Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have only written novel so far- Joe, or, Becoming a Man in the Underworld. Well, I wrote the Adventures of Albert and Mike in fourth grade, but that one was a bit shorter and didn’t really have a plot.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Joe was inspired by a large chunk of time that I had to simply write. When I graduated from college, I knew I was moving to Mammoth Lakes to be a ski instructor. My job at Mammoth Mountain didn’t start for another five months. While housesitting, I decided I’d start writing. The book morphed just from a more realistic tale of my own life to a crazy, fantasy setting that took on a real life of its own, and I found the end result incredibly enjoyable.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write for too long in one go, so I’ll often write in my underwear or while eating. It breaks up the amount of things I can do on mental breaks- go get a drink, put pants on, etc. It gives me enough time to recharge ideas.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I started reading the Xanth novels by Piers Anthony in junior high, and he never took his writing seriously a day in his life. They have some problems, looking back on them, rampant and egregiously terrible sexism being one, but they really made an impression on me when I didn’t think women OR men needed to be anything but cardboard cutouts. Neil Gaiman is a big influence recently, with the level of magic and wonder he brings to very adult themes. I’m starting to get into Christopher Moore now, and Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is an all-time influence.
What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on a series of short stories that I can release as podcasts- do the writing, do the reading and acting, and hopefully release it as free content but with the ability to be sponsored. I’m really excited for what’s in store.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Keep plugging away! I’m very new at this, so I’m sending my promotions out everywhere I can.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Do the work and don’t care about being derivative. I’m sure you’ll find your own voice eventually, so for know don’t worry too much.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never wait for the muse. She’ll come when you buckle down to work.
What are you reading now?
Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. After that is a weighty tome of The Story of Philosophy by Will Durant.
What’s next for you as a writer?
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I believe a comedian once said he’d bring a large, inflatable book, and how to make oars out of sand. I’ll take Jeff Smith’s Bone as well.
Author Websites and Profiles
James Davs Amazon Profile