Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a devoted husband, family man, fisherman, and writer. And mostly in that order except when I need to meet a deadline. I’ve had a passion for telling stories my whole life. Growing up, I’d write short stories of my friends, and me on adventures or rescuing our school, and families from various bad guys. My wife pushed me repeatedly over the years to take it more seriously and really give it a go. She even signed me up for correspondence courses with a writing institute and later got me my first writing software program. Over the years I’d try but was always hung up on how to get past the muddy middle, or overthinking who would want to read my stuff and would instead focus more on my day job. When I became a grandpa, however, it finally clicked for me. “I’m wasting time!” I thought and immediately devoted my free time to writing and learning more about the process. I’ve written, and published three books since then!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest is called, Bandit Rising. It is book one of a series called, The Bandit Chronicles. It is an 80s-era Sci-Fi inspired by my love of the old action movies of the 80s. It’s like V the (original) miniseries meets Red Dawn (again-the original) with a little Blast From the Past mixed in. After reading Ready Player One, I wanted desperately to write my own ode to the 80s and do it in my own way. I started asking myself what might I have done as a 12-13-year-old back in the 80s if aliens invaded our planet? All of a sudden, it began to take shape and the Bandit was born!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m a very practical kind of person. When I decided I was wasting my time not writing, I immediately cut out early morning tv and gaming and gave that time to writing. The same goes for what I like to listen to at work. I could listen to music, but I’d prefer learning more about writing craft through podcasts. Because of this practicality, I’ve taught myself how to get back into my writing whenever the time is available. Sure, it’s great to spend an hour or two writing but sometimes I only have 5-10 minutes. And sometimes that’s on my phone (thank you, Scrivener!). To me, it’s not that odd, but in talking to a lot of my peers, it seems I am a bit of an oddity, haha!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Obviously, I have to mention Ernest Cline’s, Ready Player One for getting me thinking about my own most recent book. One of the things I enjoy most about his writing, and something I aspire to myself, is just how much fun his storytelling is.
I also adore most anything from Robert R. McCammon. His characters, no matter how outrageous, are so incredibly fleshed out and depicted that you can’t help but feel like you know them. And I love that in nearly everything he writes, there is a supernatural event, ability, or character, that is blended to exist perfectly well within the natural world around it as if to say, “well why would it be anything else?”
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m splitting my writing time between two projects. One is finishing book two of the Bandit series while the other is a supernatural thriller about a haunted stretch of highway in the Missouri Ozark mountains.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Actually, I’m exploring more options with this new release including this website! Prior to Bandit, I mostly just spread the word on social media. I also talk a little about my books/writing on my own podcast and occasionally do an interview on other podcasts. In-person events are my absolute favorite thing to do though.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Get involved with, or begin a local writing group! Yes, you can learn from books, courses and classes, webinars, and podcasts. But getting immediate feedback from peers in a group is invaluable! You don’t always have to accept/use their advice, but at least let their words soak a bit and consider if your readers will think the same.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Writing advice? Probably a combination of “Write every day” which helps keep you connected to the work, and “Don’t edit as you write.” Just get the first draft done no matter how ugly it is. Getting it done is the most important part, the editing comes later.
As for life advice, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Oh, and, “check your line after every catch, LOL.”
What are you reading now?
The Beast: A Bigfoot Thriller, by Armand Rosamilia.
Awaken Online: Hellion, by Travis Bagwell
Body Trauma: A Writer’s Guide to Wounds and Injuries, by David William Page
What’s next for you as a writer?
To get the next couple of books in the Bandit series done as quickly as possible. I know some readers will wait until you have a few books in a series before beginning because they don’t want to invest in something that doesn’t appear to be continuing (cough cough GRRM cough cough). But as much as I enjoy writing Bandit’s adventures, I want to continue writing thrillers that are a little outside the box. Those are the stories that call to me.
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?
The Wolf’s Hour, by Robert R McCammon
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline
Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls
Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Meuschke Website
Jason Meuschke Amazon Profile
Jason Meuschke’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account