Hey everyone! I have author Jon F. Merz in the house today =)
Just a heads up… Jon is giving away a real Samurai Sword on his blog, to find out more, click HERE!
When did you first start writing?
I started seriously writing in about 1994, but I'd played around with it before then. Nothing too serious - a story here and there. 1994 was a turning point for me.
Have you always enjoyed Fantasy?
Fantasy was one of the genres I enjoyed most growing up. I was very much into role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and the natural offshoot was to read fantasy books.
Why writing Urban Fantasy?
I've been writing urban fantasy before it was even called urban fantasy. I enjoy the blend of reality and fantasy elements and the mixing of espionage with the supernatural really appeals to me. That mixing of genres is something I find particularly compelling.
Were there any Books, Movies or Writers that have inspired you?
All of the authors I read growing up inspired me to some extent. Folks like Asimov, Tolkien, Clarke, Eddings, and many others all helped formulate the writer I would eventually become. The Hobbit was very much one of the key pieces of inspiration for me. I can remember checking it out of the library when I was about 12 and sitting on my front lawn and devouring it until I couldn't see in the dark any longer. The Star Wars movie had a huge impact on me as did martial arts films. But I've also always gravitated toward action/adventure films - the Indiana Jones movies, stories about lost continents, that sort of thing. I love it all!
What is your favorite subject in the Urban Fantasy Realm?
I love authors who know how to accurately portray martial arts in the pages of their books. Unfortunately, there aren't many who do it well. And more often than not, I can tell very quickly if an author has ever had a punch thrown at them in a real hostile situation. The ones who do it well are few and far between.
Favorites:
Favorite Paranormal themed Movie? Prince of Darkness
Favorite Paranormal themed TV Show? X-Files
Favorite Paranormal themed Book? Aside from my Lawson series? :) I'm reading The Sorcerers of the Nightwing right now and it's pretty good.
Favorite Author? Can't narrow it to just one. David Morrell is a favorite as is the late great Robert B. Parker. Poe, Guy de Maupassant, F. Paul Wilson...there are too many to list!
Favorite Urban Fantasy Author? Richard Kadrey
Favorite Genre that is NOT your own? Espionage thrillers
Favorite one of your Books?
Well, The Fixer kicked it all off, but I also really love The Invoker. And The Kensei is very special to me as well.
Who is your favorite of your own characters?
Lawson's my favorite because he's a lot like me. I have fun exploring his perspective in the pages of my books.
Which was the hardest to write?
The Kensei was the hardest simply because a lot of what happens to Lawson happened to me and reasoning it out and portraying it properly was difficult, but so worthwhile.
What would you be if not a writer?
An entrepreneur of some sort. That's cheating a bit, because I'm very much an entrepreneur right now with my production company. But in another life I was involved with security matters. I enjoyed that, but it was too dangerous once I started a family. If I didn't have a family, then I might still be doing that.
If you Could be a Paranormal Being, Who would you be?
I don't know if it would have a label, per se, but someone who had the power of invisibility and telekinesis.
If you could meet ay Urban Fantasy Character out there, Who would you like to meet?
Oh wow, there are too many good ones to choose from...
Quickies:
Vampires or Werewolves? Scary, non-sparkly vampires.
Angels or Demons? Demons.
Reading or Writing? Both, please.
Print or eBook? Both, please.
Hardback or Paperback? Paperback.
Pepsi or Coke? Pepsi
Mc D's or Burger King? Depends. Burger King for the burgers but McD's for the fries.
*OMG me too!*
YA novels or Adult novels? I've been doing a ton of reading in YA, so that's where my heart's at right now.
Library or Bookstore? Depends. I loved the library growing up, but a really good indie bookstore can steal my heart.
Summer or Winter? I love 'em both.
The Movie or The Book? Again - depends, but usually the book.
PNR or UF? UF
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
Getting the story out on the page and knowing it's out of my head.
What is your least favorite part?
Not being able to type faster so I can get more stories done!
Can you tells us a bit about "The Kensei"?
The Kensei is the fifth Lawson adventure and it takes him to Japan on a vacation that soon turns into a quest to find a shadowy villain behind an organ-trafficking network.
What is coming up next for you?
Many, many more Lawson adventures coming out for the Kindle and the Nook. Also, we're getting the pilot shot for THE FIXER TV series based on the Lawson books.
What are you working on right now?
Finishing an early Lawson novel called The Madagascar Matter and a Lawson novella, The Shepherd.
Do you have any advice or tip to those like me that want to become a published Author someday?
Work hard and don't give up. The whole publishing scene is changing right now, but the one crucial fact remains: write a damned good story, work on your craft, and you'll find an audience.
Anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my many Lawson adventures. Please swing by my website at http://www.jonfmerz.net and say hello - my free newsletter features fiction and much more. Thanks so much!
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Oh I have cover love for the Kensei and I really want to read that one. Great interview. I'll be wary of invisible telekeinetic authors who write books with scary clowns on the cover. I swear that is the scariest cover I've seen! *shivers*
@Melissa
Hope you like it! =)
Isnt it? good plan, I'll def be wary as well! LOL