Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a high schooler living in the United States, and I’ve written two books thus far. The first, The Plight of a People, has been out since October 16th of 2017. I actually started it as a New Year’s resolution back in 2016. Miraculously enough, I stuck with it, and it has been my greatest claim to fame since its publication.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My second book is entitled The Agony of an Age, and it is slated for release on October 16th of 2018. It is mostly inspired by my unending fascinations with history and philosophy, as there are very few books out there that can claim to contain both. I based many of the events in my stories off of historical happenings, and a plethora of tidbits of my personal philosophy seeped into the pages as well.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Why, don’t we all? I am only ever able to write in the evenings. No matter how many variables I change, the words I string together at any other time of day always end up being inferior. It baffles me just as much as it baffles all who I tell, but I have learned to live with it.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have, without a doubt, been most influenced by the classics. The grandiose tales of the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Bible, and the Divine Comedy have all enriched my writing immeasurably. Rarely do I read modern fiction, but this does not mean I hold any grudges against it. I merely aim to write in a style that has not been popular for many decades, thus making it most sensible for me to read other stories also written in that style.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working fervently on promoting The Agony of an Age. This is not my only project, though. The third and final book in the series is in the first stages of its creation right now. Hopefully, I can have it released on October 16th of 2019. As is perhaps rather evident, I don’t like to waste my time.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found it a rather massive struggle to promote my many works. Overall, I have had the most success promoting to local institutions and groups. People are typically far more responsive in the real world than they are online.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
There are only two real mistakes an author can make, and those are to stop reading and to stop writing. To abandon one’s craft is to abandon one’s future, and writers must never forget this. We have chosen a particularly unforgiving path for ourselves, but there is still a reason we do what we do.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t tend to get any advice from people I know personally, but that is quite alright with me. The Internet, when used properly, is the greatest source of wisdom ever known to man. I believe the most striking quote of advice I have ever come across is by Carl Jung, who said that “the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” Nothing else so concisely sums up my journey to make something of myself.
What are you reading now?
I just finished reading the entirety of the Bible. Although I do love to read, I figured the time that it takes to do so should be directed towards promotion for the time being. When The Agony of an Age is released, I intend to begin reading again, but I have no idea what book I’ll end up picking off of my pile.
What’s next for you as a writer?
As mentioned, I am beginning my work on my third novel. In addition to this, I have been publishing articles on a variety of intellectual topics for over a year now, and I am not planning to cease their production anytime soon.
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?
Well, I might as well take the longest books I can, considering I may be stuck there for quite some time. I have yet to read much religious literature, so I think the Quran and the Mahabharata would be essential additions to my hypothetical luggage. Perhaps I’d even take along Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung, as his work as always greatly interested me.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jared Barlament Website
Jared Barlament Amazon Profile
Jared Barlament’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account