Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a full-time high schooler, part-time author and reluctant burger flipper. I have written two books thus far; The Plight of a People, published in October of 2017, and The Agony of an Age, published in October of 2018. I also write a wide variety of political, philosophical, spiritual and societal articles. And, not only this, but I also enjoy drumming, exploring, philosophizing and reading.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is The Agony of an Age. It is a sequel to my debut, The Plight of a People, and is an immense fantasy epic containing three separate stories set in the same world. I got the original idea for the series by wandering around my pasture, oddly enough. I began imagining the little groups of weeds, dry areas, grasses and hills as ever-fluctuating kingdoms. Somehow, this blossomed into an entire book series.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I must say that my writing habits are overwhelmingly mundane. There is, however, one infuriating little quirk; I am only ever able to write at night. This has hindered me a bit in the summertime, when I have plenty of time to write during the day, but I have thus far been successful in working around it.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I used to try to entertain myself with the vast sea of fast-paced, quippy fantasy books available today. Eventually, I lost interest in them, as was likely inevitable. I now occupy myself with reading as many classics as I can. In particular, the works of Homer, Lovecraft and Tolkien have influenced my books to a huge extent.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I am working tirelessly on my marketing for The Agony of an Age. Hopefully, it all pays off. I am also racing to complete my outlines for my third book, trying to keep up with school and attempting to hold the rest of my life in order as well. As one may assume, I’m having a blast at the moment.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I tend to focus on local promotion. I find the Internet to be much too saturated at this point with a plethora of self-published books. There aren’t any other authors from my hometown, though, so I am able to advertise around my community without any fear of competition.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
There is no shame in throwing out old works to make way for the new. I come up with new ideas constantly, making it a bit hard to focus on a single plot for too long. As much as this hinders me, though, I still consider it a positive. Even if it makes the writing process longer, updating your stories with bold new ideas almost always improves them.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I don’t have very many wise sages strolling around me to give out advice at a whim. I do, however, have the Internet, and it has given me a plethora of quotes to live my life by. Chief among them is one by the psychologist Carl Jung. “The sole purpose of human existence,” he says, “is to kindle a light in the darkest of mere being.” To live one’s life like everyone else is to not live at all. I must make my mark on the world, and this is the way I intend to do it.
What are you reading now?
I just started reading Dante’s Divine Comedy a couple of weeks ago. It is certainly an impressive piece of literature, albeit rather confusing at times. I have always held a deep appreciation for epic poetry, and I may even decide to write my own someday. We shall see about that one.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am continuing my works on the many articles I publish on my website. As for novels, I am currently making my outline for Book III. I hope it may be completed by around this time next year. Only time may tell. After that, I still haven’t the faintest clue what I’m going to do with my life.
What is your favorite book of all time?
That is the impossible question. Many a time have I pondered this, and never have I come up with a single answer that satisfies me completely. I adore many classical works, and if I had to say something, I’d say my favorite book of all time is The Iliad. In reality, though, I have no real idea.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jared Barlament Website
Jared Barlament Amazon Profile
Jared Barlament’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account