When are the next volumes to be released?
Jones: Mariard volume 2 Glass Pawns should be out early next month and volume 3 Players domain in May. I am hoping to publish a new volume every 2 months.

How many volumes are we to expect?
Jones: There are 10 volumes, 7 I have already written. I’m in the process of doing final revisions on each volume prior to publishing. I also intend to do the Mariard diaries, written from character perspectives giving individual accounts during their times away from play, which should be very interesting and revealing.

What influences are behind your writing?
Jones: Life and my faith, I’m on a journey of self awareness with my characters. I have volumes of experiences, so they are throughout the books in one form or another, whether they are mine or someone else’s experiences. I see people as individuals, unique with choices that either make or break us. The world is full of influences, so just living with all this around me influences my writing. My father was also a great influence, able to tell me his life trials, yet in a way that had me glued, inspired and laughing my head off.

Which stories inspire you?
Jones: The bible, you can’t beat that book, it has everything in it from horror to romance; also, it is a proven best seller. I believe all writing is inspiring and see writers themselves as brothers and sisters in creativity.

Was the chess game idea something that you started with originally or something that you decided to add as you went along?
Jones: I plan nothing when I’m writing. I feel more like an observer, a secretary to the characters. I write what I see and hear in my head, so the chess game was just part of what I saw. I don’t know myself what is going to happen and find myself amazed at what can appear a small detail in one volume becomes very significant in another volume further on.

Which side of the novel did you most enjoy writing?
Jones: The entire journey has been a challenge to my own self worth, finding healing, learning and greater understanding of myself and others. The volumes have been infectious and I so loved writing them. I can’t say I even have a favourite as each volume is unique in itself an opens up more to what this is all truly about. I love the different perspectives of the characters that allows you to see what choices can do to a person and a situation. As I have written 7 of the volumes, I already know what this is all truly about and it’s no game. Nothing is what it seems, take nothing for granted, is true when it comes to these volumes and even I get surprised at what the characters get up to and why.