James P. Sumner began writing in the summer of 2013, finally feeling ready to pursue a lifelong dream of becoming a published author. He worked tirelessly to learn the business as well as the craft, and eventually self-published his debut novel, True Conviction, in February 2014. It was very well received, which spurred him on to continue his Adrian Hell series, which has now been downloaded over half a million times, with each entry topping the Amazon charts.
His Adrian Hell character has become a popular figure in the thriller genre, mainly due to Sumner’s style of writing, which puts the reader inside the head of the charismatic assassin, so they experience his thoughts and see what he sees in real time — something you rarely see in mainstream thriller fiction.
In 2015, his fifth novel, A Necessary Kill, was selected as the winner of Amazon’s Kindle Scout program, and was subsequently published by Kindle Press. It quickly became his most successful novel, and was briefly the most downloaded e-book in the world. This changed his life and his career as an author, allowing him to make the switch from part-time to full-time. Then, in 2017, Sumner was the recipient of two ATAI awards for his seventh Adrian Hell novel, Thicker Than Blood, which picked up the Best Thriller and Best General Fiction accolades.
“I believe a story is only as good as its characters. If the reader doesn’t connect with them, they’re not going to care what they do, which renders the story irrelevant.”
James P. Sumner
Not content with simply telling great stories, in recent times James has become a spokesperson within the self-publishing industry for mental health awareness — a topic very close to his heart. His own story can be found in his media library.
As a writer, James lives a solitary and introverted life, and he knows better than most the pitfalls of prolonged solitude. It’s been a difficult few years for everyone. James never wants people to struggle alone. Whether you’re a fan of his books or not, if you ever feel like you need someone to talk to, please reach out to him via the contact form found on this website. He’ll always make time to talk to people.
