Inside the Author’s Mind – Jason McIntyre

The first time I met Jason was as part of a threesome – on Twitter, that is. I recall I was having a conversation with another author, and he butted in, or at least, that’s my recollection. He’ll probably tell you a different story.

As it’s customary for me to do when I don’t know someone, I checked out Jason’s bio for a better sense of who he was. He was an author—good. He liked music—good. He was also Canadian—nice.  His profile depicted a serious-looking man, almost “dignified,” I told him. He laughed and directed me to one of his “In the Dark” videos.

“Tell me if you still feel that way after viewing it,” he said.

And so began my education of Jason McIntyre.

There are three things that impress me about Jason. He is funny, and I mean REALLY funny. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and his videos certainly prove that. Secondly, he is an incredible writer. Having read On the Gathering Storm, I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of his work, but he is truly brilliant in his ability to create suspense that is palpable. Finally, what endears Jason to me the most (he’s going to laugh when he reads this) is his humility. For such an accomplished author, he is incredibly down to earth and approachable. He shares his knowledge, his time, and has a warm and generous spirit.

I dubbed June the month that would heat you up. Well … Jason will do that to you. He’ll either scare the pants off you with his stories or make you laugh aloud with his off-the-wall humor.  Either way, he’s an über-talented author definitely worth knowing. Please welcome the very “cool” Jason McIntyre.

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Born on the prairies, Jason McIntyre’s observation of vibrant characters and vivid surroundings help populate the worlds inside his stories. Before his time as a writer, editor and communications professional, he spent several years as a graphic designer and commercial artist.

His novel ON THE GATHERING STORM is cited by readers as an “uncomfortably thrilling” read. Some tell tales of fainting spells, vomiting and self-mutilation as they read the harrowing ordeal of Hannah Garretty.

His current full-length novel in release is the suspense-mixed-with-coming-of-age thriller, THALO BLUE, a dark, fantastical thriller mixed with surreal family drama. Sebastion Redfield’s home life is messed up beyond repair, but that’s nothing next to what happens when a strangers breaks into his house one cold winter morning. No word on any faintings just yet.

Jason is the author of more than two dozen short stories, several novellas and full-length fiction. Currently, Jason is hard at work on a follow-up novel series about THE NIGHT WALK MEN and the anthology BLACK LIGHT OF DAY.

Jason loves talking to his readers and you can connect with him at his website – www.theFarthestReaches.com

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Inside Jason McIntyre’s Mind

What is your idea of perfect happiness?  Getting it done. And doing it the way my gut tells me it should be done.

What turns you on creatively?   Two parts to this. One, doing something or creating something in a way that I’ve never seen been done before (and in a way I’ve never done it before). Two, having a creative person that I respect notice that it is indeed done in a new and exciting way.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?  So. Basically. After all. Fantastic. A kind of.

What quality do you most admire in a man?  A quietness that comes from the inner knowledge that he is living right, doing right, and is absolutely certain of it. He can be as loud and boisterous as he wants in a fun setting, but alone or in private, he is confident with himself, who he is and the decisions he makes as a man and a person.

What quality do you most admire in a woman?  See the answer for my most admired quality in a man.

What is your greatest regret?   I sincerely hope this doesn’t come off as arrogant. I’m young yet so I don’t have any substantial regrets. Mostly they are small ones. “Sonova! I wish I would have had the nerve to say that to him!” “Bugger! I wish I would have brought an umbrella.” “Crap! The burger here is excellent. Why did I decide today’s the day to try vegetarian lasagna?”

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?  My soft-spoken nature. In my tone, I’m agreeable by virtue and people take this to mean I am a push-over or a weakling. I’m not. I’m quiet and introspective. Make no mistake. I have a solid idea of what I’m capable of and I know how to handle a lot more than others have given me credit for.

What is your greatest fear?  Failure as a father.

Which living person do you most admire?  In a professional sense? Steve Jobs (or at least my idea of him). In a personal sense? My mom. Don’t everybody go “awwwwww” at once. In a creative/writerly sense? Halfsies between Jeffrey Eugenides and Paulo Coelho.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?  Filmmaking.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be?  Happy constantly.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?  Being happy most of the time.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?  A tendency toward looking for how things will go wrong or what could have been done better. It’s also the same trait I hate about myself when I veer toward it.

What is your greatest extravagance?  My writing gear.

What is one thing you want to do before you die?  There are more than one, but I’ll say one that is ridiculous, just for fun: I want to have five top-ten bestselling novels. There. Written down. You can’t say I don’t vocalize goals.

What is your present state of mind?  Calmer than I should be, given what still needs to be done before I can sleep. The same as a small, delicate bird in the rain. Cold, but at the same time, refreshed. Looking for my next opportunity for flight, but wary that a predator is lurking.

What are some of your favorite curse words?  I like silly ones, and because I have two small children I manually cut and paste the goofy ones in for the ones I’d really like to say. So it’s “Dang!” “Dagnabbit!” “Sonova!” “Oopsie!”

What is your motto?  Two mottos: “Giving a no answer is better than giving no answer.” / “Do it until you bleed. Then do it some more. Again. Better. Faster. Do it until your guts start showing.”

Connect with Jason

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Thank you Jason for being such a wonderful guest. I truly mean that. (For once I’m being serious with you).  😉

I invite all readers to leave Jason a comment or ask a question. He’s an incredibly charming man—really he is.