I met Jason Stadtlander through a mutual facebook friend and we hit it off right away. A talented writer, Jason is on his way to great heights in the writing world. His new thriller THE STEEL VAN MAN was recently released and garnering praise from readers and reviewers alike. I had a chance to catch up with Jason before our live interview on THRILLER RADIO, Wednesday September 11, 2013 at 9:30 AM PST/12:30 PM EST.
Great to have you on our list of authors for Thriller Radio, Jason. Let’s dive right in!
TR: As a writer and a reader, what kind of story compels you most?
JS: I enjoy a story that both grabs me and also takes me to places and lives I’ve never imagined. I suppose that’s why I tend to enjoy writing Sci-fi and Thrillers. It enables me to explore possibilities that may be implausible but not impossible.
TR: As well as experience things you hope never to experience, right (thrillers)? How would you describe your writing process?
JS: I heard not long ago where Stephen King described his writing as taking him along for the ride, it just flows out of him. I would say that is very accurate with me as well. Although I have a rough idea of what I want out of a story, I do not draw up outlines (other than after the fact just to make sure my facts are straight), I write and it basically writes itself. To be honest, I tend to be just as surprised by some of the stories as my readers are.
TR: Do you have any favorite authors?
JS: Stephen King, J.R.R. Tolkien and Dean Koontz are definitely at the top of my list, but my list of favorites is long because every good author has something unique to add to literature. I also enjoy John Saul, Joshua Graham, James Patterson (though he is a little overrated in my opinion), Michael Palmer.
TR: Brownie points for the mention, Jason! But seriously, now, what are the greatest challenges and rewards of being a writer?
JS: Rewards by far are the reaction from my readers. I love it when they get as excited about a story as I had writing it. The characters truly come to life when everyone gets into them. Challenges? Well, I have found that keeping my facts straight has been a big challenge. Especially when you’re dealing with topics, scenes and people intertwining. But it is a lot of fun in organizing it. I also like to mix in history and although researching the history and psychology of the books can be daunting, the end product is always fun to unveil.
TR: Thanks for taking the time for this pre-show chat, Jason. Looking forward to our live interview tomorrow on Thriller Radio:
Interview Info:
Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Time: 9:30 AM PST/ 12:30 PM EST
Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thrillerradio/2013/09/11/joshua-graham-interviews-jason-stadtlander