Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; but left home in 1961 to study at St. Mark Seminary in Erie, Pennslvania from which I graduated in 1965.
In 1966, I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and am a Vietnam veteran. Upon being released from active duty, I was hired by the H.J. Heinz Company as a shipping clerk. Five promotions and thirty-three years later, I retired as the manager of the company’s food processing facility in Pittsburgh.
From 1968 through 1976, I was a member of a Country/Western band in which I played the electric bass, rhythm guitar, and sang.
My late wife and I were married in 1970. We had five children and shared a wonderful life together for thirty-five and a half years. Today, I am the proud father of four adult children and have four granchildren.
I enjoy reading, writing, and travelling – determined to eventually visit all fifty states. Only seven more to go!
On August 9, 2011, my first and, so far, only book was published.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title of my book is ‘Levels’. It is a science fiction (post-apocalyptic) novel and is available in paperback, e-Book download, audio book on CD, and audio book download – 8 hours listening time, narrated by Stephen Rozzell.
My personal life experiences gradually convinced me that most of mankind’s problems, suffering, and pain were self-inflicted. Years of being placed in situations that required me to evaluate, analyze, and resolve problems brought me to the realization that there had to be a way to make the world a better place. Over the years, ideas began to ferment inside my head that would one day manifest themselves in the form of my novel depicting the world of ‘Levels’.
‘Levels’ is a story about a unique social experiment that rises out of the ashes of a world that has nearly self-destructed due to numerous wars, environmental disasters, and social upheaval.
The reader joins the story approximately three centuries after this ambitious effort is initiated by a small group of dedicated men and women determined to eliminate all of the bad behavior, institutions, and philosophies which they believe contributed to the downfall of previous societies.
War, crime poverty, hunger, greed, vanity, prejudice, and inequality no longer exist. But these are not the only things that have been eliminated. The Institution of marriage, the family unit, long-term, intimate relationships, and religion have also disappeared.
The story is told in the first-person through the eyes and mind of the main character, Jonathan; so the reader witnesses only those events and situations which Jonathan himself personally experiences. The reader’s interpretation of those events and situations may often differ quite a bit from Jonathan’s.
From infancy, the inhabitants of the world of ‘Levels’ are mentored and closely monitored by authority figures known as the Revered Ones.
Everyone, regardless of their position within the social structure, has access to the exact same quantity and quality of food, housing, clothing, education, and advancement opportunities.
Even though everyone is treated exactly the same, everybody is not the same. Diversity is not merely tolerated; it is accepted as natural and beneficial to the society as a whole. Inhabitants are constantly reminded that being different does not automatically make a person good or bad, right or wrong – just different.
Formal education is mandatory beginning at the age of five and, for most, does not end until the student turns twenty. Besides the traditional academic subjects, everyone must also learn basic artistic and carpentry skills.
Social advancement cannot be achieved through wealth, influence peddling, physical attractiveness, or deceit. At each level, everyone is subjected to a series of orchestrated physical and mental challenges specifically designed to determine if and when the candidate has matured sufficiently to function effectively within and contribute positively to the next higher social level. Advancement is strictly voluntary and may be declined by the candidate at any time for any reason.
Each social level is a physical place that is accessed via machines called transporter units and only an elite few within the ranks of the Revered Ones know how to operate them.
The ultimate goal of each inhabitant is to eventually attain the highest level within their society. Only then will closely guarded secrets pertaining to the creation and maintenance of their social order be revealed to them.
As they advance from one level to another, Jonathan and his companions are exposed to surprisingly diverse groups of people whose lifestyles and customs are totally alien to anything the travelers have experienced. They gradually learn that honor, courage, maturity, humility, and accountability are more than just abstract concepts.
It is my sincerest wish that readers will find ‘Levels’ to be entertaining and hopefully, as they share the characters’ life experiences from childhood through adulthood, form such a personal bond with them that they may sometimes find themselves laughing, crying, becoming angry, frustrated, or being frightened along with them. But most of all, I hope that every reader will leave my imaginary world of the future determined to help make our real, present-day world a better place – a world in which being different is okay and what one thinks of oneself is the only opinion that really matters.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am not sure that you would consider them unusual, but I do some things differently than many witers about whom I have read or met personally.
While writing ‘Levels’, I did not create an outline or have a firm idea of who the main characters would be, what their names were, what they looked like, their personalities, what situations they woud find themsleve in or how they would react.
This may sound crazy; but the characters took on a life of their own and I pretty much just recorded events as they took place in my imagination.
Several activities and situations were reflections of actual events going on in my life at the time. For example: the death of a friend, my daughter informing me that my oldest grandson had begun to experience puberty, a relative revealing that she was gay, and so on.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Authors and their books that have had the greatest influence on me are ‘Aztec’ by Gary Jennings, ‘The Stand’ and ‘The Dark Tower’ series by Stephen King, the ‘Earth’s Children’ series by Jean M. Auel, the ‘Hunger Games’ series by Suzanne Collins, ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ series by J.R.R. Tolkein, and last, but not least, the ‘Harry Potter’ series by J. K. Rawling.
What are you working on now?
I am sixteen pages into the sequel to ‘Levels’ and do intend to eventually finish it.
However, I will submit it to my publisher for evaluation only if and when ‘Levels’ is deemed to be a commercial success – at least 5,000 copies sold.
Only then will I truly consider myself a professional author.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
A marketing representative and publicist are privided by my publisher.
During the two years and three months since my book was released, I have been more than satisfied with the results of their efforts.
My publisher also created and supports the primary website promoting my book http://jimvuksic.tateauthor.com
Recently, I joined the Goodreads author program and, so far, have been very satisfied with their support.
Goodreads is presently hosting a Giveaway contest for my book as well as my blog.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
A writer, like any artist, must have thick skin; for not all of those who read your book will like it.
Accept each criticism – positive, negative, or just plain nasty – for exactly what it is; an opinion. Learn from each criticism and use it as a tool to become better at whatever you do.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Good enough is never good enough. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Shorcuts won’t hack it. If you are not going to do it right, then don’t do it at all.
What are you reading now?
Actually nothing. Whatever free time I have, I plan on spending it working on the sequel to ‘Levels’ until it is finished. Then, I intend to read and read, and then, read some more.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The sequel that I have already mentioned.
I also intend to do other things as well; after all, I am a father, grandfather, and traveler who just happens to be a writer.
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?
My two-volume set of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
‘The Century’ – A chronicle of the 20th. century by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster.
1,000 Years, 1,000 People – Ranking the men and women who shaped the millennium by Agnes Hooper Gottlieb, Henry Gottlieb, Barbara Bowers, and Brent Bowers.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jim Vuksic Website
Jim Vuksic’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile