Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Jon Mills - An Author Interview in the HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Jon Mills. He is the author of the The Debt Collector Series, Undisclosed Trilogy, Dark Tide and The Promise.



Author Genre: Thriller, Literature& Fiction, Young Adult

Website: Jon Mills
Twitter: @Jon_Mills
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Amazon Author Profile



Author Description:
Jon is from England but resides in Canada.

Jon is currently writing two series. The Debt Collector series and Black Raven which is a CIA thriller.

Among the many books he writes under pen names, he has also written:

The UNDISCLOSED TRILOGY which is a young adult thriller about the origins of mankind, conspiracy theories, the choices we make, and the secrets that are kept from us. Filled with suspense, adventure and a slew of characters that you will love, the books deliver an incredible thrill ride and an unforgettable original story.

The DEBT COLLECTOR series is thriller about a hitman turned vigilante. Loved by people and hated by criminals he now lives to help others. Jack Winchester was a notorious hitman for a ruthless New Jersey crime family until a job went wrong, and he wound up serving time. Four years later, Jack is free and he wants out of the game, but his boss won't let him go. Forced to take on one last job to make amends for what landed him in prison, he travels to the small town of Rockland Cove, Maine. There, he not only discovers that the target and money have disappeared; he finds himself falling for a damaged woman, and befriending an unruly son left behind.

He also wrote The Promise which is about an A list actor who is forced into go to rehab and falls for his counselor. Romantically challenged and still reeling from her mother's death. Hailey Welland, an addiction counselor in a small town in New York, struggles to keep her parents' once flourishing treatment center from closing. When faced with a proposition of help she can't refuse, sparks fly as Hailey discovers it all hinges on helping the one Hollywood actor that no other center will touch.With only two weeks to make it work, will Hailey be able to step up to the challenge?


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

Congratulations on your book: Angel of Death. What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

The next book out will be called, Prey. This will be the sixth book in the Debt Collector series. It will be released in early November 2016. The book is about a desperate mother who seeks the help of Jack Winchester to find the men who kidnapped her twelve-year old boy.

You have a good following on twitter. How important have your social media relationships been? How did you build your following in your niche? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?

Social media is a strange beast. I treat it like any other part of the book business. It’s another cog in the wheel. Some use it. Some don’t. I don’t give it much weight as I can count on one hand how many people I keep tabs on via social media. The rest is just noise.

Do you do any book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?

Due to time restraints, no. Besides, I kind of see it as a waste of time. It’s from the old school approach of marketing a book. Way back in the day, a lot of people used to go into bookstores to purchase. Today more people buy digital copies online. Of course some big publishing companies will balk at that and disagree but each to their own. Unless you have a following like J.K. Rowling I don’t see the point of it.

You have great covers. They carry a theme and your brand with them. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?

I have someone who does all my book covers. I might get feedback on covers that have been made but I don’t rely on that feedback. I usually give my designer a rough idea of what the book is about, and give him a few ideas and then he does the rest.

You have written a short story called True Connection. Can you tell us if it had an impact on the sales of your novels? Are shorty’s one of your styles of writing or are they created to give readers a sample of your work?

Short stories can be very profitable. I write under many pen names, most that I don’t reveal and I have good success with them. True Connection hasn’t had that much impact on the sales of my other books because it’s in a different genre. Most of mine are thrillers. That one is a drama/love story.

I like the idea of bundling a series of novels. You have put together a set of your novels called Undisclosed Trilogy. What was the impact on your other sales? What was your main objective in bundling your novels?

I use bundling to reach the audience that won’t buy one book in a series, they prefer to buy three in one go and save a few bucks.

What writer support groups do you belong to? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?

I don’t spend time in writing support groups but I do occasionally drop into to kboards.com as there is always some heated exchange going on there that I enjoy a good laugh.

What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?

I believe 100% in giving away a book for free. It can have a big impact on a series that isn’t moving. It has worked very well with The Debt Collector series. Now, having said that I wouldn’t do it with every series. It depends on how competitive the genre is. I have some books that do fine without the first one free. I also use giveaways via Goodreads mainly for getting the word out there when a new book has been released.

Do you maintain a reader list? What are the methods you use to find your readers and create the list and the relationship? Do you use social media, forums, newsletters and/or support groups to build your list?

Yes I have a readers list. I email twice a month. I collect emails by giving away a free book on my website and by placing a link in the back of my books to sign up for special subscriber only discounts.

What is your method of getting reviews for your novels? Do you seek professional reviews, use social media or do you rely on your reading audience to supply them?

I have a blurb in the back of my book that asks people to leave a review if they liked it. That seems to do the trick. You really only need about 5 or 10 good reviews. There are a lot of authors out there using questionable ways to get reviews. I don’t agree with most of them but each to their own. At the end of the day, if your book cover is good, if your blurb is good and your story is good it will get good reviews. I do think an author should ask, but only ask those who have read your book.



Author's Book List
Angel of Death - Debt Collector - Jack Winchester Vigilante Justice Thriller Series Book 5
A wealthy businessman hires Jack Winchester to rescue his daughter from a dangerous group but with Special Agent Baker breathing down his neck, they may be the least of his troubles.

From Florida to Chicago, Lima to the Amazon rainforest, Angel of Death is a fast paced thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the very last page.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


Hard to Kill - Debt Collector - Jack Winchester Vigilante Justice Thriller Series Book 4
Jack Winchester is a drifter. A ghost to those who pursue him and a danger to those who confront him. Once a notorious hitman for a New Jersey crime family, Jack is now a fugitive trying to right his wrongs. Wanted by the FBI and hunted by one of the Sicilian Mafia’s top assassins, he travels to New Orleans to reconnect with an old flame. But things aren’t what they seem. Not only must he cross paths with a ruthless drug lord just as Hurricane Danielle makes landfall, but he’s about to discover that he may be the only one that can save his ex and daughter.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


Reborn - Debt Collector - Jack Winchester Vigilante Justice Thriller Series Book 3
Former mobster and hitman Jack Winchester must rely on his old skills to save a brother and sister smuggled into Los Angeles from Hong Kong. When Jack travels to Skid Row in order to put the past behind him, he is forced to contend with the Triads.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


Vengeance - Debt Collector - Jack Winchester Vigilante Justice Thriller Series Book 2
Mobster and hitman Jack Winchester thought he had put his past behind him. When he returns to New York City and finds his friend murdered, and his sister kidnapped, Jack goes to war against the Sicilian Mafia.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


The Debt Collector - Jack Winchester Vigilante Justice Thriller Series Book 1
Jack Winchester was a notorious hitman for a ruthless New Jersey crime family until a job went wrong, and he wound up serving time.

Four years later, Jack is free and he wants out of the game, but his boss won't let him go. Forced to take on one last job to make amends for what landed him in prison, he travels to the small town of Rockland Cove, Maine.

There, he not only discovers that the target and money have disappeared; he finds himself falling for a damaged woman, and befriending an unruly son left behind.

Under mounting pressure from his boss and local police—as well as the ghosts of his past—he must unravel the mystery and decide where his loyalties lie…before it's too late.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store


Clandestine - Undisclosed Trilogy, Book 3
An unknown airborne disease that kills
A dangerous government agency
And one hope for mankind

Clandestine continues the ageless war between the Guardians and the Watchers with a new enemy that threatens to eliminate both sides, even if it means spreading an airborne disease that could wipe out civilization.

After escaping near death in Peru and preventing the destruction of humanity, Travis Marshall struggles to find a way to save Jayde and uncover the truth behind the agenda of the shadowy government agency known as ONE.

When Travis receives a series of mysterious packages from an unknown ally who promises to help, he must decide who to trust before it's too late.

Loyalties will be questioned, new allegiances will be formed, and secrets will finally be disclosed as he faces his greatest challenge yet.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store


Retribution - Undisclosed Trilogy, Book 2
Civilizations have been wiped out three times: first by fire, second by ice and third by water.

Now begins the countdown to the destruction of humanity on a level not seen since the flood.

Forever haunted by what occurred beneath Mount Archuleta in Dulce, New Mexico, Travis Marshall returns a year older, his DNA altered, and his full potential unknown. Exploring his newfound abilities, his relationship with Jayde and countless cities searching for his brother, he realizes the world he once knew has been forever changed.

Hiding the side effects of his genetic changes, and wrestling with a major discovery in the city of Chicago he is once again forced to face a familiar menace, and this time vengeance is personal.

Driven to find the original diary of James Vincent Forrestal, as well as a legendary artifact, Travis must face his greatest fears and unravel an ancient mystery before it’s too late. Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, every clue leads him closer to decoding a global event with catastrophic consequences.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store


Undisclosed - Undisclosed Trilogy, Book 1
Legends -- myths and religions -- called them by many names. One group was our protector, the other an enemy. Both knew the secret of human origins. Both had different agendas. Both remained undisclosed until now.

Living in Los Alamos, New Mexico, a small town already shrouded in secrecy, disappearances and the unusual, Travis Marshall's life spirals out of control after a sudden and horrendous tragedy.

One year later, when tragedy strikes again and this time his father, a molecular biologist at the illustrious Los Alamos Laboratories mysteriously vanishes and his own life is put in jeopardy, Travis discovers more than the truth behind his disappearance.

In a race against time and aided by an unusual band of outsiders, he finds himself thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse in which the outcome could change everything. Beneath a blanket of ancient lies, global cover-ups and genetic tampering he's about to uncover not only the origins of mankind, but also come face to face with those who threaten the fate of the human race.

The answers to the greatest questions of all time have never been as terrifying, exciting or troubling.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store


The Promise: A Novel
Romantically challenged and still reeling from her mother's death. Hailey Welland, an addiction counselor in a small town in New York, struggles to keep her parents' once flourishing treatment center from closing. When faced with a proposition of help she can't refuse, sparks fly as Hailey discovers it all hinges on helping the one Hollywood actor that no other center will touch.

With only two weeks to make it work, will Hailey be able to step up to the challenge? Can love truly heal all wounds?

The Promise tells an emotionally riveting story of a journey, one of love triumphing over human weakness and social differences.


Order the Book From:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
KOBO Store


Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
HBS Author's Spotlight
eBook Author’s Corner
Top Shelf Author Advice
Mystery Reader’s Circle

Check out the index of other Spotlight authors. Spotlight Index.

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