Q & A with author Jonathan Maberry and Susan J. Farese of SJF Communications
SJF: In a nutshell, tell us about your book or written piece.
JM: I’m a high-output writer, so I generally have a number of new releases. 2018 ended with a hat trick — three novels released in three months.
In October, Macmillan released Deep Silence, the tenth in my bestselling Joe Ledger thriller series. Ledger and his team go up against a team of scientists who have a device that could devastate the continental U.S. and destroy its economy, paving the way for the rise of a new Soviet Union. This series is in development for cable TV by Sony.
Then in November, JournalStone released Still of the Night, fourth in my zombie apocalypse series, following Dead of Night, Fall of Night, and Dark of Night.
And in December, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers released Broken Lands, which is both the sixth in the multi-award-winning Rot & Ruin series and the first of a spinoff series. That series was recently optioned for film development.
And, I ended the year with issue #3 of Road of the Dead: Highway to Hell, a prequel comic to the last (unfinished) script by Night of the Living Dead writer-director George A. Romero. I’d worked on Nights of the Living Dead, an anthology, with George a couple of years ago, and that book came out just before George passed.
SJF: What has your experience been as a writer in San Diego?
JM: I moved to this area six years ago. Our son, Sam, is a realtor in San Diego, but my wife, Sara Jo, and I live in Del Mar. We love the area and the people. Beats the heck out of living in Philadelphia, where we came from. The community of writers here is very welcoming, and I’ve been very active in that community. I started the Writers Coffeehouse at Mysterious Galaxy Books, which is now one of four we have in California, and nineteen overall. These Coffeehouses are free three-hour networking sessions for writers of any kind, from absolute beginners to New York Times bestsellers. They’re held once per month. The San Diego group meets on the first Sunday of each month, noon to three. No registration is required. It’s networking — with discussions on the craft of writing and the business of publishing; it’s not a peer critique or workshop group. I created the Writers Coffeehouses back in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, about fifteen years ago because I feel it’s important for writers to help other writers . . . without expecting anything in return.
I’ve also had a chance to interact with other writers’ groups such as San Diego Writers, Ink and the San Diego Writers and Editors Guild; I’ve taught at the SDSU Writers’ Conference, La Jolla Writer’s Conference, Canyon Crest Academy Writers’ Conference, and others. And I was guest of honor (and Inkpot Award winner) at the wonderful Comic-Con International: San Diego (San Diego Comic-Con).
So, it’s fair to say I’ve found a home among my people. The San Diego writers community is healthy, thriving, and fun.
SJF: How has storytelling influenced your life?
JM: I’ve always been a storyteller. Even before I could read, I was telling stories with toys. Along the way to becoming a full-time author, I’ve done other jobs — bodyguard, jujutsu master, college teacher, etc. — but telling stories is what defines me. It’s what gives me the greatest joy. After all . . . think about the job description: I get to make up stuff for a living and get paid for it. I’m a professional daydreamer. And the deeper I dive into the world, the more fun I have and the more stories I want to tell.
SJF: If you had a magic wand, what kind of opportunities would be available to writers in San Diego?
JM: If I could wave a magic wand, every person in the San Diego metropolitan area would become an avid and dedicated reader — thereby increasing the publishing opportunities for my fellow writers. There are a lot of good writers around here, and more of them deserve the break that will allow them to become full-time working writers. There’s no better job that I can think of.
SJF: What are you excited about when it comes to participating in the inaugural San Diego Writers Festival?
JM: A new event like the San Diego Writers Festival is pure joy. It not only allows me to meet existing fans (which is always a hoot), but it gives me the chance to hook new readers. I like introducing my weird stories to people who haven’t yet tried them. I’ve written quite a lot of novels, nonfiction books, short stories, comic books, and edited anthologies, that I’m pretty sure I have something for just about everyone.
And, to make it even more fun, the San Diego Writers Festival will allow me to get to know another — larger — slice of the writers’ community here. That’s always a joy.
SJF: What advice would you give to a new writer in San Diego?
JM: One of the most important things a new writer can do is to dive into the community of writers. We writers are a strange species — we can wither in isolation, despite the fact that writing is a solitary pursuit. We do best when we can meet, interact with, network with, and become friends with others of our kind. We get each other. We understand the challenges and the frustrations; and at the same time we can share solutions, work-arounds, opportunities, leads, and so on. The more a writer becomes part of the community of writers, the better his or her chances will be of turning out a saleable work.
SJF: Many thanks, Jonathan!
Learn More about Jonathan Maberry
Visit him on facebook, or Instagram: @jonathanmaberry, Twitter: @jonathanmaberry
Learn More about Susan J. Farese of SJF Communications