I am happy to have Stephen Jared with us today to talk about his newest novel- THE ELEPHANTS OF SHANGHAI.
First of all, I have to ask about the wonderful cover of this book. Who did the design?
His name is Paul Shipper, an amazing artist. He currently lives in New Zealand. The covers are extremely important to me. Solstice Publishing would happily handle the covers on my behalf, but I'm a little controlling about them, and so I take it upon myself to find the right artist. Shipper's a gold mine, and he's become a good friend too.
Were you a fan of action/ adventure movies made in the 30's and 40's ?
I'm a huge fan of them. The movies of that era led me to the books. The Errol Flynn adventures got me to pick up Rafael Sabatini, for example. The influences range from Only Angels Have Wings to The Mask of Fu Manchu. H. Rider Haggard's introduction to King Solomon's Mines gave me the idea of how I could introduce Action Jack stories ( with a voice that effectively says. "Hey, you might find the adventures outrageous and unbelievable, but I actually knew this guy.") So, yeah, that era is the foundation of pretty much all my writing.
You are also an actor. You have appeared on numerous TV shows. What inspired you to try your hand at writing a novel?
I thought there was a romance to being a writer. So, I jumped in. Years passed, and then I realized there is no romance to being a writer at all. But, unlike so many other things , I find satisfaction in doing it. I get caught up in the stories and characters as if they're real, and it becomes an escape, a place I can go and leave everything else behind. When I read something I've written that works, I experience a small sense of accomplishment, and so I've continued.
Was Jack Hunter inspired by anyone? Someone you knew or a book or movie character?
He's created from a few influences. Put simply, he's kind of a Tyrone Power on the outside, and Bob Hope in the inside. But then he evolves. In the second story, he becomes more heroic, stronger. I'm reluctant to say he becomes like a Harrison Ford character, but something close to that.
Do you have a special place you like to write? Home or office?
I can write anywhere. In fact, I like taking the work to different places, editing as I go. Pages can be read differently depending on location. For example, if I'm sitting in a big comfy chair at home the work might penetrate my brain more easily than if I'm in a crowded airport waiting for a flight. It's good to toughen the work up a bit, make sure it can weather whatever storms the reader puts it through.
Where can readers contact you?
I like twitter the best < @stephen_ jared< , but I'm easily found on Facebook and LinkedIn too.
What projects are you working on now?
I just finished a new crime fiction set in Hollywood in the 1930's. It'll come out next year.
What genres do you like to read? What are you reading now?
I read mostly older fiction ( adventure and crime thrillers), and non-fiction. I'm currently reading William Boyd's Solo. ( his James Bond novel), and Jonathon Rinzler's ,The Making of Return of Jedi.
What do you look forward to in your career?
My head is always down, working. I don't think about big rewards; I don't think about five years down the road. Of course, I'd like to see one of my books made into a movie someday. ( but that puts me in league with millions of other hopeful authors) Meanwhile, I just look forward to more people discovering and hopefully enjoying my work.
Is there a quote you would like to share?
Not really. I've always found desperation to be a better motivator than a good quote.
Thank you so much for taking the time out to tell us a little about your books and yourself.
THE ELEPHANTS OF SHANGHAI can be found at Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00COOUJXS