Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
For most of my adult life I have been a science fiction and thriller writer. I am told that I am known for having a literary writing style, one that encompasses dark themes and complex, paranoid characters. The best known of these are DR. ADDER, THE GLASS HAMMER, and FAREWELL HORIZONTAL. And I have a recent indie publication, the novel THE KINGDOM OF SHADOWS, set in the sinister and glamorous world of the film industry of the Third Reich. At last count, I think I have written over 40 novels and a dozen short stories.
Something totally unexpected by me is that I am credited with the invention of the term “steampunk,” which I guess is true as this was a word I coined in a letter to Locus magazine in 1986 to describe the Victorian-inspired books that were being published in the early and mid 1980s. My most recent print publication is in this subgenre: the novel FIENDISH SCHEMES (Tor, 2013), a sequel to my 1987 Victorian fantasy INFERNAL DEVICES.
But my these days I am concentrating on my new Kim Oh books — a Young Adult Suspense & Thriller series. The first five novels are available now online from Amazon. (“Kim Oh” is my pen name for these books.)
On a personal note, I was born in Los Angeles in 1950, and I currently live with my wife Geri in Ecuador. We love traveling and exploring new locales and cultures so it’s anyone’s guess where we will go next. Also, few people are aware that I am a major ballet fan. My wife and I have been known to show up more than five times in a week during the San Francisco Ballet season. Of course, right now this would be quite a commute.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is KIM OH 5: REAL DANGEROUS FUN, the fifth book in my new thriller series. I’m using the pen name Kim Oh for this new series because these books are really different from the ones I’ve written before — they’re faster, funnier, and with lots more action, but with surprising depths to them as well.
In a lot of ways, my heroine Kim is sort of a psychological self-portrait, even though she’s very different from me as well. She’s an orphan who’s had to figure out the world on her own, and how to make her way in it. Some people betray and abuse her, and some people befriend and help her. She has to risk everything, including her own life, to protect the people she loves.
I’ve discovered that this is how most people view their own lives and struggles — we’re all fighting for what we believe in, and surviving the best we can. I believe that the Kim Oh Thrillers are some of the best books I’ve ever written, and they’re where my heart is right now as a writer, because I feel they connect so well with my readers’ lives. I see myself in her, and so do my readers.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to stand up when I write. It keeps me energized. Also, to help retool my brain, I take frequent breaks to practice on my bass guitar.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The classic science fiction writer Andre Norton, thriller novelist James M. Cain, and mystery writer Gil Brewer.
What are you working on now?
These days, I am working on the sixth installment in the Kim Oh series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have found that the most successful method to promote my indie books is the use of websites that also have an extensive email subscriber list.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write as much as you can and as often as you can. When readers like your work, they want more from you and hate waiting for a new story or installment in a series.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Listen to everybody at least once.
What are you reading now?
These days, I am not reading as much as I have in the past — I am writing.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More Kim Oh. And more Steampunk.
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 EDINBURGH LECTURES ON MENTAL SCIENCE, by Thomas Troward;
The collected novels of Harrison Ainsworth;
HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER; and
PRACTICAL SHIP BUILDING
Author Websites and Profiles
K. W. Jeter Website
K. W. Jeter Amazon Profile
K. W. Jeter’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account