New York Times' Bestselling Author, John Locke, is a busy man, especially since his name has become one of the most widely known among indie authors.

 

Of course, he has a writing style all his own which is part of the appeal; Locke has been known to become involved with his audience through the voice of his characters. Regardless of peoples' various impressions about his writing style, however, no one can dispute that John Locke is selling books all over the world at an alarming rate.

 

Well, I've been trying to catch up with this guy ever since I read his book titled, How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months. I later went on to read, Saving Rachel.

 

At long last, like a fisherman who has been hoping for a fish to bite, I got my wish and now have the pleasure of presenting you with a few tidbits about John Locke which you may not have known.

 

However, before we get to the interview, I would like to direct you to a blog post John wrote on August 06th, 2012, titled Fathers and Daughters. This post made me smile, laugh and even shed a tear as I took a peek into the soul of John Locke, the father.

 

Have you read Fathers and Daughters yet? You should! Go ahead! I'll wait for you...

 

Okay...welcome back...wasn't that beautiful? Now, let's plunge ahead...

 

Norma: John, what does being an author mean to you?

John: I only recently began introducing myself as an author, and didn’t start until months after my brother told me it was time. I get more respect now than I used to when answering the question, “What do you do for a living?”

 

Being an author carries more respect than my previous professions of selling insurance door-to-door or being in the real estate business. When I say, “I’m an author,” people generally do a double-take. I’m still shy about it, and trying to get used to the title. Right now it’s like trying on clothes that are too young for me.

 

Norma: When did you first realize that you wanted to write and publish a book? How old/young were you at the time?

John: I knew from age six I enjoyed writing. In college I decided I would write and publish a book. When I was 28, I self-published my first book, a non-fiction title. I published another in my thirties, but it was many years before I got around to writing fiction.

 

Norma: From its inception, how long did it take you to write and publish your first book? Was the experience mostly rewarding or filled with varying levels of frustration?

John: I’ve always said writing novels is like making pancakes. You have to toss the first one out while deciding how hot the skillet should be.

 

It took eight months to complete the first effort, and the result was a novel of 120,000 words, each word more dreadful than the previous! However, I had some great characters. I kept the best characters, tossed the book in the trash, and started over. That one took about four months to write. I have never experienced frustration in my writing because I don’t take myself too seriously.

 

Norma: Are you currently writing another book which you hope to publish at some point? If so, we'd love to hear more about it.

John: I’m working on several book ideas right now. I plan to publish all of them.

 

Norma: If you have published multiple titles, which book is your favourite and why? If you can't decide on one favourite, that's okay; break the rules and give us two or three.

John: Of the books I’ve published, my two favorites were the least popular with my readers! Those are Now & Then and Don’t Poke the Bear!

 

I like Now & Then because it really stretched me as an author. I like Don’t Poke the Bear because it’s fun, and while writing it, I fell in love with my character, Gentry. On the other hand, I never laughed so hard in my life as I did while writing Vegas Moon. So there’s that.

 

Norma: Who has been a major source of inspiration for you as a writer/author?

John: Probably my brother, Ricky. I like his sense of humor and try to write the type of books I think he would enjoy reading. I’ve only failed him once; he didn’t care for Now & Then!

 

Norma: That's what I'd call ironic; you certainly made me laugh. I must admit to being curious to know what your ultimate dream is, in terms of being a writer/author?

John: I would love to see my books on the big screen. Especially the westerns.

 

Norma: What is one of your favourite quotes? It can be from a book you wrote or something you heard throughout your life.

John: I’m not sure who said it, but the one quote I live my life by is, “When you reach for the stars, you’ll never come up with a handful of mud.”

 

Norma: I've never heard that quote but I think I'll adopt that one myself. It certainly has merit, doesn't it? Now...tell us a little about your life. What does an average day look like?

John: By day, I’m a private investor. I own and manage shopping centers so there’s always a deal to make, leases to write, bills to pay. I do all the accounting for my centers, so that adds to my time demands.

 

While wearing my author hat, I usually spend two to three hours a day answering emails from readers. I’m also a full-time dad, very involved with the kids. Oh, and when I get a chance, I write novels!

 

Norma: When you get a chance! Going by the rate you've been publishing titles, I would've thought you spent several hours writing each week. I can tell by the books I've read that you enjoy writing - that it's a form of relaxation for you, as it is for me, but I'd like to ask one final question: what are three of your favourite hobbies?

John: Writing is my favorite hobby, since it’s still a part-time job for me. I also enjoy boating and watching my kids participate in sports. I’m a football fan so I enjoy keeping up with that. I used to love snow-skiing but the altitude no longer agrees with me. Oops! I think I gave you too many!

 

Norma's closing thoughts:

John, I must admit to enjoying this interview with you. I learned more about you as a man and parent, not to mention your obligations and some of your dreams and goals. I can imagine you would like to see some of your titles on the big screen; I think I can say that myself, at this point. I do wish you all the best in your various endeavors and I do hope you continue to take time to enjoy the blessings surrounding you on a daily basis, even if you're a whirlwind who can't seem to slow down.

 

If you would like to catch up with John Locke, you may visit his website, named after his most popular character: Donovan Creed. You can also catch up with him on Facebook. To find his books on Amazon, click here.