Check out this spotlight for Fantasy author Jack Adkins!
You can find all his links furthest down the page, and don’t forget to check out his books!
1. Hi! Welcome to my humble blog of all things bookish! I would like for us to start by getting to know you. Give us a short bio, please!
I’m Jack Adkins, father of four boys between the ages of 13 and 21, an IT professional for 25 years, and a writer of fantasy tales for much longer. My introduction to fantasy came through Dungeons & Dragons and the first books I read were penned by R.A. Salvatore, Troy Denning, and Weis and Hickman. I began writing with a semi-autobiographical tale called The Big Wind of Wallingford about the new kid on his first day of school and his struggles with intestinal gas. That was in fourth grade.
2. Tell us 5 fun facts people might not know about you!
My family and I moved to Alaska for three and a half years for my wife’s job.
I was a stay-at-home dad for ten years. During that decade.
I ran my own web development company.
I’ve acted in or directed more than forty plays.
I’m an ordained Baptist minister.
3. To get to know you just a little bit better, I’d like to ask you some “This or That”-questions. Answer 5 of these and explain why you chose this or that, or maybe an entirely different alternative!
Ebooks OR physical books? I prefer physical books. They are nostaligic for me, reminding me of being curled into an arm chair reading novels late into the night. I’m also very particular about keeping the pages and covers pristine.
First person view OR third person view? Third person. I read books as movies so I like to see the pieces move around from an omniscient perspective.
Standalone OR series? No preference. I can really enjoy both. What I don’t like is an standalone with a ton of unresolved plot lines or a series that should have ended but drags on and on.
Read multiple books OR one at a time? I am the worst. I am always reading at least four or five books at the same time. Help!
Signed edition OR first edition? A signed book is much for important to me than a first edition. For me, a signed book is personal. The author has touched it and put an individual mark on it.
Graphic novels OR comic books? I like the idea of graphic novels as a compilation of a comic book series, but I much prefer the serial aspect of comic books. Waiting for the next one to drop was a thrill as a child.
Plot driven OR character driven? Character, character, character. Even if the plot isn’t super exciting, I love following how characters react and grow in response to their situations.
Zombies OR dragons? My love affair with Dragons began with Dragons of Autumn Twilight. I have been captivated by their majestic beauty, boundless intellect, and regal bearing ever since.
Witches OR vampires? Old school vampires hold a powerful mystique for me. As a kid, Dracula and Strahd were fascinating. Then Anne Rice’s Vampire Lestat blew the lid off the old troupes. I love a good vampire tales.
Shop at an actual bookstore OR shop books online? It’s hard to beat a good bookstore. Be it a tiny, musty smelling building jammed with old tomes in some downtown shop or a palatial cathedral like Joseph Beth Booksellers, I find bookstores to be romantic and a battery for my imagination.
Hero OR anti-hero? I am a sucker for a noble knight whose virtue and honor are as much a shield to him as his suit of full plate.
TBR list OR mood reader? Both. I fill my TBR with books I want to read and then select from them according to my whim.
Music while reading OR silence? It’s impossible for me to block out ambient noise. It’s so annoying. I prefer silence when reading, or writing.
Read in bed OR read on sofa? I prefer a sofa or nice arm chair for reading. Something plush was swallows me up while the world fades away.
4. When you look for books to read, what trope, theme, or type of story will always catch your attention?
I love the buddy-cop trope in film, and really enjoy a good one-two punch from characters in a story. That, and the wizened mentor trope are interesting to me. I like watching a nobody be nurtoured into success.
5. If you were to describe your writing style using 3 words, what would they be?
Humor, pathos, heart.
6. So what do you write? Tell us a bit more about your chosen genre, style and ongoing projects/WIPs/series!
I like massive sweeping fantastical worlds viewed through the lens of troubled characters. I try to make the world rending problems the character is battling occur somewhat in the background of more tangible struggles the character is dealing with. “Yes, a Dragon War has broken out and people are dying in droves, but I can’t believe she lied to me. I thought she was an elf but really she’s a half-Dragon! I loved her! Wait… do I still love her?” That’s a tongue-in-cheek example. In my current series, a half goblin (half something else he doesn’t want to admit to) who is looking for his missing father. His dad was his only anchor in his stormy life and he’s gone. Anuka Sandbar will do anything to be reunited with him. Along the way, he leave a path of destruction as he ploys through life with little thought to the consequences of his actions. He leaves building, boats, and friendships in smoldering ruins. He is finally forced to work with a couple of weirdos who hammer away at the walls of his tiny heart, trying to work their way inside. Anuka, being three apples high, has dealt with bullies his whole life and he hates them. A lot his trouble revolves around him acting poorly in the face of some bully.
7. What is your most recent release? Give us a short presentation, cover, and a link for where to buy it!
The Eye of a Dragon is book 2 in my Dragons of Dorwine series. Anuka’s exploits from book 1, The Blood of a Dragon, have left a host of fresh enemies in his wake and his main mission still incomplete. Anuka and his new friends walk a razor’s edge by trusting a Black DragonLord to behave according to his nature as they search for an item of incredible power. The Eye of a Dragon is available on KU to read or for purchase on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09YT7CSZM The audiobook, narrated by Michael Kramer, will be available in November 2022.
8. Last but not least: where can we find you? Drop those links!
You can find me all over the place:
Website: https://authorjackadkins.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjackadkins
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjackadkins/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjackadkins
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jack-adkins
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21725352.Jack_Adkins?from_search=true&from_srp=true
