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Meet the Author: John Shors
Interview by Jennifer Vido, creator of Jen's Jewels
October 1, 2008
Not surprisingly, I don’t spend a whole lot of time in front of the television. Sure, I have my must-see TV shows like Desperate Housewives, The Young & the Restless, and Survivor. (C'mon! What’s not to like about Jeff Probst? He even won his first well-deserved Emmy!) But all kidding aside, I truly believe there’s really nothing better than reading a poignant love story. The sheer essence of the author’s words beautifully depict what we all desire…to be loved. That in itself is pure heaven.
Image of book cover, Beside A Burning Sea
John Shors, this month’s highly anticipated Jen’s Jewel, dares to cross racial boundaries in his powerful second release entitled BESIDE A BURNING SEA. As in his first novel, BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, John combines extensive research with eloquent prose that manifests itself into a compelling love story filled with heartache, new discoveries, and unforgettable characters. Set on a remote Japanese island during World War II, he pens a poetic love story between an American nurse and a Japanese prisoner-of-war. Mark my words. This book will sweep you away.
As part of this interview, John has generously donated five copies for you, my readers, to win. (Thank you, John!) So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end. Go ahead and grab something warm to drink on this crisp, fall day and get to know my very gifted friend, John Shors.
Jen: Your path to becoming a writer took many fascinating
turns which most certainly has attributed to your success as one of the
brightest, rising stars in fiction. Please tell us a little bit about your
educational and professional background so that my readers can have better
understanding of the man behind the words.
John: I think the most important thing in my life, in terms of how and
why I ultimately became a writer, was the fact that when I was eight or nine, my
father put a lock on our television set. I therefore grew up reading, usually
devouring at least one book a week. This went on (and continues to go on) for
many years. Aside from my love of reading, I was an English major at Colorado
College, and then I became a newspaper reporter. As a journalist, I learned
quite a bit about the craft of writing. My editor encouraged me to create a
unique style, and I think that this style is still with me today. Of course,
I’ve expanded upon it, writing much more lyrically than I was able to as a
journalist.
Jen: Incorporating your extensive travels into a work of
fiction must be a very rewarding, yet challenging part of the writing process.
In your debut novel,
BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, you chose to capture the essence of the Far East
within the bounds of your poignant love story. What attracted you most to this
locale? And specifically, what technical aspects of your storytelling enable the
reader to feel a connection with your characters?
John: I have been lucky enough to spend three years in Asia. I love this
part of the world, and my goal was always to try and utilize my understanding of
Asian cultures in creating novels that occur in places like India, the South
Pacific, Vietnam, etc. In terms of
BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, which recounts the wonderful story behind the creation
of the Taj Mahal, it was my visit to the Taj that inspired the novel. After
seeing the Taj, and realizing that no one in the West had ever written a novel
about it, I felt compelled to begin
BENEATH A MARBLE SKY. I’ve been delighted with how readers all over the
world have embraced this novel. It’s now in eighteen languages and we’ve sold
the movie rights to Hollywood.
Jen: Unlike your first novel which is told through the
eyes of a woman, your latest release,
BESIDE A BURNING SEA, centers around the plight of a Japanese prisoner of
war named Akira. First of all, how did you arrive at the premise? Secondly, why
the shift in focus from a woman’s perspective to a man’s? Was it intentional or
was it simply how the story evolved?
John: I don’t know if there was an intentional decision on my part to
shift voices. For me, the story comes first, then I worry about the voices.
After living in Japan for two years, and becoming intrigued with why Japan was
in WWII, I thought it would be fun to create a classic love story set in the
South Pacific at the height of the war. I decided to give this story a twist—a
Japanese soldier who falls in love with his American nurse. This was a
challenging and rewarding relationship for me to bring to life. I’m really happy
with how it turned out.
Jen: For a story such as yours to ring true, a certain
amount of research must take place in order to establish credibility with the
reader approximately how much research went in to this novel? And, what
was the most fascinating tidbit you unearthed along your journey?
John: The most important thing to me is visiting the place that I write
about. For
BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, I spent a month in India. For
BESIDE A BURNING SEA, I spent a couple of months in the South Pacific. Aside
from that hands-on research, I read a great deal about the cultures that I’m
trying to put on the page. I interview people, I look at photos. I want the
reader to close my novels thinking that she or he has learned a few things about
the cultures that I set my stories around.
Jen: The character I was most intrigued with was Annie,
the love interest of the main character Akira. Throughout the novel, we
witnessed her transformation from a timid lady to a self-assured and confidant
woman. How does her relationship with Isabelle, her older sister, inhibit her in
respect to her vulnerability towards others? In your opinion, when is the
defining moment in her metamorphosis that ultimately enables her spirit to be
set free?
John: The relationship between the two sisters in
BESIDE A BURNING SEA is complicated. At a young age, Annie became quite
sick, and for many years Isabelle looked after her. Therefore, Isabelle
sometimes is overprotective of Annie, which doesn’t always sit well with Annie.
About halfway through the novel, Annie begins to fall in love with her Japanese
patient, Akira. Annie wants to feel vulnerable. But Isabelle feels the need to
point out the danger of such a relationship. She doesn’t want Annie to be hurt.
I think the reader will be able to empathize with both women in this situation.
As far as when Annie’s spirit is finally freed, I believe it’s when Akira
encourages her to overcome her fear of the deep water (she almost drowns at the
start of the book) to go swimming with the dolphins.
Jen: Every story needs its despicable villain in order
for the reader to sympathize with the protagonist’s set of circumstances. Your
Roger takes the cake as one of the meanest characters out there! Bravo! What was
the best part about creating this evil person? Did he live up to your
expectations or did he take on a life of his own?
John: Like you, I enjoy a good villain. I think most readers do. As a
writer, I like to create unique voices, whether it’s an Indian princess or a
Japanese soldier or a villain who is at war with the world. For me, these are
all enjoyable challenges. I’d rather create such characters than more
nondescript ones. So, for me, it was fun to bring out Roger’s evil, to watch him
disintegrate as the novel progresses.
Jen: I think what sets your novels apart from the rest
are the little touches that you add that make the reader stop and think….this is
a fine example of modern day fiction. For example, at the beginning of each
chapter is a beautifully crafted haiku that not only ties the story together,
but also moves the plot along. Is poetry a passion of yours? What made you
include the haikus in your book?
John: I’ve always enjoyed poetry, but it’s not a passion. A lot of
BESIDE A BURNING SEA is told from Akira’s perspective, and since he is a
poet, I thought it would be neat to start each chapter with a haiku that is
written from his perspective. Readers seem to really enjoy what I’ve done with
these. In fact, many readers have emailed me haikus that they’ve been inspired
to write after finishing my novel. So I’m glad that this idea popped into my
head. Writing the haikus was one of the most enjoyable things that I did during
the creation of the novel.
Jen: A question I just have to ask…BENEATH
A MARBLE SKY and
BESIDE A BURNING SEA…both start with a B prepositional word. Was this
intentional? And if so, what significance does it have? Will your next book
start with perhaps BEYOND?
John: I don’t know why this happened. The original title of
BESIDE A BURNING SEA was THE POET MAKERS. But my publisher didn’t think that
title had enough of an edge, so I created the new title. I like it, and I think
it works well with the cover of the book (which I love). The title of my third
novel (which I’m working on) is IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DRAGONS. For my fourth book,
I’m going to get away from the preposition theme, I promise.
Jen: Unfortunately writing a phenomenal book does not
guarantee book sales. As you well know, in order to achieve a recognizable
amount of success, there must be an aggressive marketing plan put into place. I
think your personal story best illustrates this. Please tell us about your
mission to make a name for yourself which ultimately led to your appearance on
the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric.
Here is the link if you’d like to see John for yourself.
John: My goal was to help promote my first novel,
BENEATH A MARBLE SKY, and to give something back to readers. So, in the back
of the trade paperback version of the novel, I decided to add a letter that
invited book clubs to invite me to their evenings. I told book clubs that we
could have a nice chat via speakerphone, and I encouraged them to email me (I
included my contact info). The result of this offer has been quite
extraordinary, I think. To date, I’ve spoken with approximately 1,300 book clubs
about
BENEATH A MARBLE SKY. These book clubs have been all over the U.S. and
Canada, as well as from places like Zambia, France, and Columbia. Book clubs
have really enjoyed the interaction, and almost of them say it’s their first
such experience. Many of the groups go all out, dressing in saris, hiring henna
painters, eating Indian food, etc. Groups seem to have a lot of fun with the
evenings.
Jen: With that being said, are you making the rounds for
your latest release,
BESIDE A BURNING SEA? And if so, how would my readers go about scheduling an
author phone chat?
John: I’m definitely still making the rounds, as it’s important for me to
connect with the readers who support me. All I’m asking is that two book clubs
get together for each call. I can be reached at
shors@aol.com.
Jen: Do you have a website? Mailing list? E-mail
notification of upcoming releases? Do you participate in a blog? Any upcoming
appearances?
John: I have two web sites:
www.beneathamarblesky.com and
www.besideaburningsea.com. Occasionally, I’ll send book clubs a little
update, but I don’t have any sort of real newsletter. But if readers have any
questions, I am always happy to answer them via email.
Jen: Are you currently at work on your next masterpiece
(my words…not his!)? If so, what can you tell us about it? And, when can we
expect to see it on the bookstore shelves?
John: I am really excited about my third novel, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
DRAGONS. This novel will be released in September of 2009. Here’s what we’re
saying about it: "Set in modern-day Vietnam, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DRAGONS tells
the tale of two Americans, who as a way of healing their own painful pasts, open
a center to support and educate Vietnamese street children. Learning from the
poorest of the poor, the most silent of the unheard, the Americans find
themselves reborn in an exotic land filled with corruption and chaos, sacrifice
and beauty. Resounding with powerful themes of suffering, love, and
redemption, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DRAGONS brings together East and West, war and
peace, and celebrates the resilience of the human spirit.”
I think that this novel will really resonate with readers. After spending
several years on the streets of Asia, and interacting night after night with
homeless children who are out at all hours of night selling postcards and
flowers, I felt compelled to bring their stories to life. I couldn’t be happier
with how IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DRAGONS is unfolding.
Jen: In a sense, I feel as if you are an old friend
because I knew you back when we both started out in this business. What a
journey it has been thus far! It has been an absolute joy to finally be able to
share your work with my readers. (Sorry it has taken so long!) What a true jewel
in the making! From the bottom of my heart, I wish you only the best.
John: The pleasure is all mine, Jen. It’s been a delight to participate
in this discussion, and I’m excited that you’re showcasing my work to your many
wonderful readers. I hope that your readers enjoy my novels, and I wish everyone
the very best.
I hope you have enjoyed my interview with John. Please stop by your favorite bookstore or local library and pick up a copy today!
Better yet, how would you like to win your very own copy of BESIDE A BURNING SEA? Be one of the first five people to e-mail at jensjewels@bcpl.net with the correct answer to the following question and it’s yours!
Name the title of John’s upcoming release.
Later this month, I will be bringing to you my interview with New York Times Bestselling Author Allison Brennan. You won’t want to miss it!
Until next time…Jen
Jennifer Vido is the Jen behind Jen's Jewels.
This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
30 September 2008.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
30 September 2008.
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