Interview With Author Shemar James
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
From a very young age, creative writing has always been something that I have done in my free time. Writing was a way to explore my imagination and create fantastical worlds, develop fun characters, and craft interesting plots. In elementary school, I recall journaling numerous pages of funny short stories where my classmates would gather around in anticipation and enjoy the comedic and action-packed adventures my characters would venture on.Being inspired by the television I watched and the video games I played, I wrote and illustrated many stories both on my own and some with other friends. A close friend I rode the school bus with would wait impatiently for me to add more to my story journal so that she could pick up where she left off in the story and enjoy reading with the few minutes she had. I also remember my older cousin that would come over and read my very early drafts of my published book, The Adventures of Zorax Zoomster and shared with me that “I wouldn’t be reading your stories if I didn’t think they were interesting.” From these moments of my childhood, I knew that I had something special to share.
Several years later, I published my first novel in 2012 called, The Adventures of Zorax Zoomster, categorized as science fiction. This suspenseful fantasy story tells the adventure of a teenage alien crew who journey to the vast galaxy to find a way to save their own civilization from a powerful evil ruler. This was the first official publication that I released in high school at just sixteen years old. Although daunting, my ambition to share my creativity with the world far outweighed my fears of doing so.
Afterwards, I also recently published a comic books series, entitled Modern Monarchy: The Caveman King, a fantasy, adventure tale of a princess and her friends of the prehistoric world left to ward off the outside enemies that threaten to overthrow their kingdom while learning to form an uneasy alliance with the modern people of their day. This required focus, commitment, and a lot of patience. My most recent publication is my poetry and short story collection, I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D: A Decade of Imagination & Reflection where I share more personal pieces of my life from my years in junior high through my time in university and also includes poetry from my parents as well.
The Adventures of Zorax Zoomster (Sci-fi novel)
Modern Monarchy Vo1. The Caveman King (Comic Book Series)
Modem Monarchy Vol. 2 Kingdom Invasion (Comic Book Series)
Modern Monarchy Vol. 3 Fate of the Kingdom (Comic Book Series)
Modern Monarchy Vol. 1-3 Kingdom Collection (Comic Book Series)
I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D. A Decade Of Imagination & Reflection (Poetry and Short Story Collection)
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D. A Decade Of Imagination & Reflection: Poetry and Short Story Collection. I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D. showcases and explores ten years of my life between 2010-2020 through the focused lens of poetry and short stories. The title of this collection, of course, has a dual meaning. I not only felt inspired to share these pieces but also the acronym within I.N.S.P.I.R.E.D. that birthed this project. This special decade of reflection is examined through my own creative tools of introspection, narrative, symbolism, perspective, imagination, reflection, entertainment, and documentation. I was always thrilled to share my life experiences and creativity through poetry that included many things like fictional tales, cultural identity, spiritual reflection, social justice, the essence of community, and other significant elements.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really, but I do have very specific habits that I do. I usually need to listen to music on a low volume to create a certain atmosphere of energy. I also like lighting candles as they are very calming. It also doesn’t hurt to maybe eat my favorite candy or drink a nice beverage while I’m generating ideas. I tend to do my best writing late at night or early in the morning.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Hope and other dangerous pursuits by Laila Lalami
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on an animal adventure story for kids that explores themes of friendship, activism, environmentalism, and prejudice. I am also working on continuing the series of my sci-fi novel, The Adventures of Zorax Zoomster.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think social media and article publications have been the best way to gain traffic towards my books so far.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never stop writing and always stay inspired. Writing is a journey and it requires a lot of focus and discipline. It’s easy to want to give up or throw in the towel but the thing about being a writer is no matter how much you may want to quit, there’s still that pestering fire inside of you that won’t allow you to do it. Listen to that fire. It’s there for a reason. If you do feel unmotivated sometimes, that’s okay. Take a break, and enjoy some of your favorite stories by other authors or directors and regain your inspiration that way.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
If you hear the word no, it just means “Not yet” and its closer to a yes.
What are you reading now?
At the moment, I have mostly been attending webinars on how to become a better screenwriter, but I hope to dive into reading more fantasy and sci-fi books again very soon.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to continue to publish as many books as possible in the fantasy, science fiction, and action/adventure realm and hopefully branch off later into other genres as well. I also want to continue to dabble into the craft of screenwriting more.
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?
Bandwidth Recovery by Cia Verschelden
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resman Menakem
Total Leadership Stewart D. Friedman
Author Websites and Profiles
Shemar James’s Social Media Links