JD Penley:<\/strong> Thanks for having me, it\u2019s a pleasure talking with you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> So, the first thing I\u2019ll come out and say is that you\u2019re a bit of an enigma!\u00a0 I typically can accomplish a fair amount of research prior to one of these interviews, but it was hard to dig up a great deal of information on you, so a lot of today is going to be spent getting to know you.\u00a0 We\u2019re trying to see what makes you tick, so we\u2019ve got some ground to cover.<\/p>\n First off, I like to ask people what inspired them to start their writing journey.\u00a0 Did you have a favorite book growing up that sparked an interest, or perhaps a family member who told great stories?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> I didn\u2019t have a favorite book, but rather a few books sparked my interest. I\u2019m a big fan of Anne Rice and Charlaine Harris, and I\u2019m a sucker for vampires. As for family members, my late grandmother was the storyteller. She was part of the reason I decided it was time to stop procrastinating and write a book.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> How do the rest of your family feel knowing you\u2019ve picked up her mantle?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> It\u2019s not something we\u2019ve really talked about, and sadly I don\u2019t know their thoughts on my writing. I don\u2019t know that any of them have actually read the book yet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> I\u2019m sure with time you\u2019ll have something good to show for all your work and then they won\u2019t want to stop chatting you up about it!<\/p>\n What gave you the idea for your book, No Peace in Death<\/em>, and the Book of the Immortals series?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> It was a combination of things. While I’m a fan of vampires, I always hated that there was never one that I could relate to. There was always a whiner like Louis in Interview with The Vampire who hated killing and essentially hated being immortal. Then there was Twilight and sparkly vampires that seemed emo, and while I liked the story, I hated this idea that vampires have to constantly be in the shadows. They seem to be portrayed as monsters or loners, and I couldn\u2019t relate to them outside of enjoying the genre. So, after way too many late nights alone, with nothing but my thoughts, Lucas was born. He came at a time in my life when I was in sort of a rut. I was just out of a divorce; a single dad and I was down on my luck. I had just gotten laid off months prior to starting the first book of the series and I think Lucas was born out of a darkness that I was facing at the time. His journey leading to his becoming a vampire echoed a lot of what I was feeling back then. Lucas essentially helped me through a period of my life where I was ready to give up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> I\u2019m assuming that you\u2019re experiencing brighter times now.\u00a0 How has Lucas changed since he initially helped you out?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> Much like Lucas, I found a way out of the darkness. I reconnected with my best friend of 15 years, and we finally told each other how we felt back before we went our separate ways. It was a classic \u201cthe one that got away” scenario for both of us. We\u2019ve been together ever since, and we have a beautiful baby boy together.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> What would you tell other people who might be struggling about how to best endure the hard times and be ready for a pivot back to better times?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> Everything is momentary, both the good and the bad in life. We can be here one day and gone the next. The key I\u2019ve found to weathering any storm or navigating through the darkness is to remember that even in the darkest times you can always find the light if you\u2019re willing to search for it. Sometimes it\u2019s easy to find, others the hardest part is learning to close your eyes and hang on through the storm, and when it\u2019s over you will have either found the light you need or you\u2019ve come out on the other side of it. The most important thing I can say, is that no matter what you\u2019re facing\u2026Never Give Up! Life is always worth living. Even the worst situation isn\u2019t permanent, unless you choose it to be. You can always change it, take a different path. Even if you think no one would miss you if you were gone, always remember that even the smallest ripple can travel a measurable distance after it starts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> What serves as your muse for your writing?\u00a0 Do you talk out your scenes with anyone, or do you get inspiration from music, movies or games?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> A few things actually. My wife and kids, my friends and family, are a big influence at times. I don\u2019t talk out scenes, at least not out loud with anyone. It\u2019s more of an internal process where I ask myself how I would feel if I were reading the book instead of writing it. As far as inspiration, it comes from so many places, and sometimes its completely random. I love vampires, so I draw from books, video games (Vampyr I\u2019m looking at you), or tv shows (Vampire Diaries, Originals).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> So, the first time anyone sees the thoughts that come out of your head and hits the paper, so to speak, is when your first draft is done.\u00a0 What kind of feedback do you get?\u00a0 What kind of challenges do you face when you\u2019re writing?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> I usually have my wife look at things when I finish writing a certain section, and she\u2019s a big help as I write. When I was writing the first book, she was reading it as fast as I could write it. She was essentially my alpha reader. The biggest challenge these days is time itself. Unlike Lucas I unfortunately have to sleep and work so getting time to sit down and work on things is difficult at times.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> What kind of tools do you use to help you write or market?\u00a0 I\u2019m thinking things like Scrivener, BookFunnel, those kinds of things.<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> I used to write in Word, but I recent made the switch to using the Reedsy free editor, and I like the way it allows me to manage my projects. I looked at Scrivener, but I didn\u2019t really like the feel, so I switched. As for marketing, I use social media as best as possible, and Goodreads.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> You\u2019ve also been working on the follow up to No Peace in Death<\/em>.\u00a0 A sequel called Undying Love<\/em> is on the way.\u00a0 How far along would you say you are with that, and is there anything you can tell us about it?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> The book is written, and I\u2019m in the process of editing and doing my obsessive nitpicking of the book. Reading it again myself and tweaking different elements if I find I don\u2019t like something on another read through. I\u2019m working with my artist on the cover art and writing the blurb for the back, so overall its coming together nicely. My goal is to have it ready for release later this year, possibly for the holidays.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> And you also have a third book that you\u2019re hoping to release next year, correct?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> Yes! Book 3 of the series \u201cA World on Fire” is on my to do list. I\u2019ve already started writing part of it, so I just have to finish it, do my editing and have my artist create a cover for it. It’s a busy time right now. As long as everything stays on track, book 3 should be ready before next summer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Who would you say are your biggest fans, and what are their favorite parts of the book so far?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> I like to think my wife is the biggest fan, and I\u2019m sure if I let my daughter read it, she would be number 2. I couldn\u2019t tell you their favorite part, but I like to think it\u2019s towards the end where the cliffhanger leading to book 2 is. That\u2019s when a special character gets to make an appearance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n T:<\/strong> Does your wife ever advise you on characters or storylines she\u2019d like to see?<\/p>\n JDP:<\/strong> From time to time she gives her input, but most of the time I write and then have her read as I go along. She gives feedback and lets me know how the story feels. She\u2019s essentially my cheerleader, alpha\/beta reader, editor, and my inspiration. I don\u2019t know what I would do without her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/20200901_130615.jpg\")
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