Interview With Author Stephen Harlow
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
So, my name is Stephen R Harlow. I grew up in West Virginia and still live there. If I had to guess I got the drive to tell stories and write from my paternal grandfather who has passed on: he passed away when I was 6.
But I remember going to my grandparents’ house and sitting there with grandpa, and he would go on and on with stories, sometimes just making them up on the fly.
Another thing that inspired it was my dad; we used to listen to audiobooks all the time and I think I saw how much he loved those things and I wanted nothing more, at the age of 9, than to write stories that we could listen to together. So, I started writing when I was 9, and I would write little 4 page stories on WordPad, an old app on windows 2000.
I wrote my first full story when I was 17 or 18 years old and then we got rid of that computer and I lost it; I still remember it though, for the most part. I have a book coming out next year called ‘Aftermath’ that is basically the same story with a different spin on it.
Altogether, I have over 11 books and all of them are so near and dear to my heart.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Immortals. I’m a big fan of western films and games; I was playing a video game one night that is set in the 1890s and I just felt inspired to write.
Out of that cane The Immortals!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know that it’s unusual but I have talked to a lot of writers and authors in the past that are really big on keeping bullet points, having their story mapped out from start to finish, and have to have every detail before they begin.
I begin with an idea, that’s it: nothing more than that. I always write my main and supporting characters down, but other than that, I usually have no idea what’s going to happen in the story besides the beginning and the end.
Some stories I don’t even have that right away and the end just comes to me as I go; the majority of my story just comes to me as I write, honestly. My books are what they are because it’s literally just me playing pretend in my mind and then typing what I see in my head into Microsoft Word.
I have an extremely active imagination and I used to play pretend outside in my yard until I was probably 16 or 17 years old: writing is a way for me to continue doing that.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are so many books that have influenced me over the years. There’s the Longarm western book series; James Axler’s Deathlands; The Spellsinger novels by Allen Dean Foster; DeathStalker series by Simon R Green; I’m a huge fan of any book by
Louis L’Amour; I’ve read a few Star Wars Novels.
I could go on and on with this, but there are so mamy books that have inspired me tremendously.
What are you working on now?
So, this question is a bit tricky because I’m editing 11 books that are finished, so that they’ll be ready to release next year. So, technically I’m working on those; the book that I’m writing right now is called ‘The Wild and Wonderous Reserve.’
It’s a book that I took a break from a couple of years back and I just got back into writing it again recently. It’s about this zoo up in the hills of West Virginia (because I was driving home one day and I look up at the hills on the other side of interstate 79 and I just started thinking ‘that would be an awesome place to put a zoo’). It centers around this teenager that gets hired to be a zookeeper and when he gets there, he’s invited to a secret part of the zoo that is still under construction, and once there he sees what they’ve been hiding: dinosaurs; the zoo even has plans of opening that part of the park to the public.
How will it turn out? You’ll just have to follow me so I can keep ypu updated on when and where to get the book so that you can find out.
I was really inspired by playing games like Zoo Tycoon, talking about the old game that came our in the early 2000s that allowed you to raise dinosaurs; I would say I was also inspired by jurassic park, but I won’t say how until the book is actually released.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth; I also run my own promotions on Facebook and I have my own website where people can see all of my books and some Flash Fictions I’ve written (little stories under 5mins). Interviews are great as well; I don’t think you can nail it down to one method: it’s all about getting your book in front as many eyes as you can, and letting people know how entertained and in awe they’re going to be when they read it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Learn some basic business and marketing skills, but other than that, you love your book and if you can get in front of the right eyes, they will too. I’m all about entertaining people, so I try to write in every genre except romance and I try to keep sex and those types of things out of my books because those things aren’t entertaining to me at all.
But! You gotta not be afraid and put yourself out there and do your best; remember, it’s about entertaining people; it’s about what we as authors can give to people, not what we can get from them: we here to serve others, not the other way around.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
‘You can do anything you want as long as you’re willing to put in the work.’
I would cite the source but I’ve heard it from too many people that I don’t have the time or space to list them all.
What are you reading now?
Well, first and foremost: the bible. I am a Christian and I love my God because he has blessed me and supported me all along my journey, and I wouldn’t be where I am if not for him.
Other than that, some other titles I’m reading are Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi and an old western series called ‘Raider’.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have my very first published novel coming out on December 31st, that’s the 31st of this month, 12/31/2024: it’s on pre-order right now on Barnes&Noble. People have the option to buy it in either ebook format or get a physical copy; the physical copy is $8.94 and the ebook version is on pre-order for $1. I’m currently negotiating with Barnes&Noble to get a coupon for 50% off the ebook version, solely because I want as mamy people as possible to be able to buy and enjoy this book. I’m not trying to become a millionaire author at all, I just want to entertain as many people as I can with my work and I know that if they buy this book ‘The Immortals’ then they will be entertained. I’m also in the works, trying to get it turned into an audiobook as well, so that’s really exciting!
Other than that, I’m editing and finishing up some books that I’m going to be releasing in 2025; next year is my year man, I’m releasing so many books next year that it’s going to be such an awesome and amazing time!
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?
Any of the Dethlands novels, any of the Longarm novels, and probably… this is tough for me… but I’d have to say my 3rd pick would be a book by Louis L’Amour named ‘The Hills of Homicide.’
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