Indie Author Interview
Neil Jones, Author of Adventures With My Sea Pass Card, The Unofficial Guide to Cruising With RoyalCaribbean
I’ve just had the pleasure of working with Neil Jones (proofreading, formatting, uploading to KDP and a bit of mentoring/coaching/bantering thrown in for good measure).
Bringing his book to life, Adventures With My Sea Pass Card, really was a treat. Not only was Neil a true professional to work with but he has also written a thoroughly entertaining read which is hilarious, educational and compelling in equal measure – whether you’re a fan of cruising or not.
Once Neil’s book went live, I had the pleasure of catching up with him to chat about his experience. (Oh, and by the way, less than one week in and Neil’s book is already cruising at #7 in the cruises category on Amazon.)
Congratulations, Neil! Your non-fiction book, Adventures With My Sea Pass Card is now available on the Amazon bookstore. How did it feel to see it there for the first time?
In a word “surreal”. Given that I’m usually stressed out all year around I actually found the whole process of writing the book very enjoyable and seeing it appear on Amazon was only topped by unwrapping the physical copy when it was delivered.
That’s great. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it as so many people assume it’s stressful when it doesn’t have to be. Can you tell us a little bit about your book? Who it’s aimed at, why people should buy it, etc?
The book is aimed at Cruisers. Those people that are obsessed with sailing on a cruise ship every year. It’s in their blood. Hopefully the book will amuse, entertain and spark some debate. People should buy it in their droves to keep me in the style of cabin that I’m accustomed to on future voyages.
I can vouch for that. There are some hilarious anecdotes in there, but we also get to see all facets of your personality, which I think makes the book extra special. Tell us, have you always been a writer / wanted to become an author?
Yes and no. I lived two lives. Up until I was fifty, I worked (unhappily) for a number of large corporations until I resigned and followed what I really wanted to do and moved into writing scripts for feature films, corporate videos and a couple of small TV series. This is the first time I have applied myself to write a book (and finished it).
Wow, that is a huge change and what an exciting move. What made you take the leap to write your book?
Basically, because I thought no-one else was telling the story of an ordinary passenger onboard a ship. There were plenty of travel guides and how-to-cruise books but I wanted to explore the magic of cruising and recount the scrapes I had got into whilst sailing around the world.
Have you any more book plans in the pipeline?
Yes, three.
The first is a wager. Can someone make £100K in one year just by selling stuff and using assets that you didn’t know you actually had?
Second is to resurrect a book I wrote called Last Laugh. It’s a spy thriller about an American nuclear counter-strike that is triggered by a renegade US politician and features a British intelligence officer called Patrick Freeman. Freeman is highly resourceful and has an IQ higher than Einstein. The only trouble is that he’s clinically insane. Whilst this all sounds exciting, I’ve lost the only manuscript.
Thirdly there’s probably enough material to write “Further Adventures With My Sea Pass Card”
Sounds exciting! I can’t wait to see those books come to life.
And finally … what advice would you offer other aspiring authors who want to self-publish their books?
Three things:
- Just Do It -what’s the worst that could happen?
- Write with your voice – don’t try and write something in the style that you think a reader expects.
- Employ Michelle’s services – I can’t recommend her highly enough for not only editing but having the good humour and encouragement to keep me on track.
Fantastic! Thanks very much, Neil. It’s been a pleasure working with you and I wish you all the best with your book!
- Buy your copy here: – available in Kindle and paperback formats
