Author Bio:
J. T. Bishop is the author of the Red-Line trilogy and an Indie BRAG Medallion recipient for her first book (Red-Line: The Shift).
Born and raised in Dallas, TX, she began writing in 2012. Two years later, Red-Line was complete. She has been working hard since to publish all three books and is excited to announce that the third book in the trilogy, Trust Destiny, was published in November of 2015. Her fourth book, Curse Breaker, will be published in the Fall of 2016.
She loves stories where people with unusual abilities find themselves in difficult circumstances. Drama, angst, passion, anger, fear, and love are all part of the deal. It’s great to put a character through the ringer and see what comes out on the other side. A little bit of romance thrown in doesn’t hurt either.
J. T. enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling to amazing places, and spending time in nature. Getting up in the morning with a cup of coffee and her laptop, ready to write is the start of a perfect day.
What inspires you to write?
I love interesting stories and great characters. I love the interplay between people, so it’s fun to create tales where people go through all sorts of difficulties and see how they respond. Once I have an idea that I love, I can’t wait to sit down and write.
Tell us about your writing process.
My writing process has morphed over the years. I usually have an idea in my head, and I just keep working with it until I feel I have something I’m excited to write. If I don’t the feel the “I can’t wait to get this on paper” feeling, then I keep fiddling with it. I will usually start writing an outline, just so I can keep my ideas aligned, but once I start writing, anything can happen. I’ve come up with my best characters on the fly. If something pops in my head as I write, then I know it’s worth keeping. In fact, I love it when that happens. It makes writing fun – the unknown.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I listen to them. They are talking and interacting in my head, so I am basically just taking dictation. I occasionally stop and think when I feel a character is not ringing true. Then I’ll take a moment to make sure the dialogue is authentic, but that’s not often. Most of the time, it’s a clear channel. This is one of the reasons why I think writing is so fun. I almost feel as if I’m butting in on other people’s lives as I record their story. I love that.
Who are your favorite authors?
I love Lee Child and his Jack Reacher books. I also love the Pendergast books by Douglas Preston and Lee Child. I’ve been a Stephen King fan since high school. I loved his memoir, On Writing. It’s the best book on the writing craft that I’ve read.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Initially, I thought I’d go the traditionally published route, but I quickly realized how long that process is and that it could take years before I ever got a book on a shelf. Self-publishing allows me to get my books out now and allows me to start building a following. What I love about doing it on my own is that I’m my own boss. I make all the final decisions. What’s hard is that you are on your own. You pay for the editor and the book cover, and if you want it done right, you don’t skimp. I wanted my books to have the look and feel of a traditionally published book. When somebody picks it up and reads it, I don’t want a reader to be able to tell the difference. I’m fanatical about this. I want my work to be presented in the best possible light. If I had the choice now to do traditionally published, I don’t know that I would take it. Right now, for me, self publishing is the way to go.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think the self publishing route is only getting stronger. Traditional publishers don’t pay new authors very well. The money seems to go to the big named authors and celebrities. We are seeing lots of self published authors find success. I think that will happen more and more. Unfortunately, self publishing still has the stigma of poor quality. I think that is still true for a lot of work out there. I’d like to see more filters put in place to prevent that and I think it’s starting to happen. At some point, I think the traditional world is going to have to make some changes. There are some talented self published authors out there, and they should be recognized and paid for their efforts.
What genres do you write?
Suspense, Supernatural (of the alien sort)
What formats are your books in?
eBook, Print
Website(s)
J. T. Bishop Home Page Link
Link To J. T. Bishop Page On Amazon
