| Interview with Jonathan Fesmire |
First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com!
My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking
time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your
readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you
wanted to be a writer?
I can’t really pinpoint a time, because I’ve wanted to be a writer for most of my life. Sometime during my
childhood when I was enjoying books, I realized I wanted to write my own.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Gravel, dust, and potholes. Yes, it’s been bumpy! I started off as many writers do, churning out short
stories and submitting them to magazines. I collected my share of rejection letters but had successes
here and there. I sold quite a few stories to paying e-zines, and eventually sold a short story to Marion
Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine.
After dealing with publishers and agents, I realized that I wanted to have more control over my books. I
decided to self-publish about a year ago. You should see my books. The editions are gorgeous. Plus,
they’ve been receiving great reviews.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
That is a really tough question, since I get my story ideas from everywhere. Writers from Stephen King
to Lloyd Alexander to Joss Whedon have had an influence in my work. Another big influence has been
Daniell Quinn. My novel, Tamshi’s Imp, is a good example of how his books have affected my thinking.
My wife inspires me because she’s such a huge supporter of my writing. And, my fans inspire me with
their encouragement. A lot of people are urging me to finish Women of Moreri, the sequel to Children of
Rhatlan, and it’s coming along well!
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
Oh, absolutely! Well, I wrote Amber in the Over World for my daughter, who’s the smartest kid I’ve ever
met. She was reading and understanding the Harry Potter books in kindergarten! I read to her all the
time when she was little, including all of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, so she’s grown up with an
appreciation for fantasy, and for reading in general. And, of course, I wanted to write something just for
her.
I dedicated Tamshi’s Imp to my wife, who is a great inspiration to me. She’s the biggest supporter of all
my creative work. It’s because of her that I’m able to write and do art full-time. It means I’m a house
husband, but do you think I mind? Which brings me to my step-kids, who also enjoy my writing. They’re
big fans of Amber in the Over World, too. The other books are too mature for them right now.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate. Be it a mocha or a Hershey bar, I find a little bit of chocolate soothing.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
I make myself breakfast—usually a cup of coffee and a bagel—check my e-mail and MySpace
messages, and figure out what I’m going to do for the rest of the day.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would
surprise me the most?
I have a digital recording studio in my bedroom closet. You see, I’m also a musician, though I don’t play
much these days. My feeling though is, once a musician, always a musician. I played violin from ages
nine to sixteen. I also play the guitar and sing. I bought the recording studio years ago but have never
learned to use it! That’s something I’d like to play with more, though.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know:
If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
This is an interesting question, because my current favorite color is orange, but I think that if I could be a
color, I would be sky blue. Blue is the color of the throat chakra. Its’s a color of communication, the ability
to listen, and of healing. It’s a peaceful color, and I find calmness and peace to be very important.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Timmy from South Park is my favorite cartoon character. Though he’s severely disabled, he’s such a
thoughtful and happy kid. He can be scheming too, like when he got Jimmy kicked out of the scouts! (I’m
not recommending that younger teens watch South Park! It’s a pretty grown up show, despite the fact
that the main characters are in fourth grade.)
As for who I’m most like, I’d have to say Mr. Incredible. First, I look very much like him. Second, he’s a
good family man and always tries to do the right thing.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history,
where and when would it be—and why?
This is the toughest question you’ve presented to me! There are so many fascinating moments in
history and amazing people. I would like to go back in time and talk with Carl Jung, though. His work in
psychology included all sorts of metaphysical principals and showed just how we’re all connected.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while
you’re writing?
I used to listen to music while writing, but now I prefer quiet. I can actually write pretty well in cafes
though, with music in the background or not.
I do love music. Some of my current favorite artists are Weird Al, Green Day, and Pink. I listen to music
more when I’m working out or driving though, than when I’m writing. I feel that music helps to lift the spirit,
and sometimes ideas come on the notes of a song.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie
you saw at the theater?
Oh, definitely! My wife and I watch quite a few good shows. I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, and I enjoy all
his shows: Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. I regularly watch The Dead Zone, House,
Bones, and the new Battlestar Galactica.
The last movie I saw in the theater was Monster House. That was a lot of fun.
I’m a big Star Wars fan—of the movies, at least. I saw the midnight, opening day showing of Revenge of
the Sith. Since I’m a Firefly fan, you can bet I saw Serenity on opening night.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Do what you love. If you love writing, then write. If you love singing, then sing. If you love playing sports,
then play sports. Always keep learning. There’s so much to know about the world, and so much you can
do to make it a better place.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
That’s always up in the air! I’m planning a sequel to Women of Moreri, and possibly a sequel to Tamshi’s
Imp. My daughter has urged me to write a sequel to the book I wrote for her, Amber in the Over World. I
may even publish a graphic novel one of these days, since I’m an artist, too. That would be fun!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you, too! I’d like to let everyone know that they can visit my MySpace page at http://myspace.
com/jonathanfesmire, and my Web site at http://www.jonathanfesmire.com/. There are links to buy my
books, and also links to read previews.
My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking
time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your
readers and fans.
Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you
wanted to be a writer?
I can’t really pinpoint a time, because I’ve wanted to be a writer for most of my life. Sometime during my
childhood when I was enjoying books, I realized I wanted to write my own.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?
Gravel, dust, and potholes. Yes, it’s been bumpy! I started off as many writers do, churning out short
stories and submitting them to magazines. I collected my share of rejection letters but had successes
here and there. I sold quite a few stories to paying e-zines, and eventually sold a short story to Marion
Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine.
After dealing with publishers and agents, I realized that I wanted to have more control over my books. I
decided to self-publish about a year ago. You should see my books. The editions are gorgeous. Plus,
they’ve been receiving great reviews.
What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?
That is a really tough question, since I get my story ideas from everywhere. Writers from Stephen King
to Lloyd Alexander to Joss Whedon have had an influence in my work. Another big influence has been
Daniell Quinn. My novel, Tamshi’s Imp, is a good example of how his books have affected my thinking.
My wife inspires me because she’s such a huge supporter of my writing. And, my fans inspire me with
their encouragement. A lot of people are urging me to finish Women of Moreri, the sequel to Children of
Rhatlan, and it’s coming along well!
Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
Oh, absolutely! Well, I wrote Amber in the Over World for my daughter, who’s the smartest kid I’ve ever
met. She was reading and understanding the Harry Potter books in kindergarten! I read to her all the
time when she was little, including all of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, so she’s grown up with an
appreciation for fantasy, and for reading in general. And, of course, I wanted to write something just for
her.
I dedicated Tamshi’s Imp to my wife, who is a great inspiration to me. She’s the biggest supporter of all
my creative work. It’s because of her that I’m able to write and do art full-time. It means I’m a house
husband, but do you think I mind? Which brings me to my step-kids, who also enjoy my writing. They’re
big fans of Amber in the Over World, too. The other books are too mature for them right now.
Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?
Chocolate. Be it a mocha or a Hershey bar, I find a little bit of chocolate soothing.
What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?
I make myself breakfast—usually a cup of coffee and a bagel—check my e-mail and MySpace
messages, and figure out what I’m going to do for the rest of the day.
If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would
surprise me the most?
I have a digital recording studio in my bedroom closet. You see, I’m also a musician, though I don’t play
much these days. My feeling though is, once a musician, always a musician. I played violin from ages
nine to sixteen. I also play the guitar and sing. I bought the recording studio years ago but have never
learned to use it! That’s something I’d like to play with more, though.
Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know:
If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?
This is an interesting question, because my current favorite color is orange, but I think that if I could be a
color, I would be sky blue. Blue is the color of the throat chakra. Its’s a color of communication, the ability
to listen, and of healing. It’s a peaceful color, and I find calmness and peace to be very important.
Who is your favorite cartoon character? Which cartoon character is most like you?
Timmy from South Park is my favorite cartoon character. Though he’s severely disabled, he’s such a
thoughtful and happy kid. He can be scheming too, like when he got Jimmy kicked out of the scouts! (I’m
not recommending that younger teens watch South Park! It’s a pretty grown up show, despite the fact
that the main characters are in fourth grade.)
As for who I’m most like, I’d have to say Mr. Incredible. First, I look very much like him. Second, he’s a
good family man and always tries to do the right thing.
If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history,
where and when would it be—and why?
This is the toughest question you’ve presented to me! There are so many fascinating moments in
history and amazing people. I would like to go back in time and talk with Carl Jung, though. His work in
psychology included all sorts of metaphysical principals and showed just how we’re all connected.
So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while
you’re writing?
I used to listen to music while writing, but now I prefer quiet. I can actually write pretty well in cafes
though, with music in the background or not.
I do love music. Some of my current favorite artists are Weird Al, Green Day, and Pink. I listen to music
more when I’m working out or driving though, than when I’m writing. I feel that music helps to lift the spirit,
and sometimes ideas come on the notes of a song.
Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie
you saw at the theater?
Oh, definitely! My wife and I watch quite a few good shows. I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, and I enjoy all
his shows: Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. I regularly watch The Dead Zone, House,
Bones, and the new Battlestar Galactica.
The last movie I saw in the theater was Monster House. That was a lot of fun.
I’m a big Star Wars fan—of the movies, at least. I saw the midnight, opening day showing of Revenge of
the Sith. Since I’m a Firefly fan, you can bet I saw Serenity on opening night.
You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?
Do what you love. If you love writing, then write. If you love singing, then sing. If you love playing sports,
then play sports. Always keep learning. There’s so much to know about the world, and so much you can
do to make it a better place.
One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?
That’s always up in the air! I’m planning a sequel to Women of Moreri, and possibly a sequel to Tamshi’s
Imp. My daughter has urged me to write a sequel to the book I wrote for her, Amber in the Over World. I
may even publish a graphic novel one of these days, since I’m an artist, too. That would be fun!
Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!
Thank you, too! I’d like to let everyone know that they can visit my MySpace page at http://myspace.
com/jonathanfesmire, and my Web site at http://www.jonathanfesmire.com/. There are links to buy my
books, and also links to read previews.