The Hot Author Report

Interview with J.W. Nicklaus – Author of The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between

J.W. Nicklaus is an Arizona native, which apparently makes him something of a rarity according to local unscientific census. He firmly believes there are more of them than actually accounted for, choosing instead to relish their anonymity. He shares his life with a son who shares his simple joy of baseball. Being a dad has been for him—and continues to be—an amazing experience.

J.W. owns up to many of the attributes circumscribed to Virgo’s; he’s as simple as his daily routine and as complex as any other hopeless romantic. He’s not fond of Arizona summers, and conversely loves the pristine beauty of snow.

Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. Many times I’ve been told I write very well, but typically chalked that up because I gave a damn about the proper use of the English language. That’s not to say my writing was always elucidating or without an edge. I’ve authored my share of caustic internal e-mails in my work life, but having a higher degree of control over the language gave the impression of greater heft to my words. Bottom line though, I got my point across.

And I like being able to do that!

Q: Tell us briefly about your book.

It’s about the ever-fluctuating state of the human condition and our life-long flirtation with Hope. A spectrum of short stories revolving around the very core of what most deeply affects us—Love.  From the wispy fog of a love lost at sea, to love lost and rediscovered, and the consequences of questionable choices made, each story provides a small glimpse into the many faceted emotion of hope.

Q: How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?

When I received my copy I treated it with delicate respect; I even broke out cotton archival gloves to hold the book so I wouldn’t soil the covers with the oils on my fingers.  I live alone so I was able to open the package and very thoughtfully browse through it, admire the cover and typesetting. I recall a tremendous sense of quiet fulfillment. If I achieve nothing else of this order in my life I feel I have left something good behind in my wake.

I wrote a blog post about the experience, which I think best answers this question:

She seemed to take forever, the wait and anticipation bordering on dubiousness.

At long last, she’d arrived.

Gently, carefully, protectively I held her, hands encased in cotton gloves so as not to outwardly soil her skin. My eyes drank in every detail: her size, her gentle heft, her color. She is now and always will be my first.

Much work and many an emotion went into getting her here, settled within my palms, beyond any question as if she’d belonged there all along—perhaps she was only meant for me, another watershed moment within my own life story.

She bears my inner being to a very real extent, and I assure you she’s far more attractive than I. Someday I will leave her behind and can only hope she will perhaps, at some inconcievable future point, provide some measure of inspiration in those who may choose to hold her as well.

She is my first book—The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between. We will be spending lots of time together in the coming year, and over a lifetime I hope she takes on that warm golden hue most books acquire with graceful age.

Q: What type of music, if any, do you listen to while you write? Do you need the noise or the silence?

When writing my stories I might listen to classical music, but even that’s rare. I much prefer to hear my own thoughts instead of having them filtered through some other distraction.

Q: If you could live in one of your books, which one would you live in?

The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between is a collection of short stories, so I have a variety of places to choose from. The most likely choice would be the environment of Paper Doll. It’s set in a restaurant just yards off the shoreline of the Pacific Ocean. While I’ve always felt a certain calm when near the ocean, I feel more connected to the emotional elements in the story—the surprise, the heartfelt desire, and the sheer connection to another. There’s an innate magic to romance, and being able to capture even the most nuanced whiff of it is something special indeed.

Q: The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?

Goethe wrote “Every author in some way portrays himself in his works, even if it be against his will.” My addition to that is “Some of us, perhaps, a little more than others.”

I couldn’t state specifically what part of me is in which character. I just know there’s a little sliver in most all of them. This doesn’t exclude antagonists — I find those are potentially the most fun to write because I can unleash my darker self within the character. Keeping that balance is important.

Q: Is there an established writer you admire and emulate in your own writing? Do you have a writing mentor?

I have no mentor to speak of. I’ve been a fan of John Grisham for a while, but my influences lean much more towards the earthiness of John Steinbeck and the directness of Ernest Hemingway.

Q: When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?

I read a lot of science fiction growing up, and my favorite author was Alan Dean Foster. Tolkien was a close second. I know, they’re distinctly different genres, but for some reason I was always able to really sink myself into Foster’s books.

Q: What about now: who is your favorite author and what is your favorite genre to read?

I’ve been reading more about history than ever before. I still enjoy fiction and have several in my TBR pile, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods and three Grisham novels as well. I’m also finishing up David Sedaris’s When You’re Engulfed In Flames.

I recently finished David McCullough’s John Adams, and earlier this year read Jon Meacham’s American Lion – Andrew Jackson in the White House. I discovered that I had a tendency to slip into 1800’s prose if I wrote anything directly after reading either of them. The way the language was used back then wasn’t overly ornate, but it had an elegance to it that I find fascinating.

Q: When they write your obituary, what do you hope they will say about your book/s and writing? What do you hope they will say about you?

I suppose the greatest compliment would be if they didn’t say “He was an insufferable S.O.B.” Not that I think I am, but I’m a little too close to the subject matter to make a clear call on it ;^)

Obituaries tend to be very light affairs — by “light” I mean there isn’t typically a lot of exposition about the person outside of surviving relatives and career highlights. The way I see it, when I pass on that’s a sure enough indication from something far greater than myself that my usefulness has come to an end. A ten-line obituary doesn’t do justice to anybody. Passing on things which don’t appear in an obit is far more important.

Q: In my experience, some things come quite easily (like creating the setting) and other things aren’t so easy (like deciding on a title). What comes easily to you and what do you find more difficult?

Titles are fairly easy for me, and I’m not sure why. I enjoy coming up with titles. Descriptions and settings are fun to do as well, although I have to be careful to not get carried away. There’s a point at which you have to give the reader enough to paint the image in their mind, and then let them run with it.

I find transitions to be the most challenging. Getting from one situation to the next can derail me sometimes. I’m not certain it would be as big a deal in a novel, but with short stories you have to keep the pace taut and smoothly move a reader through it. I know that, as a reader, if I stumble on something and have to revisit it much more than twice then you may have lost me.

Q: It’s one thing to write a book and another to edit it. How do you feel about the editing process? What was it like to edit your book?

The editing process is, without question, absolutely necessary. The process has the built-in danger of altering or diminishing the author’s voice, but it’s crucial to having a book that’s readable, not to mention comprehensible. I was fortunate that I didn’t need to do a lot of revision with my book. My editor found things which I had overlooked, mostly because I was too close to the material. She helped me to tighten some things up, and correct others which I hadn’t given thought to.

I also participate in a writing group, so those folks help to more clearly separate the wheat from the chaff. The whole process should be approached from the reader’s perspective. I think if that is kept in mind then the end result is far more pleasing.

Q: Now that you are a published author, does it feel differently than you had imagined?

The most distinct feeling, and probably the most intense, was holding my book when I received the first copy. That was a feeling like no other. As for the everyday matters after that, I can’t say that I feel much differently. It’s a bit like putting on a new outfit, I suppose, the proverbial ‘feather in the cap’. It’s a lot of work doing the promotion of your book, but for those of us who enjoy reading there’s a tremendous depth of gratification in seeing your name on a book.

Now, use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know. Include information on where to find your books, any blogs you may have, or how a reader can learn more about you and writing.

It has been an absolute pleasure to have had the opportunity to speak with you! Anyone wishing to find out a little more about me can visit my blog at avomnia.wordpress.com, or my web site at www.avomnia.com. I answer all e-mail I get, so if you’re compelled to drop me a few words then please do. I also respond to comments left on my blog.

And certainly check for The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or PDBookstore.com. If you’d like a signed copy then drop by my web site for info on how to purchase one!