Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and grew up there. Then I got a job in Japan and moved…I’ve been here half my life! Married, with two children, I live in Osaka.
As for my novels, I’ve written mainly Young Adult (YA) because it presents a fresh perspective on the world. So far, I’ve had nine published and there are more to come!
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest novel is entitled Star Maps, a story about a young teen who’s into stargazing, meets the girl of his dreams, and finds out that she’s not from around where he lives…at all. He realizes that there are some secrets best kept and others best left alone. When his girlfriend gets into trouble, though, he has to make a choice to help her, one that may cost him his life.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, no. I sit my butt in the chair, filter out any distractions, and write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
In no particular order, Robert McCammon, N.K. Jemison, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, Ray Bradbury, and many other S/F authors.
What are you working on now?
A sequel to The Nightmare Crew, a YA Action/Comedy novel. I always told myself that I’d never write a novel with a vampire, a zombie, or a werewolf, mainly because EVERY novel out there uses those characters.
This novel has all three.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For me, using Facebook, Goodreads, and blogs like this one are the best. There are so many books and so many readers…it’s hard to reach all of them. However, this is a popular site, so a lot of people read it and like it. That gives me hope.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. At first, it may look like garbage–and it probably is–but once you refine it, it will become the work you want it to be.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See above. (Smiles)
What are you reading now?
Rereading some of the classics…Trollope, Thackery, Dickens…I favor Victorian literature.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To keep improving.
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 Illustrated Man, by Bradbury, Inferno, by Niven and Pournelle, and two of my own…just so I could see how I stack up against those two famous writers!
Author Websites and Profiles
Jesse Frankel Website
Jesse Frankel Amazon Profile
Jesse Frankel’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account