Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer and high school English teacher born and raised in Portland, OR. I spent my youth wandering the forests and fields of the Pacific North West, always looking for the next adventure (especially if it involved camping and fly fishing). I also played college baseball and chased women in my younger years–which has definitely given me a lot of fodder to write about.
So far I’ve only published one novel, Cherry City Pulp, but I’ve been writing fiction now for 18 years–this just happens to be the first one I’ve felt worthy of publishing. I do have a short story available (not for the faint of heart) on Medium.com and my blog http://chuckingrocks.com/ called “God Save Us All.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Cherry City Pulp. It’s a fictional story based on some of my experiences teaching in Salem, OR. Salem’s different–I get into why that is in the book–but suffice it to say that there’s a distinct mix of people. It’s both very Oregon and at the same time, reminds one of a medium size town in the South or Midwest.
I also wanted to capture what high school might be like from several different perspectives, which is why two characters are students and one is a teacher. It was so fun to think about what the high school experience is like from these different angles, and that definitely comes out in the story.
Additionally, there are some experiences close to my heart: fishing, wine tasting, and baseball. I find that if you write about stuff you know, it’s much more authentic.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t write at my house. I do so much better if I’m at a coffee shop or a bar. It’s the people. When I’m around other people, it reminds me of observations I’ve made about human nature–I think that’s what makes me a good writer, and I hope my readers appreciate that–I want my characters to feel real, to capture the essence of what it means to be human.
I also write when I can’t sleep–then I have to write at home, because it’s usually like 3 in the morning and no one’s open!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve read JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings at least 15 times. So obviously, he’s a big influence, though I suppose there isn’t a direct line there, because I’ve only dabbled with writing fantasy–and Cherry City Pulp is contemporary fiction.
Otherwise, I draw inspiration from Kurt Vonnegut, Jess Walter, Hemingway, Alice Walker, Ursula LeGuin. Oh, and Steinbeck. I absolutely love Steinbeck. I read “The Grapes of Wrath” for the first time recently and it absolutely blew my mind.
Ken Kesey is right up there for me as well–Sometimes a Great Notion is just phenomenal. Plus, he’s an Oregon boy, so I like that.
The cool thing about being an English teacher is that I get to read and re-read great literature all the time.
What are you working on now?
Not sure what’s next. I think it’d be fun to do sci-fi, fantasy, or post-apocalyptic, but then I also find our contemporary society fascinating. I also have a book I wrote before called “Throw the First Stone” and I might try re-working it into a novella. It just wasn’t ready for prime time when I finished it and it’s been sitting on my shelf for the last six years while I worked on Cherry City.
I do blog a lot–usually once a week. But that’s about political stuff. If you’re interested, http://chuckingrocks.com/
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still working on that one. Trying this site–hopefully I get a bump! Otherwise I’ve just been posting to Facebook and Twitter and Reddit, talking to people, emailing my blog list. So it’s a work in progress!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Just write. Write all the time, as much as you can. It doesn’t even matter. What’s crazy is that even in writing my political stuff, I’m getting better at fiction–the more familiar you are with how you can use language to express ideas, the better your writing will be. And the only way you can learn is to do–so frickin’ write!
Also, understand that you will get rejected, rejected, rejected, and even your friends and family will be less help to you than they ought. But you have to keep going. And doing that is very difficult–it requires a strong belief in yourself and a belief in your writing.
Oh, and write a blog. It’s a great way to connect with readers and it forces you to practice.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I’ll put two here:
1) 90% of life is showing up every day. I try to apply that to my writing. But seriously, if you get out of bed every day and do what you’re supposed to do, things usually turn out OK.
2) Don’t try to be 100% better in a single leap. Instead, be 1% better each day.
What are you reading now?
Vonnegut’s “Breakfast of Champions.” One of the few of his I haven’t yet read.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Figuring out what I’m going to write about 🙂
Hopefully getting rich and famous.
Kidding–I want to continue to write stories that readers find entertaining, interesting, and that say something about human nature or the society in which we live.
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?
Lord of the Rings, Watership Down, The Old Man and the Sea, and Sometimes a Great Notion.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jeff Allen Website
Jeff Allen Amazon Profile
Jeff Allen’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account