It’s Meet the Author Monday! Each week we meet a new author and get to know a little about them, their writing process, publishing experience, and tips for other writers. Today we’re talking to Kenney Myers, author of Jon Bragg Blue Essence.
About Kenney Myers:
Kenney Myers is an actor and entrepreneur mostly known for the kids animated series, Kindly Kenney on UKW Media and several PureFlix shows. He is also the founder of eBookFairs.com, an online platform for book fairs. He is a first time author and has a passion for reading and writing Norse mythology and coming of age fiction.
About Jon Bragg Blue Essence:
Jon Bragg: Blue Essence is a Norse Mythology Fantasy that is perfect for fans of Norse gods. If you like the Magnus Chase series and movies like Mortal, then you will love Jon Bragg: Blue Essence.
Jon Bragg enjoys a quiet life in the small town of Grinwell, Iowa. He has loving parents, a typical, bratty little sister, and a best friend named Marc Miller, who is so fascinated by Norse mythology that everyone at school calls him Thor; mostly to tease him, but he doesn’t mind. However, when Jon turns sixteen, a new kid arrives, stirring up a whirlwind of trouble, and Jon and Marc find themselves caught in the middle of a hunt for demigods and their blue essence.
If you have a passion for stories about Odin, Thor, and Loki, then have you heard of Bragi? His power is fueled by something completely different than thunderbolts and trickery—words and music. Jon Bragg: Blue Essence will give you the opportunity to learn about and fall in love with Bragi, Odin’s second eldest son.
Author Interview with Kenney Myers:
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- Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Writing daily for me is a great escape as it allows you to explore a world that you create that can be as vast or as small as you decide to make it. I think that writing energizes me in ways that are very similar to a really great physical workout. Yes, it is hard work at times to find the right words to relay exactly what you want to the reader and it can be a challenge to carry on with a particular sub plot, but if you stick with it, the payoff can be huge. Writing a novel is definitely more of a long distance run (like a marathon) than it is a sprint. It might even be a bit more like a rugged cross country course than a smooth track or road but somehow I always end up crossing the finishing line with the support of my team.
- What are common traps for aspiring writers?
I think it is really easy to get tripped up with self doubt. Sometimes you feel like what you are writing isn’t nearly as good as the books that you personally have read. The reality is that we normally are our own worst critics. It’s important to follow your instincts and do the best you can to relay the story in a way that is clear, but still somewhat open to interpretation (readers are going to interpret it different ways no matter what you do). Don’t doubt yourself, but do doubt your story if you think you haven’t gotten it right.
- Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
I don’t really think a big ego helps or hurts a writer because their work speaks for itself. That said, a big ego can be a problem if you react negatively to feedback. That said, you have to have pretty thick skin at times because no matter what you do, you simply cannot please everyone. Some people will love your book and some people will absolutely hate it. It’s equally important to hear both sides of that out in my opinion.
- Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I haven’t really ever considered it. I feel very willing to just put myself out there and even when I decide to start a new series I think I’ll do the same. There are advantages definitely to writing under a pseudonym but I personally like the idea of putting my real name to whatever I do whether it is writing, acting, or in business. That’s just me though, I definitely understand why others believe in and use pseudonyms.
- Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I’m hopeful that these aren’t mutually exclusive. I think readers can appreciate an original take on a new subject. For instance, Jon Bragg is about Braggi which is different than a Norse myth that might be focused on Thor for instance. I think that’s a positive versus a negative because it gives me more room to explore the character and what they may or may not be capable of doing without the bias of a more known character. I think that a lot of people think of Thor when they think of Norse myths, but very few think of Braggi.
- Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
Sure, they could be a great non-fiction writer or possibly even certain types of fiction. The book may be more dry, but there is definitely a market for that. I cannot personally relate, because I like a lot of emotion in the books I read, but that really is a personal bias more than it is a requirement.
- What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I am good friends with a romance writer that writes under the name Nikki A. Lamers. She is an excellent writer and helped with all aspects of writing. She provided me with guidance on selecting an editor and deciding whether or not to self publish. I think it’s always a great idea to learn from other authors whenever I get a chance. We all have to make decisions for ourselves but understanding the choices others have made can bring clarity at times.
- How many hours a day do you write?
I actually set a goal of number of words per day and I found that if I go too much over 3000 words in a day I end up needing to rewrite a lot of it. I’m not completely sure why that is the case but I do believe it is important to let it sit a bit and then read it over again to determine if you made the right choices. I have a daily goal in mind for every day but I don’t stretch to make that goal or limit myself to exactly that word count. I think it’s more important to write with quality over quantity in mind whenever possible (which for me is most of the time).
- Does your family support your career as a writer?
Yes, they have been so amazing! My wife, my parents, my kids, and my extended family have read my book and are a constant source of encouragement. I’m not sure it’s possible to express how much I appreciate that or to thank them enough for all they do. They also are the ones that endure long periods of me being locked in my office working on my next creation. They somehow completely understand that and put up with it which is just such a blessing. I will forever be grateful for their support!
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