Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I grew up in Oregon and Washington, the third oldest of six kids, and began writing professionally when I got out of college. For about a dozen years, I wrote and edited sports articles for daily newspapers. I switched careers in the late 1990s and have worked in libraries off and on ever since. When not writing and marketing novels, I like to go on long walks, make homemade beer, and travel around the U.S. Since publishing The Mine in 2012, I have written eleven full-length novels and converted nine to audio. Two more are in production. I released River Rising, my eleventh novel, in September 2017.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I decided to write River Rising, the first book in the Carson Chronicles series, after reading about the Johnstown (Pennsylvania) flood of 1889. The event, a traumatic chapter in American history, inspired all sorts of storylines.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if this is unusual, but I plot novels down to the tiniest details before writing a word. When I run into obstacles, like writer’s block, I go on long walks and try to think of ways around them. Like a lot of writers, I need a lot of quiet time to write. There is no substitute for that.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am partial to several authors. I like how Stephen King, John Grisham, and Nelson DeMille turn phrases; how Clive Cussler and James Patterson construct their chapters; how Nicholas Sparks tackles romance; and how John Jakes approaches history. I was also a fan of the late Vince Flynn and admired, among other things, his efficiency and pacing.
What are you working on now?
I am plotting and researching the second Carson Chronicles novel, which will be set in Minnesota, Mexico, Pennsylvania, and France in the summer and fall of 1918. I hope to publish it next June.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I utilize several websites when marketing my books, including BookBub, E-Reader News Today, and Book Gorilla. I also post regularly to my blog and social media sites and request reviews from bloggers.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Give your book the consideration it deserves. Read it, reread it, and revise it until you want to run away from your laptop. Enlist the help of competent editors, beta readers, and illustrators. Be patient. Set reasonable goals. Take marketing seriously. It’s one thing to write a book. It’s another thing to sell it in a market where several hundred thousand new titles are released each year. Do what you can to stand out in the crowd.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When I started out in 2011, I intended to write pure historical fiction with a time-travel twist. I had no intention of putting romance in my books. Then an author friend convinced me to incorporate love stories into my works. I’m glad I listened to her.
What are you reading now?
I am not reading anything at the moment. I did recently finish “The Cuban Affair,” by Nelson DeMille.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I will continue work on my next novel. I plan to write at least one book a year for the foreseeable future.
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?
I would take “Unbroken,” by Laura Hillenbrand; “Wild Fire,” by Nelson DeMille; “Memorial Day,” by Vince Flynn; and perhaps “Robinson Crusoe,” by Daniel Defoe.
Author Websites and Profiles
John Heldt Website
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