delayed until early Summer 2020.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I am self published as I wanted to have sole control of publication and marketing. It is a hard path to take but I like that my success is completely dependent on me.