Have you developed a specific writing style? I have a slightly different voice depending on the genre. I have a supernatural thriller coming out the summer called Night Chill. It’s a Stephen King-like novel so it requires a different feel than
What is your greatest strength as a writer? Keeping a reader hooked into the story once they start reading has always been a strength.
Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? I usually have more than one project going at a time so I just drop whatever I’m blocked on and work on something else. Eventually, the thing I left calls me back. One novel lost its way 80,000 words in and it’s waiting in a desk drawer. It’s been waiting for five years. Eventually I’ll figure that thing out.
Why did you choose to write this particular book? My 11 year old son turned out to be a reluctant reader and I wrote Jack Templar in an attempt to get him excited about books. It worked and he’s now an avid reader.
How do you promote this book? Blog tours, tweet Q&As, Goodreads and visiting local school and bookshops have all been a lot of fun as I’ve met cool people along the way.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? Each book has it’s own “message”. Book 1 deals with our responsibility to stand up to evil even at great risk to ourselves.
How much of the book is realistic? While the monsters are fantasy (or are they?), the situations the middle grade characters face are taken right from the experiences of my own kids.
How important do you think villains are in a story? Villains are almost as important (maybe more so?) than the protagonist. It’s important than that are real and not cartoony. Someone once said good vs. evil is boring. Good vs. good is real drama. The villains need to have something about them that makes what they are doing (their badness) reasonable. Ren Lucre borders on cartoony in Book 1 with hints at a deeper story that gets elaborated on through the rest of the series.
Who is your favorite author and why? Tolkien was the master and he changed how everyone approached fantasy. Hundreds of authors have followed in his steps and we’re all just trying to find our way back to Middle Earth.
Are you reading any interesting books at the moment? I just read The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, a steampunk fantasy which is mind-blowing. Check it out.
Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest and why? Patrick Rothfuss who wrote The Name Of The Wind is amazing.
What are some of the best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out? Reading Stephen King’s book On Writing is all you need. Read it front to back, then read it again. Then sit down at your computer and get to work.
What contributes to making a writer successful? Time. You can’t control the amount of God-given talent you have been given, but you completely control the effort you put in. Simply put, the more you read and write, the better you will get. So get to work.
Do you have any advice for writers? Write every day. Even if it’s 15 mins. 7 days a week without vacations. You’ll be amazed what you can accomplish.
What do you do to unwind and relax? Hang with my wife, five kids, two dogs, one cat and one very feisty horse. We’re outdoorsy, so kayaking, fishing, hiking, biking, etc.
What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing? My kids don’t think I’m completely uncool. That’s worth the price of admission right there.
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Supernatural Thriller
Rating – PG13
More details about the author & the book
Website http://www.jeffgunhus.com/
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Middle Grade / YA Fantasy
Rating – PG
More details about the author & the book
Website http://www.jacktemplar.com/
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