Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! I’m Jonathan Sobe and I feel most at home on the north shore of Minnesota, USA or the pubs of Oxford, UK. I’ve written one full-length novel and one novella.
I attended college for writing, have a BFA in Creative and Professional Writing, and worked at several literary organizations after graduating. For the past decade, I’ve made my living in IT, but have recently felt the pull to return to my true passion (even if just in my free time).
Outside of the literary world, I live and breath all things film and travel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I recently published two books, As Vaan Made Us, a novel, and August in September, a novella.
As Vaan Made Us has existed in some form since I was a teenager and is very much influenced by the science fiction and action books, films and comics of my youth. The oppressive theocracy that is the book’s main antagonist and the struggles of the characters to fit in are also influenced by my youth in Catholic school. It’s current form also takes inspiration from the political issues of today.
August in September takes inspiration from actual events from my college days to explore the anxieties of the mid 2000s and issues that continue to this day.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I complete the first draft of each chapter entirely in my head, pacing the room or going for a walk until I’ve got the entire thing ready to go. Sometimes this takes hours! Only then do I sit down to write.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I take inspiration from the worlds of Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick, George R.R. Martin, Frank Herbert and more. I’m also a massive, diehard, lifelong Star Wars fan. In fact, the lull in Star Wars movies between the mid-80s and late 90s that produced so many great Star Wars books, comics and video games was a major reason for my passion for science fiction worlds.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on a science fiction novel featuring a psychic detective which explores mental health issues in a society obsessed with long life.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The subreddit r/selfpublish has taught me everything I know about promoting my books, which isn’t a lot since I’m just starting out, but is a lot more than I would have known without it. It’s a great community of authors at all stages of their journey, from those thinking about their first novel to users who can truly call themselves bestselling authors.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t get discouraged by the unbelievable amount of work you have to do to even let readers know your book exists. While we’d all love to simply click “publish” on Amazon and let the money roll in, the truth is you need a lot of passion, time and patience to even get started.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Why not?” The best and most interested things I have even done were preceded by asking myself “why not?”. Not every idea is great, and not every risk will pay off, but as corny as it sounds, you won’t know unless you try.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently re-reading Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, which I read as a kid around the time the movie came out. While I loved the dinosaur action in my youth, I couldn’t really appreciate the warnings Crichton had about capitalism and runaway scientific advancement. I also didn’t appreciate Ian Malcolm’s ramblings the way I do now. As a compliance auditor in my adult life, I’m loving this sci-fi trip through the mother of all risk assessments.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m newly reentering the literary world after a long hiatus, this time as a self-published author. My next step is figuring out how to best promote my existing books before embarking on the all-important task of writing my next novel.
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 number one pick would be my favorite book, Philip K. Dick’s A Scanner Darkly, followed by Frank Herbert’s Dune, Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, George R.R. Martin’s A Storm of Swords, and finally, Mark Russel’s God Is Disappointed in You. Just for fun, I would also include anything by David Sedaris.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jonathan Sobe Amazon Profile
Jonathan Sobe’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile