Interview with Author Jon Reisfeld

Today, I'm pleased to welcome author Jon Reisfeld to my blog.  Let's learn a little bit about him and his books!

Welcome, Jon. Tell us about yourself in three sentences or less!

I'm a marketing-communications professional turned novelist. My interests include sci-fi, suspense-thriller and themes about social justice. I'm also a registered Independent … and Ravens fan.

If you were describing your style of writing to a potential new reader, who would you compare yourself to?

I'd tell them I write terse, active sentences, but that I can wax poetic at times and that my dialog can be quite crisp. Then, I'd ask them to tell me whose style my writing reminds them of, when they finish reading one of my books.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I don't have a "single" favorite thing. I love the independence, the hours, the ability to work from home in my skivvies; the freedom to pick subjects that fascinate me … with the one corollary that they interest enough readers to provide a commercially viable audience; the ability to exercise my imagination and to research new things; the caliber of people you meet, i.e., other writers; and finally, the fact that, once you put your work out there, it becomes an object of discussion and introspection -- what a trip that is!

What’s your biggest challenge as a writer?

I've got several. But right now, I'd say it's knowing when a work of fiction is actually done. (For instance, I originally planned my current work, The Last Way Station, to contain three vignettes wrapped in the larger story, but I settled on just one.) People read the book and tell me they want more, that it ends too early. Are they right, or is that precisely how I want them to feel when they're done: hungry for more?

If you could offer one piece of advice to other authors, what would it be?

Don't second guess yourself. If you have a strong inspiration for a certain story or plot, run with it -- all the way to the finish line!

Of all of the characters you have created, which one do you most identify with, and why?

Well, I'd say the protagonist, Martin Silkwood, in my previously published novella and soon to be re-released novel, "The Reform Artists." Martin goes through a horrible divorce, in which he gets falsely accused of domestic violence. He's not me, but some elements of his character, and circumstances, draw on my own personal journey. So I feel he's a kindred spirit.

Do you use your own life as a backdrop for your writing, or where do your influences come from?

If you don't use your own life as a backdrop, you're crazy. But if you don't go beyond that and use everything you experience, including third-person stories, images of strangers you meet on the subway, books you read and courses you take, etc. your writing will suffer. It's a big, bold complex, rich and varied world out there. Best you soak in as much of it up as possible and then serve it back up, where appropriate, in your writing.

Sell me on your books. When I see your books next to someone else’s on Kindle or Nook, why should I choose you?

Well, if you saw "The Last Way Station," which is about Hitler's final judgment in Hell, you'd probably be a lot more comfortable clicking it onto your computer's hard drive or into a UPS shipping container (in other words, buying it online) than you'd be walking it up to the cash register in a bricks-and-mortar bookstore. The reason: The cover art, which I designed, consists, entirely, of a Swastika banner (riddled with bullet holes.) Those holes make an important editorial statement, but most people cannot get past the Swastika. Also, I think I provide a pretty "kick ass" description of the book's action on the back cover. (And the Kindle version sells for just $ 0.99, so how can you lose?)

What are you working on right now? And when will it be available to your readers?

Well, I'm finishing the expansion of The Reform Artists from a novella into a novel. The book is scheduled for release in mid-January. It tells the story of Martin Silkwood, nice guy falsely accused of domestic violence and the underground group that comes to his aid, determined to see that he gets a fair trial. I'm also plotting out my sci-fi trilogy, which is what I'll sink my teeth into next, after The Reform Artists' release and launch.

Thanks for grilling me so thoroughly, Anne. You can flip me over now!

Thanks for visiting me, Jon! Readers, now it's your turn to visit Jon and check out his writing! But first, check out his book trailer for The Last Way Station, where Hitler meets his own final judgment.



How to find Jon and his books:

Now available in paperback from Amazon!
Web site | GoodReads | Amazon Author Page
Kindle | Smashwords | Barnes&Noble | Apple iBooks