Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a philosopher by training, and used to run a small software development business. But writing has become my passion and my life, and drowned out the possibility of any other professions. Putting words on paper (or text on a screen) is the only activity I’ve engaged in that makes my world feel full.
The Solace Pill is the first novel (split into three episodes) I’ve published. But I’ve written another Dystopian novel that will be released early next year. I’m excited to have people read my work.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Solace Pill is about a near-future world in which 3D printing entire humans is common-place, and the pace of life is impossibly fast. The idea came to me by watching the persistent, fascinating news on printing functional human organs. Sure, we can print individual organs, but what will happen to society when we can print whole people?
This question raises interesting questions around the philosophy of personal identity: who am I? When I make a copy of myself, and destroy the original, do I survive in the copy? If there is more than one of me, am I all of the copies? The Solace Pill seeks to answer these questions and more.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My muse sleeps during the day, and wakes after midnight. This has turned my life upside down, and has required a lot of patience from the special people in my life. But, really, all the magic happens in the quiet hours of the night, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Philip K. Dick is my favorite author. His plethora of original worlds is enough to make anyone want to write. Hugh Howey is a hero to me. The way he’s managed to launch the Wool books has been an inspiration, and enormously educational. And they’re great books too!
What are you working on now?
Exciting, exciting things! Watch this space for some bizarre, soul-twisting Dystopia.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For The Solace Pill series I chose to promote the books through every method I could think of other than KDP Select. This involved publishing the books on multiple platforms in addition to Amazon, through Smashwords. I then set the first episode in the trilogy to perma-free on Amazon, and I’m intrigued to see the results.
Finally, thanks to Awesomegang for promoting the first episode.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, write, write! There are so many ways to avoid writing, including reading this post. But really, what you need to be doing is finishing novels. That, and listen to audiobooks. LISTENING to books gives you practice in writing the spoken word, rather than the written word.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Rule 1. Show, don’t tell.
Rule 2. All rules should be broken.
What are you reading now?
Beyond the Blue Event Horizon, by Frederik Pohl – awesome tech;
The Blind Assassin, by Margaret Atwood – read Atwood and you’ll feel the raindrops falling on the mulberry tree outside your window.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a third novel I’m about to start writing. It’s ambitious, and a little scary in scope. The start of every novel is scary – it’s a whole new world to build and polish. Characters are lovingly birthed and killed off; lots of emotional involvement requirement.
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?
1. My diary
2. Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake
3. A collection of Romantic era poetry
Author Websites and Profiles
Jason Werbeloff Amazon Profile
Jason Werbeloff Author Profile on Smashwords
Jason Werbeloff’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Jason was my Philosophy lecturer in first year at Wits, and he taught me so much about how fiction is one of the ripest places to explore interesting philosophical questions! He’s a constant inspiration, and I brag about him all the time. He deserves only good things!