Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love to joke that I self published my first book back in third grade. My teacher had just finished reading us “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”, and I knew I wanted to be an author. That night I sat down with a pen and paper and wrote my first book titled “House Mare” which was a horror book for kids. I used carbon paper to produce multiple copies of my book, and then the next day I sold out all five copies of my book at twenty-five cents a piece.
Ironically, many years later, Goosebumps came out. So you could say that I unofficially launched the genre that launched the career of R. L. Stine.
I have written over twenty books but have only published nine to date. I have many in various developmental states and I hope to increase the actual number of published books quite a bit in the coming year.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Wild Space: Heist is the latest book that I have released. It is part of the Wild Space series.
I love Star Trek, Star Wars, and Firefly, so the Wild Space series is my way of bringing all three of those classic shows together into something I love to write and enjoy reading just as much. Wild Space: Onslaught, is the first book in this series and is currently free on all eReader devices. Visit Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and Smashwords to pick up your free copy!
Wild Space is a collection of short stories written in the format of a serial. I was a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories as a kid. I liked how the stories were bite sized and continued from one story to the next. With eBooks, I feel like that genre of books can exist again, so I wrote Wild Space with that concept in mind. Each story takes about two hours (give or take) to read, so it can be digested much like a television show. It’s a perfect read for when you are in a waiting room or commuting on public transportation, or waiting to pick up the kids from school.
I am currently completing the first series of Wild Space and then I will take a break and dream up the second series, which follows the similar format of a television series which is broken up by seasons.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that I can think of. I’m pretty much a normal guy when it comes to the process of hammering out a book.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Obviously C.S. Lewis was a big influence on me early on. Then there was J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Tom Clancy, Brad Thor, and Stephen Coonts. As you can tell, I read various genres.
What are you working on now?
I am finishing up Wild Space: Transformations, which is the sixth book in the first series of Wild Space. This is my version of a season finale. It will tie up many of the loose ends in the first series of Wild Space and will set up some plot points for series two.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t have any one proven method at this point. I find Twitter and Facebook have helped me out in many ways, but word of mouth has probably netted me the most exposure. Once you have the momentum of readers talking about your book, that seems to be the best sort of promoting.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write what you love. I know there’s some money to be made by following the trends, but trends change and if you are only writing for the sake of money and not for the love of it, you’re going to be seriously disappointed.
Self publishing has its perks and its disadvantages just as being published by an established publishing house does. Weigh between finding an agent and doing it yourself and do what feels right for you. If you’re dream is to see your book for sale, then go for it. We live in a world where anyone can be published if they are willing to do the work.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard is simply, “Do what you love.”
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading “The Third Target” by Joel C. Rosenberg. I’m a big fan of his work.
What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me? I’m just going to keep on writing, baby.
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’d need to bring my Bible, a copy of The Lord of the Rings (all three volumes in one), and a blank journal so I could keep on writing. I’m constantly flooded with ideas and I need to get them down on paper or I will simply go insane.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jason M. Brooks Website
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