Hello All! Today’s author interview will reveal yet more plus points to being a self-published author, and plenty to learn for aspiring authors.
J.S. Webster grew up in the cold wastelands of northern America, but eventually escaped to the southern Sunshine State. He is an aspiring author who has spent his life crafting poetry and fictional stories. Author of the “Chronicles of Old Glory.”
J.S. Webster’s life changed dramatically when he married his true love. He is educated, and earned a Bachelor of Science, and a Masters of Arts. He and his wife currently reside in Florida.
Hi, Webster, welcome to the blog! So, look, I explored your website and stumbled upon a post called “Twelve Reasons why ‘Requiem of Old Glory’ is different” and immediately chuckled at point 1. about political correctness. Made me think how bizarre it is that we have to make these statements for our creativity in the first place. Also made me wonder if past reader feedback spurred this statement or is this you cleverly being a step ahead?
It’s a warning, but also a statement. I didn’t set out to offend anyone, but yes, you might get triggered. One reader told me that Part 3 of Requiem of Old Glory triggered an old abuse she endured. She couldn’t finish the book.
I also rated my first book “not for minors” simply due to the last Part. It’s disturbing. But as far as PC – there is none in my books. I’ve written what I’ve written.
It was the beginning of the end of the United States. Baltimore, Las Vegas, and San Diego were three of the four cities that were attacked on June 5th, 2015. Each succumbed to chaos and terror like never before in the history of America. A viral weapon was unleashed to destroy the nation and its people. The outcome would permanently cripple the country and force people to survive on their own. They could only rely on each other and their will to survive.
Faced with uncertainty and overwhelming odds, survivors banded together in each of those cities. They chose unity, to face the impossibilities together. They chose life even though death and tragedy surrounded them. These are their stories of faith, hope, and hardcore determination. This is the first chronicle of those fateful days of destruction — a detailed history of the heroes and heroines.
Sounds like self publishing is the ideal scenario for you because of the subject matter of your books? I guess it gives you the freedom to write what you write without having to limit your creative output?
Yes. Had this conversation the other day. Being indie allows me to promote, write, and edit what I want. I don’t have to worry about what I’ve written being changed.
While oversight is good, and editing is important for any writer, our work should never be changed without our consent.
How do you find the whole self publishing process generally? Are you enjoying it?
Drove me crazy at first. It’s easy once you understand it, but it’s not easy for an amateur publishing their first novel. It’s very expensive too, unless you do everything yourself.
For example, copyright, book covers, editors, and other expenses can run up to thousands of dollars in costs. Hence why many writers go with publishing companies. I still prefer it over the latter. You’re also required to do all marketing, promotions and advertising on your own. It’s a business, and not everyone realizes this going in.
Self-confidence is necessary as you are selling your creativity. While it all sounds cumbersome, I like it. I love interacting with readers. I’ve met so many wonderful people.
“Becky could not go back to sleep. At that moment, she believed that she was in more danger in the company of this man than she would have been alone. Tears welled up in her eyes. She thought desperately about Sarah, and about escaping to find her sister. She couldn’t stay. No matter what, she would leave as soon as she had an opportunity.” – Excerpt From: J.S. Webster. “Requiem of Old Glory.” Part 3: The Golden Locket; Chapter 6: Creeper
What is the hardest and the easiest part of writing for you?
The hardest part is finding the inspiration without distractions when I have time to write. My ADD is part of that problem. Distractions destroy my flow, and sometimes I have no creativity juice to write.
The distractions! Distractions are like TV ads running during real life, they are always there, they’re annoying – how do you manage your time effectively for yourself to keep on track?
Music helps me concentrate, when the ambient distractions get too much. When life distractions begin sometimes it’s best to address them and get them out of the way. Otherwise, I’m always distracted.
For example, I’ve experienced a lot of personal troubles of late. Trouble born from a jaded childhood. I’ve been so distracted by it that I decided to write about it. It’s helping, but it’s also very difficult. I don’t even know if I will publish this book.
And the easiest part of writing?
The easiest part of writing is my imagination. I visualize everything I write, and my imagination is vast. I never have a shortage of ideas, but I don’t just write them. I analyze and pick them apart, until I can fashion those ideas into great stories.
How do you make sure that your stories flow logically and how do you catch plotholes?
I’m a panster, so I’ve run into difficulties with consistency. After publishing Requiem of Old Glory, my readers found a few inconsistencies. I ended up fixing those issues and republishing it a year later.
In truth, if I had really planned it out better, I would have written a book for each part instead of dividing my books into 2-3 different stories. It would have been much more profitable and easier to stay consistent. 😎
I hope that you will come through the troubling times and feel a fresh boost of inspiration, because when you describe your books and your writing and your characters, you come across quite confident and sure-worded. It seems you know exactly what you like in fiction yourself and you have transferred your clear convictions into your own writing. Is this the result of an analytical mind and good observational abilities?
Yes. Thank you. Self-confidence definitely factors into my abilities. You really have to believe in yourself to publish your work. Otherwise, you’ll be flailing and cursing everyone for every critical review.
As for your question, both are correct assumptions. Not necessarily the way to earn readers. For example, readers have complained about Part 1 in Requiem of Old Glory and my excessive banter about guns. It’s gotten a lot of criticism, but I haven’t changed it. I love guns, but not everyone wants those details in fiction. I should change it, but I probably won’t.
You also mentioned on your website, referencing to your blog post I linked above, that you do not use vulgarities in your books as a personal preference. I wanted to bring this up here because I know there are readers out there who appreciate clean language. Where has your clean language stemmed from?
Not using foul language or f-bombs in my books was both a conscious and creative decision. I’m not offended by them, but I could not in good conscience use the heavier swear words in my writing. I am a Christ believer.
A few years ago, I watched an Arnold Schwarzenegger film where every other word was an F-bomb. I stopped watching after fifteen minutes. Just filler words, and no real script. I find that content boring creatively. A few vulgarities in other people’s books doesn’t bother me, but I won’t use them. There’s a ‘damn’ or two, but I try to avoid the harsher words.
I also don’t judge other author’s decisions to use foul language in their works. As I said, it doesn’t offend me. If it’s too much, I won’t finish the book.
Is there anything else would steer clear of in your writing? Any tropes or cliches that actively try to steer away from in your writing? Something that you don’t like to read, and write about even less?
I like most tropes. I don’t normally try to avoid anything unless it’s something I find offensive or my readers might find distracting.
Actually, now that I think about it, I hate nihilism. The hopelessness of tomorrow is soaked into everything nowadays. Especially now, with so much turmoil in the world. People need hope. I avoid nihilism like the plague. It has no place in my books.
Do you have a favourite character ever created?
I love all my characters. My favorite has to be Vera from Remnants of Old Glory, book #2 of Chronicles of Old Glory. The strange beauty. A woman of mystery with a deep facial scar, broken English, and an Eastern European accent. Her blue eyes held a deep sadness and determination. Garbed and armed like a militaristic soldier, and harboring a dark secret. Her story was one of my favorites.
Aslan, by far, was my favorite character ever written in a book. As a child and teenager, every book I opened from the Chronicles of Narnia propelled me towards anticipation of reading about that Lion. I was obsessed. As an adult, I reopened those books and realized that it had not lost the appeal.
On June 5th, 2015, four coordinated terror attacks unleashed a plague upon the United States of America. That day was known as T-Day. T-Day was the day that the Tainted became the largest national security threat this country has ever known.
At the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, residents agreed to help Carl Edwards to seek out and rescue his friend Emily Sands. This would require an excursion across a Tainted infested city. Meanwhile, Captain Hart considers the best means of survival and longevity for those under his care and leadership. Will both missions require a supernatural proponent or divine intervention to succeed?
A few hundred miles away, and off the coast of San Diego, California the crew of the USS Ronald Reagan rescued a weary yet conscious John Carter. Wracked with guilt, and thirsting for vengeance, Carter joins a team of Naval officers and Navy SEALs to discover the truth behind the June 5th attacks. What conspiracies will be unraveled and will they find redemption in their righteous deeds?
This is the Second Chronicle of their history. The Remnants of Old Glory.
Would you consider yourself an avid reader and do you read in the genre you write?
Not as avid as most because I’m a picky and a slow reader. Not snobbish picky, but I tend to avoid certain genre. I enjoy horror, and I actually love adaptations of horror games and films. Like S.D. Perry “Resident Evil” series, Tim Lebbon and James A. Moore “Alien” series. I also love the classics from Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.
How do you balance your life around writing? Do you write full time?
Unfortunately, no. I write when I’m able. As you know, life is not without its other responsibilities. Recently, I’ve had a lot on my plate. Private stuff that’s stifling my creativity and clouding my schedule.
I had been on a 12-14 months publishing spree until 2023. I’m only half way done with my third novel, and it’s been 14 months. Not a good thing.
Covid and lockdowns were/are quite the historical event across the world. What role did the lockdown play for you as an author?
Funny you mentioned Covid. In 2020, I started a small business. A business to help people with their problems. Mentoring. Unfortunately, by the time I had started my business, lockdowns were in full swing. Covid and the lockdowns destroyed my business. During those down times, I wrote a lot of blogs. I enjoyed writing.
Then I found this old and mostly complete book hidden on my hard drive. It didn’t even have a name. From 2012. I was determined to have it published, so I went to work. I had it finished and edited, and published it in November 2021. Requiem of Old Glory. Funny thing was that people really liked it, so overwhelmingly that I wrote a second book. Now if I could only finish book 3!!
I am so sorry to hear about your business being affected by Covid. These few years really tested and affected a lot of people and businesses in a bad way. Do you think you would be where you are though, with your books published, if Covid hadn’t hit?
I have no regrets. I learned a lot about myself and my tenacity in these last few years. I continue to prove every naysayer wrong. While I lost my business, and a substantial investment, I learned more than I realized. Running my own business was a growing experience. While the business failed, publishing taught me how to market myself and my books. Now that I have written and published two books, I could write and publish anything. I know that I can do anything I set my mind to accomplish.
“The darkness of night faded as dawn approached, bathing the rooftop of the Metropolitan Correctional Center in a blanket of tranquil orange and yellow light. This starkly contrasted the crimson carnage of the recent battle. With the coming dawn the entire scene became illuminated and the details were vivid. Blood and body parts adorned the rooftop. Bodies of dead teenagers laid in twisted piles intertwined with the corpses of the Tainted.” – Excerpt From: J.S. Webster “Remnants of Old Glory: Second Chronicle” “San Diego: Revelations – Chapter 1: In Hell”
So, what can readers expect in book 3? Anything at all at this stage you can reveal?
I am going to bring a close to the chronicles. There will be three main Parts/stories.
1) A conclusion to the Baltimore story – what happened to the survivors;
2) An intro and conclusion to Orlando (specifically Dr. Montero – a virologist studying the Tainted virus);
3) And a revenge story against the Order of the Nocturnal.
I have written about 80k words, but its only half finished.
Having published 2 books and working your way through the third, any tips for aspiring authors out there wanting to take on the indie world?
A lot of advice.
Do not let the process intimidate you. It’s easy, but pricey and time consuming.
If you have support from family or friends, ask them for help. For example, my sister-in-law created both my covers for half the normal price. My last editor was a friend that refused payment.
Stop procrastinating. Books don’t publish themselves even if you go with a company. Don’t tire from querying.
It may take a while, so get to it!
That’s proper down to earth and solid, no BS advice! Webster, thank you so much for your time and for your giving us a glimpse of what it’s like to be an indie author! Keep writing, against all odds and obstacles!
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