Friday, March 15, 2013

Eloise Crimson and the Turning Pocket Watch
 
Author: James D. Layton
 


Eloise sits at her dull little desk in her stuffy little office and watches her pencil tip snap for the final time. The war in Europe fills her mind with stories of adventure and heroism and yet for a 17 year old English girl, her pencil is probably the most dangerous thing she has ever held. It is 1945 and her only chance to escape the status quo of her existence is a small advert in a local shop window looking for war volunteers. She packs her bags. Waves her town goodbye and heads for the train station with a deep feeling that adventure awaits. Little does she know that less than 48 hours later she will be wrapped up in a world of time travel, romance and an epic journey of self discovery. She is thrown into the viper pit as time itself is split like a smashed water melon, and Eloise must embark on a death defying plot to stop Adolf Hitler in his tracks. Thrown back to 1935 with her fellow volunteers. The Nazi army baying for her blood is only half as heart stopping as the feeling inside... that she was born to do this.


This book is already out on Amazon! Get it here!


 
About the Author:
 
James D. Layton has been writing screenplays for over a decade, but turned to novels in 2012. He lives in England with his two sons Ettienne and Cody. He likes running and chocolate, and sometimes running with chocolate. His favourite book is Jurassic Park, his favourite film is Jaws and he listens to many types of music. Including Jimmy Eat World, System of a Down and The Doors.

Q&A
 
1. Introduce yourself
Hello my name is James, full name James D. Layton and I’m a writer from England.
 
2. What made you want to become a writer?
Well I used to direct and write low budget films, so I have always written scripts
it was a natural thing for me to move to books. The film industry requires so many hurdles
to be crossed before you're allowed to show people your work. Writing is a direct connection. I like that.
 
3. Are you self-published? If so, how has your journey been?
I am self pubbed. I never considered a publisher. It goes back to the whole hurdle thing, months of waiting and waiting to see if anyone likes my work. When I can just get it out there and let others decide.
 
4. What’s your favourite pastime?
Playing with my kids, I'm a full time dad. I also like playing Grand Theft Auto on the XBOX as I'm a closet anarchist.
 
5. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
Eloise Crimson and the Turning Pocket Watch took 3 months but it's short. Only 40k words. It's really an introduction to her world since there are 9 novels in total to complete her story. The others will be longer.
 
6. What inspires you?
People. I love talking to women especially; they seem to have far more interesting lives than men.
 
7. When is your creativity at its best? (morning, night, at random?)
I prefer night time, when it's quiet and the kids are asleep but I can force myself to write if I need to. I don't need to feel inspired I just set a timer and go for it. I'm very disciplined.
 
8. Do you have a favourite author?
Michael Crichton
 
9. What is the best book you’ve ever read?
Jurassic Park. It's just a simple popcorn adventure and I love that. A world of wonder.
 
10. How do you promote your work?
Goodreads giveaways, Amazon Select KDP and social media. But also just talking to people.
 
11. Do you prefer e-books or hardcopy?
As long as the message is good I don't mind. I suppose traditional books are good to hand over to people and share though.
 
12. If you had to give someone advice about the writing and publishing process, what would it be?
Do it. It's no good wanting to write a book, or meaning to write a book. You have to sit and do it, right now. Pen and paper...... write. It's going to be terrible. But that's the process. You have to get through the terrible stuff to find the decent books in you. Just get it out quickly and hope people don't remember it too much.
 
13. Where can fans find you online?