Benjamin Jones's Blog, page 3

Head Above Water Release Date

With this blog posting I am SUPER EXCITED to announce - FINALLY - the release date for my long gestating romance novel entitled Head Above Water. That date is the first day of Winter, December 22nd, 2011

Head Above Water is a story I like to call a grown up fairy tale. Set in a modern world but with a splah of fantasy thrown in the story hits you with laughter, tears, unexpected twists and leaves you with one question: how much would you sacrifice to be with the one you love?

It's gonna be a real hot winter!

http://benjaminjoneswrites.weebly.com...

Tonight's the Night - H.U.B. Volume 3 Release!

So tonight at around midnight-ish I will be releasing my latest volume of H.U.B. onto the world and I can't wait to get feedback from it. The reviews I've gotten back so far have been very good so I'm feeling good about this volume.

I honestly feel that volume 3 is some of, if not THE, best writing in this series that I've done. Hopefully you the readers will also feel that same way and will continue to support the project and be on the lookout for H.U.B. Volume 4 when it drops late next year.

Get your copy of Volume 3 (and Volume 1 and 2 if for some un-Godly reason you don't have them) at http://www.whatishub.net or via http://www.benjaminjoneswrites.weebly... There you can find info on the various places to purchase (Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, etc...).

Tomorrow, in celebration of the release of H.U.B. Volume 3 I will be signing copies of H.U.B. Volume 1 & 2 paperback at Camelot book store in Little Elm, TX from 12:00 to 6:00 so, if you live within an 8 hour radius, hop in your car, catch the train, jump on Greyhound or find someway to get there. I'll be taking pics and posting them (probably live tweeting as well) so it should be a good time.

Thanks for the support

Humanity's Ultimate Battle Promotion

In anticipation of the release of Humanity's Ultimate Battle (H.U.B.) Volume 3: The Tipping Point, I decided to come up with a promotion.

From now until 9.15.11 anyone who purchases a copy of the paperback version of H.U.B. Volume 1 & 2 will receive the ebook version of H.U.B. Volume 3: The Tipping for free (Volume 3 to be released on 9.10.11). Doesn't that sound awesome? I know!!

So, be sure to get your copy at http://www.whatishub.net . Thanks for the support; much appreciated!

Ben.

Third Time's The Charm

Okay, we'll try this again! I've tried to write this blog entry twice and both times I've f**ked up and lost everything I wrote. So, this time I'm going to write w/out using fancy bullet points and just get on with.

Let's see what's been going on with me and my attempt at a career in writing:

* First of all, I've recently gotten on Google+ so, if you're on there and think I'm awesome (as you should), add me. You can find me by visiting https://plus.google.com/?tab=mX#11456... .

* As most of you probably know (and if you don't know now you know) Humanity's Ultimate Battle (H.U.B.) Volume 3: The Tipping Point is completed and ready to be released on 9.10.11. You can find all things HUB related by visiting www.whatishub.net Be sure to pick up Volumes 1 and 2 today so that you'll be caught up when the Tipping Point arrives. I'm really excited about this volume of the series as I feel my writing has definitely gotten better since volume 2. I'm starting to hit my vampire stride!

* Head Above Water, my romance novel that pre-dates the H.U.B. series by about a decade, is FINALLY ready to be released upon the world and I'm looking at a late 4th quarter 2011 release date. This is a sharp turn from my work on H.U.B. so I'm interested to see the reviews on it. I'm currently awaiting feedback from a select few who I have sent it to. This book is really my baby and it's time for it to spread its wings and take flight.

* The Clan of the Flying Pens project (http://www.theclanoftheflyingpens.wee... ) is almost here. 6 different writers, all of different writing styles/genres, coming together to showcase their work is going to be a BEAUTIFUL thing. I've read some of the Clan members work and it's really, really good. Not sure exactly what I'm going to be contributing (probably some poetry, segments of Head Above Water, portions of H.U.B. 3, etc...) but it's going to be FIRE, that I can assure you! SHOUT OUT to the Clan!

* While it's on my mind, big SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to all my buds on Twitter, especially my writer/artists out there. I've met some real bad ass folks on there and for some of them to actually tell me that I inspire them is an AWESOME feeling. I enjoy people actually wanting ME to read THEIR work and give my feedback on it. Who would've thought?!?!

* I'm knee deep in work on The Girl In The Red Balloon, the novel I've decided to write while taking a break between volumes 3 and 4 of H.U.B. I'm not sure how the story is going to end yet but I'll figure that out in a few months. Be sure to check back for more info on this story later.

* Beginning to think of festivals/conventions that I can hit up next year to continue to get my writing brand out. Just this morning I got an email in regards to a festival next March that I'm interested in attending. Once things are confirmed I will be sure to post information on them. Speaking of confirmed, I will be having a book signing on 9.10.11 at the Camelot bookstore in Little Elm, TX from 12-6. Also, I will be having a book signing at the Little Elm Library on October 24th from 11-2. If you would like more info on either of these hit me up at ben(at)whatishub.net

* I have made a few booksales over the last few weeks (thanks to all of you for your purchase - each book sold helps to make my dream a reality) and the traffic to my sites has been awesome so thanks to everyone who has visited.

* Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/maddwriter

That's all I can remember right now but, if there's something I forgot, I will make another post. More later.....

An Ode to Kennedy

For my daughter.....

When I find out you were coming I was afraid, not wanting to be the father that my father was. Once you were here I had no doubts. June 23rd, 2000 you were born - the greatest work of art I could ever hope to write.

Who would've predicted that your mother and I wouldn't last but I appreciate her for carrying you. Seeing you smile is worth all the headaches and tears I shed going through custody fights over you. I hate that I only see you every other weekend; there's something not right about a willing and loving father not being able to see his child except every two weeks. But, regardless, the times we have are precious. The first time I dropped you off after the custody issues came up I cried so much and I was so hurt and I have always tried to hide the pain I feel from you, though I don't know how good I am at doing that sometimes.

You're growing up so fast. It seemed like only yesterday when I was the first person to hold you once you were born. I continue to be proud of the young lady you've become and the time we spend together is priceless: feeding ducks, watching iCarly, choir performances, watching movies. Who would've known that one day you would tell me that you were proud of me for having my book on Amazon? That alone is worth more than any amount of books I will ever sell in my lifetime.

You are my daughter. My friend. My little queen. My favorite person in the world. My lasting legacy in this world. A true beauty in a sometimes ugly world. My constant. My love.

Daddy loves you.

Humanity's Ultimate Vampire Giveaway

Humanity's Ultimate Battle and GetFanged.Com present: HUMANITY'S ULTIMATE VAMPIRE CONTEST GIVEAWAY

On the hunt for new (free!) summer reading? One lucky Fanger will receive a coupon for Smashwords to download any one of Author Ben Jones' HUB novels.
To participate, simply send the correct answers to the following five questions to Suzi (http://getfanged.com/profile/SuzanneC...) before midnight EST on Saturday, July 30th. One correct ballot will be randomly chosen as our winner.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR VAMPIRES?
1. Which vampire film did David Bowie star in?
2. Who took the lead role in Bloodrayne 2?
3. In Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, which vampire made Lestat?
4. Name the album recently released by Hammer's most famous Dracula actor?
5. What is the title of the 4th Underworld film?
Hint: The answers to all five questions can be found on Vampire News: (http://vampirenews.blogspot.com/)

Upcoming Book Signing

September 10, 2011


What: Book signing of Humanity's Ultimate Battle (H.U.B.) Volume 1 & 2 Collection


Where: Camelot Bookstore
407 W. Eldorado Pkwy Ste 6
Little Elm, TX 75068
972-987-4500


When: 12:00 to 6:00 PM


Come out and support if you're in the area! Get on Twitter/Facebook/Text or whatever and tell all your friends and family. If you know someone who is into vampires then this is where they need to be!


Autographed copies will be $10.00.

Interview with Getfanged.com

*Below is my interview that was conducted by the fine folks at Getfanged.com.

"My name is Benjamin Jones and I'm what's known as an independent (for the time being) author who is working tirelessly to make this dream of mine to be the world's greatest writer a reality. Right now I'm simply the greatest writer that 99.99998% of the world hasn't heard of, but I'm working to get that percentage a little lower."

Tell us a detail about the real Ben Jones, not the writer, but the man, which defines you.

I’m SUPER competitive and that competitiveness sinks its claws into EVERY aspect of my life, be it in writing or playing Playstation. I have a drive to the best at whatever I do and it’s so bad that I don’t even let my kids win at games – if they beat me then they know they will have earned that win but they should also know that I’m going to be coming at them harder the next game!

You have a fascination with vampires, but what exactly is it about the vampire, as a creature, which has you drawn to them?

The part of vampires that fascinates with me is the humanity within them. I don’t look at them as monsters, I look at them as humans that have become monstrous and, underneath it all, there’s still a bit of humanity left within them.

In your series “Humanity’s Ultimate Battle” (H.U.B.) you pit vampires against human beings, but they are vampires we are not familiar with. In 10 words or less, describe your vampires for us.

Misunderstood. A minority trying to live peacefully. Dangerous when provoked.

You’ve said elsewhere how the concept of the H.U.B. series arose from a response to the soft teen romance popularity of vampires. Is this the only personal issue you see your vampires addressing?

No, not at all. The vampires in H.U.B. address many different issues that we go through today. 99% of the vampires in H.U.B. just want to left alone and free to live their lives just like humans; they work, have kids, pay bills, love, etc…, etc… They’re a minority that is far outnumbered and, as such, humans try to press their will on them and the consequences aren’t always what the humans anticipate. I want this series to give readers something new to think about when it came to vampires. There’s more to the life of a vampire than killing or, in the case of Twilight, falling in love. There’s politics, xenophobia, fear, as well as killing and the many other emotions that come with life.

You describe yourself as an independent writer, but recently you have collaborated with other writers in diverse genres. Tell us how this works for you as a writer developing your craft?

What the collaboration with my group (we call ourselves The Clan of the Flying Pens – www.theclanoftheflyingpens.weebly.com ) does for me is makes me write stronger. When I read something good that one of the other members has written then I know that I have to step my game up and come with something that much better than what they have. At the same time what the group does is expose each other and our varied genres/writing styles to a wider range of audience. Certain readers may be drawn to our book by the crime thriller that one member of the Clan has written but then stumble upon an excerpt of H.U.B. that’s included and really like it (and vice versa).

Due to commitments in work, you write when you can, making your writing part-time. Do you think giving time between writing activity has shaped or affected your writing style?

It’s definitely affected my writing in the fact that it makes me know how valuable time is. When I write I tend to write “lean” meaning that my books aren’t these bloated 500 page behemoths with a lot of unnecessary fat to them. I try to get to the point as quickly as possible without sacrificing character development or anything crucial to the story.

Other than horror movies and books, what other sources of inspiration do you rely on to charge your creativity?

Great question. I’m inspired by all my writing peers, everyone from those like myself that are tying to make names for themselves all the way up to those like Stephen King (who is my idol). Like I’ve said in a previous interview, I love all the writers out there but I’m going to try to outsell you just because my competitive drive is so high.

Going back to your H.U.B. novels, you have the advantage of telling a detailed story in a series, where the plot development is free of the restrictions present in single volumes or trilogies. How does the pace of a series determine the way you explore extra dimensions of your characters?

Having the advantage of a series at my disposal I have the freedom to give certain characters the lead in one volume to where you get to know a lot about a certain character but in the next volume the focus shifts on other characters that may not have been in the previous volume or only mentioned in a phone call.

Another thing the pacing does is allow me to space things out the way I want to (no need to rush the impending war) and give the readers the full build up to what’s about to happen and not force feed it so quickly down their throats. I want the reader to get so caught up in everything else going on in the series that, when the war finally does happen, it’s like the icing on the already delicious cake.

The first novel is due for release later this year, published after your series H.U.B. How do you think your first novel has prepared you for your writing now in print?

The first novel, and all of the handwritten drafts that it went through, gave me the discipline that I need to continue on with the H.U.B. series. Through my work on Head Above Water (the title of my first novel) I was able to take all the lessons I learned writing it (including all the frustration of failed queries) and make my writing on H.U.B. that much better and gave me the confidence to put it out independently. In turn, the work on H.U.B. has provided me with even more lessons that I flipped and used when I ran through the latest re-write of Head Above Water.

You have confessed a liking for paper and pen when writing, and the cursive style when committing your personal thoughts to paper, especially in the letter form. Is it the romance associated with these tools of the trade or do they mean more to you?

There is the romance aspect but, most importantly, me writing my books in paper and pen allows me to feel “closer” to the story and the characters in it. It takes a lot – in writing a letter and ESPECIALLY in writing a book – to sit down and write draft after draft after draft using pen and paper. Writing is one of the things where I feel that the technology of computers isn’t always useful (some aspects anyway). It’s infinitely quicker to type up a book than it is to write it, same way that it’s a lot faster and easier to microwave something as opposed to using the oven, but that oven cooked meal is gonna taste so much better once you’ve waited for it to cook just right.

In H.U.B. volume 3, you are still approaching a promised war, and I am sure you won’t disappoint your fans. Without spoiling anything, what can we expect in the future for H.U.B?

Volume 3 is called The Tipping Point for a reason because, after this, you know that the war is definitely coming – SOON! Events happen and people die, shaping up the landscape for what was detailed in the prologue in the first volume. There are TREMENDOUS repercussions for actions that take place in volume 3 that will forever change every character involved in the series so far. It’s gonna be a lot of fun.

After Volume 3 you can expect the action to really get cranked up as the first 3 volumes have been the slow burning fuse to the dynamite that is about to blow up. I’ve been laying out the various scenes that are going to take place in Volume 4: Revenge, Retaliation & Getback (the title should tell the audience what the book will focus on) and I can see it easily being as long as the first two volumes (and maybe the third) put together.

Finally, we all want to know, what’s got you Fanged Ben?

What has Ben fanged is the love of the written word – writing has had it’s fangs embedded in my neck for as long as I can recall. What else has me fanged is the opportunity to entertain people and put out the best product that I can so that my readers/fans feel that they’ve gotten their monies worth.


What it all boils down to is that I’m a big kid still chasing my dream and anyone that helps me do that I am forever indebted to and I want to return the love that’s given to me right back. My gratitude is endless. Please visit www.whatishub.net to find out more about the series and how you can purchase and contact me. I love talking with fans.


http://getfanged.com/profile/Benjamin...
www.whatishub.net

Read from the source by visiting http://t.co/bGUAC9M.

Head Above Water News + Other Goodies

Hello all.

Wanted to post something real quick and let everyone know that the progress for Head Above Water is going very VERY well. I am done editing it and right now I am in the process of typing it up and getting it formatted so that it can look decent in the upcoming e-book. I'm hoping to have it released sometime this year after H.U.B. Volume 3 drops, maybe around the first week or so in December. Check back later for an actual date.


I have a print interview with the good folks at Getfanged.com (check them out www.getfanged.com ) coming up very soon and I believe there will be contest for the first three volumes of HUB to correspond with the release of H.U.B. Volume 3: The Tipping Point on 9.10.11!


The 1st Chamber from the Clan of the Flying Pens is coming real soon as well. Lot of good things cooking in my kitchen!

www.benjaminjoneswrites.weebly.com

Radio Interview Information - June 30, 2011

Wanted to remind everyone that today I have two radio interviews that you can listen to and call in if you feel the need (and I hope you do). The information is as follows:

June 30th, 2011

What: Radio Interview with Ms. Bernadine Feagins
When: June 30th, 2011 at 1 PM Eastern Time/12 PM Central
Where: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/girlpower
Call in number: 619-789-4307

What: Radio Interview with Ms. LaSean Shelton (Mz. Optimizm)
When: June 30th, 2011 at 9 PM Eastern Time/8 PM Central
Where: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mz-optimizm
Call in number: 646-915-9408

Hope you guys and gals tune in! Thanks for the support.

Ben.