Author interview: John Evans

It is with great pleasure I welcome author John Evans to my blog. John has authored a number of titles including his current project The Armageddon Wars Series. Let’s meet the author.

About the author

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 1(1)

Born in the Uk I began writing seriously in 2014. Three years prior to this I had been forced to give up a promising career in acting and film-making in order to care for my mother following her severe stroke. The writing began as a way for me to express myself creatively and to escape the confines of my current position.

What are your hobbies?

Due to my current circumstances I am unable to pursue any hobbies that take me away from the home so, aside from the writing, I manage a little reading and watch a lot of films.

Which writers inspire you?

My main inspiration would have to be Michael Moorcock, specifically, “The Eternal Champion” series.

For your own reading, do you prefer e-books or paper/hard back books?

I am definitely an “old-school” reader. While I appreciate the convenience of e-books, they will never replace a proper paper book for me.

What are you reading at present?

The last book I read was, predictably, one by Michael Moorcock called “The History of The Runestaff.”

What is your favourite book and why?

I can’t really say that I have a favourite book, as such. My choice of reading directly relates to my mood, much in the same way as my choice of music.

What is your favourite film/ series and why?

The “Marvel” franchise has to be my answer here. I grew up with the comic books. Some of my earliest reading memories involve such characters as “Ghost Rider”, “Wolverine” and “The Avengers”, seeing these characters brought to life in such dramatic style on screen is almost like giving me one of the better pieces of my childhood back.

What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?

Surviving. That sounds really dramatic doesn’t it? As my partner never ceases to remind me, however, I have already survived events and experiences in my life that would have killed a lot of people. One day, I may write a book about that as well.

How do you relax?

The simple answer is, I don’t. Aside from my mother, both my partner and my son are also disabled, so my caring duties run pretty much 24/7 and when I’m not doing that I’m writing or promoting my novels.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write the story. It’s that simple really. When you first put pen to paper, or its electronic equivalent, you shouldn’t be thinking about word counts or what genre you want your story to fit into, or what style you want to write. You should only be thinking about the story itself. Get it all on paper and don’t stop until it is finished. Don’t even think of editing or making alterations until the entire story is done.

If your friends could use one word to describe you what would it be?

Driven.

About writing

What made you realise your calling as an author?

Do I have a calling? I don’t know. I’ve just always preferred spending time in my head than I have in the real world so I thought I’d like to share some of the places I visit.

Where do your ideas come from, what inspires you?

My ideas are built over years of experience and knowledge. The particular series I am now writing has been over twenty years in my head, waiting for connections to come together naturally, for a cohesive image to form. There is only one place I look to for inspiration and that is the world around me.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

The first draft will usually take between 1–3 months.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

When I begin a novel I have the beginning and end of the story pretty much fixed in my head. The journey between those two points is generally very fluid, in truth almost anything can happen along the way.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Keeping control of the story. For me, a story is almost like a living creature and I am trying to guide it from point A to point B. Like any living creature however, it has a mind of its own and it keeps wanting to wander, to take the scenic route, if you will.

What is the easiest thing about writing?

I love working with dialogue. This probably stems from my earlier experiences as an actor. I regularly find myself walking around the house holding conversations as my imaginary characters.

Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so, how do you deal with it?

It’s not something I’ve ever really suffered from. I have occasions when I can’t quite see the story, but then I just walk away from it and do something completely different for a time, and with my family, it’s certainly not difficult to find a distraction.

How many books have you written, which is your favourite?

Since I began in 2014 I have written two fact books based upon my experiences as a carer, one book of poetry and one published novel with a second due to be published on 12^th April this year. Out all of those, my favourite would have to be the second novel.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am currently working on the third novel in my ongoing series “The Armageddon Wars”

About the books

What genre are your books?

Supernatural/Paranormal Thriller

What book titles have you released so far?

“An Unwilling Recruit” – Book 1 of The Armageddon Wars.

Tell us a little bit about the series.

The series is set in the modern world and features a single main character, John Hunt. Hunt is an arrogant, self-centered individual, interested in nothing more than getting the story. He works as a war correspondent, reporting from the front lines in emerging evansgif6 conflicts wherever they occur. It is during one of these assignments that he and his camera-man are mortally wounded in an explosion. Miraculously Hunt survives, his camera-man is not so fortunate however. Following his recovery Hunt is brought to the slow realization that his entire life has changed. Unseen by the world at large, a secret, supernatural war is taking place, a war in which Hunt now finds himself to be a central figure. His only aide is his former camera-man, returned form the dead to act as guide and companion as Hunt tries desperately to understand what his role is in this conflict.

Give us an insight into your main character(s). What does he/she do that is so special?

Hunt is special for two main reasons. In terms of abilities, his near death experience has left him with supernatural powers, primarily the power to heal and revive himself from death. The second aspect of Hunt that makes him special is his personality. He is inherently selfish, he doesn’t want this power and doesn’t want anything to do with the war that is developing around him.

Who is your favourite character and why?

I don’t have any favourite characters. All the main characters are drawn from real people I have met on my various travels, and they all hold equal importance to the story. Some are intended to be liked, some are not. The only thing that I hope is that, whether or not my readers like the characters, they believe in them.

Where can we buy it/them?

All of my books are available in both print and e-book formats from Amazon.

In what formats is your book available?

All of my novels are currently available on both print and e-book formats. Hopefully in the not too distant future I will be able to expand that to include audiobooks as well.

When is your next book due for release?

The second book in the series, “Fool In The Ring”, is set for release on 12^th April this year.

Book titles and synopsis:

Book 1 – “An Unwilling Recruit”

Now, six months later, Hunt leaves hospital with the intent of putting the remnants of his 41jWSdspJkL__SX310_BO1,204,203,200_ life back together. Unfortunately that is not going to be as easy as he imagined.

A surprise visit from his dead partner convinces Hunt that his life has changed, he has changed and, more importantly, the world itself has changed. With Andrew acting as his macabre guide, Hunt is drawn into a part of the world he never knew existed, a dark, hedonistic world, where nothing is ever quite what it seems.

Book 2 – “Fool In The Ring”

It has been six weeks since John Hunt, former war correspondent, turned his back on his front cover design life. Cursed with a power he cannot control, he sought to loose himself in obscurity. Destiny, however, had a different path in mind for him.

A mugging, gone terribly wrong, leaves Hunt on the run. Hunted now by the Police and Government Agents he seeks refuge on a travelling circus. But this Circus holds a dark secret and it is not long before Hunt finds himself, once more, at the centre of a desperate battle for survival against supernatural forces he can barely comprehend.