Today sees the start of our new Author Spotlight feature. Regularly we will feature an author and basically put them in the spotlight a bit so you can find out more about them, about writers in general and just generally be nosey.
We start off with Jess Frankel. Over to Jess…
Hi, my name is Jess Frankel, pen name J.S. Frankel, a longtime resident of Japan.I was born in Toronto, Canada, and grew up there, but I came to Japan in my mid-twenties and never really left. I married a lovely lady from Osaka, we have two children, both of whom are adults. What else? I’ve traveled a fair bit; Spain is one of my favorite countries to visit, along with Guam, but those were long ago. These days, what with Covid, harder and harder to get around.
As for making a living, I teach English during the day, write at night, and hope that my novels will be bestsellers. You can help me by buying them! And now, on to the questions!
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Can you remember the first time you started writing? — Actually, yes. It was in my early twenties–so long ago!–and I wrote a short story called Wink. I then put it away, and thirty years later I fleshed it out, renamed it Phase-Out, and it’s on Amazon. But I didn’t get into writing until my late forties, after my mother died. I had an idea for a story, and while I was still grieving, the writing was a catharsis of sorts.Eventually, that became The Tower, my first novel.
How do you come up with the ideas for your book(s)?
Life in general. Ideas from the ‘net, throwaway comments from others, and my own warped imagination. It’s always a case of “What if?” and every writer probably thinks the same way.
How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
About ten.
How many hours a day do you write?
Around four. Sometimes more. I keep things flexible.
How do you select the names of your characters?
For the guys, I usually use generic names–Paul, John, Bill, etc.–as it gives their characters an every-dude kind of appeal. For the women, I often end their names with -la or -ra, such as Minarra, Shayala, Angella, and so on. It sounds more poetic that way.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
First draft, three weeks. After that, another three weeks to edit and polish and then send it off. People say, “Whoa, that’s fast,” but keep in mind, my novels average out to 67500 words, and they move f-a-s-t! So, it doesn’t take me as long as someone like, say, Robert McCammon, who is very wordy but nothing’s wasted. He writes long novels, yes, but he’s never boring.
What advice would you give to new writers?
At first, just write. Don’t worry about mistakes. Get your thoughts down, get the characters as true as possible, and worry about editing later. Once you’ve been published or you’ve self-published, don’t worry if sales are low at first. There’s a lot of competition out there, and for everyone who’s struck gold the first time, there are a million others who haven’t. Whatever the case. don’t give up!
What are you currently working on?
Currently, another YA Fantasy novel, tentatively entitled The Destiny Equation. It involves a parallel Earth, a prophecy, and an unwilling participant. That’s all I can say for now!
How do you market your books?
I go on Twitter and Facebook a lot. I have many books, so I have to advertise, and begging and pleading doesn’t always work! Seriously, though, I do my best to engage with others. Word of mouth is one of THE best ways to advertise.
Who is your favourite author(s)?
Robert McCammon and N.K. Jemisin. They make the words sing!
Author Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007640056961
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessSFrankel
Thanks so much to Jess Frankel for taking part in this and to you the reader for taking the time to read it too. There will be more coming too!
Thank you so much for the interview! I’m always grateful for any exposure I can get!
–J.S Frankel
Great interview Jess. Good luck with the new book.
Awesome interview!