Interview With Author Jeff Walker
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello, my name is Jeff Walker, I live in Ontario, Canada and write science fiction, sci fi fantasy and paranormal thrillers. I’ve written a total of 17 or so titles, most of which are collections of short stories or novellas, and four full books. I’ve been an author since 2015 and haven’t slowed down yet. My writing has been comparatively likened to Robert Heinlein or Joe Haldeman by some that have reviewed my books.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book (due out on April 30th, 2023) is a sci fi thriller called, The Jungle Planet. It’s about a team of planetary oxygen harvesters on a mission for a corporate company that locates, processes and sells pure oxygen for colonies, space stations, and other interplanetary vessels of Earth. They land on a jungle world rich in O2 and discover the planet is more than it seems. It’s a standalone novel and my fourth full written novel to date. The idea came to me when I was thinking about the Amazon Rainforest, how deforestation by greedy companies and the impact of global climate change was affecting it, Even though the oceans help to produce most of the air we breathe, forests (like the amazon) also contribute to our oxygen supply and are the planetary filters of this world to keep it going.
I wondered if (at some point) we’d have to be creating our own air, or searching for other worlds that could replace it. So then the story just emerged, along with the dangers of what we might find on those worlds that we were siphoning from.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t write like most authors. I just write the book from start to finish without the need of story plotting, character profiles, or anything like that. I basically know how the book unfolds from beginning to end. It’s like there is a movie theatre in my mind, I can see it, rewind it, go forward, and know all there is about that book. I know who my characters are, what the plot contains, and how I want to arrange the chapters. It’s hard to describe really, I just know how the novel or story should unfold naturally.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Well, since I was compared to Robert Heinlein or Joe Haldeman (both of which I’ve read and enjoyed) those two are somewhat influencing, but, I would say that my one major influencer was more recent. Dennis E. Taylor has been the biggest influencer of my writing. After reading his Bobiverse books, I was inspired and rekindled into writing my books. That’s not to say others haven’t inspired me as well, like: William Gibson, Arthur C. Clarke, Tolkien, Issac Asimov, and (as mentioned) Heinlein and Haldeman.
There’s far too many books and other authors to mention that have also influenced my writing. Some are more inspiring than others.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m involved in like… I dunno… over 10 titles. Most of which are half completed, just starting or stuck in limbo as my mind keeps getting distracted by new ideas. The one I’m trying to stay focused on (for now) is called, Space Rockers: Dangerous Prospect. It’s about a group of asteroid miners who get sent to a specific rock and find something deep within it. I’ve got a few chapters up on Royal Road, anyone can go there to read them and give me some feedback.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ll be honest here, there is no real “Best Method” when promoting your books. Social Media is a harsh mistress and changing all the time. Creating a website for yourself is truly a must for any author though, it’s an anchor and a home base for all your readers to find. I’ve been on instagram, YouTube, twitter, TikTok and anything else that’s the latest trend, but it’s a big ocean of authors out there, and you’re just one voice calling out in the melee of book promoting. Either a reader will spot you or they won’t. There’s just no guarantee you’ll be successful.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t think of fame or fortune when writing books. You won’t get it. This is job that requires someone to love what they do and not treat it like a hobby. Don’t get discouraged by bad reviews and don’t like a few good ones go to your head. Reviews are there to help you learn, get the feedback needed and work towards making the next book even better. And don’t let chat bots do the writing for you, that’s just lazy, in my opinion. Real authors come up with their own ideas, their own interpretations of story, their own mind of what the book should be. AI shouldn’t be the writer, you should be it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I heard was “never respond to negative reviews”. Absolutely right, don’t do it. If you find someone giving you a mouthful of hateful comments about your writing or as an author personally, you should just learn to ignore them and block them out. The second best advice was to re-read your story at least ten times or more. You’d be surprised at the number of mistakes in your own work after doing it. From simple spelling errors to whole sections of chapters not making any sense. Check it, edit it, check it again and edit some more.
It’s funny, but even after you do an edit, or the editor does, there’s always a mistake or two somewhere. It just happens, so deal with it as best you can.
What are you reading now?
I was reading (or listening to on my way back and fourth to work) the science fiction hall of fame stories 1 & 2. They’re the top picks by the Science Fiction Writers of America. Some of the old stories hold up, but a good chunk of them are questionable (in my mind) as to how or why they were picked as the “best of the best”. The one good one in there was H.G. Wells The Time Machine. I’d never read the original novella before… it was interesting and vastly different than any of the movies.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep writing, of course. I’ve got 10 stories to catch up on, with more entering my mind every day. I wish I had the power to finish them all in a blink of an eye, but, no… I’ve got to commit myself into getting them done as humanly possible. I”ve got to finish my sequel/prequel book to The Long Lost War (my most successful title), and complete my paranormal thriller The Burning Fire Rises – The Mysterious World Of Professor Darkk And Miss Shadow book 1.
Lots on my plate and not near enough time to get them all done in time. But, I will… that much is for certain.
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?
Wow, that’s a tough one. Hmm… which ones would I take with me? I guess it would have to go in this order:
Treasure Island (loved that one since I was a kid)
We Are Legion (We Are Bob)
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Lord Of The Rings: The Completed Trilogy (yes I know that counts as three… but it comes in one book, not really cheating. Nah!)
Author Websites and Profiles
Jeff Walker Author Profile on Smashwords
Jeff Walker’s Social Media Links