H.W. Jackson is the author of A Killer in the Ozarks.We caught up with him at his home in Arkansas, so you can get to know the man behind the book.
MTAR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
H.W. Jackson: I am a retired law enforcement officer, I live in the foothills of the Ozarks; my place joins the national forest, about two miles from the beautiful Current River.
MTAR: What do you do when you are not writing?
H.W. Jackson: Mostly I read, do my chores around the place, tend my orchard.
MTAR: What inspired you to write your first book?
H.W. Jackson: I have been wanting to write for a long time. Before I retired, I didn’t have the time, but now I do.
MTAR: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
H.W. Jackson: I don’t think so, not a book, or author. I grew up in a land difficult for the poor, it was a hard land. A person develops as their situation requires them to. This is my way of bringing to light the hardships that people sometimes go through
MTAR: What was your favorite chapter (or scene) to write and why?
H.W. Jackson: Boy, this is a hard one! Even though it took me a year to write this book, I enjoyed all of it. I found that a story takes on a personality of its own, it leads the author through the scenes and situations. The story tends to develop as you go.
MTAR: What has been the best compliment about your book?
H.W. Jackson: Without a doubt, the phase “I couldn’t put it down”.
MTAR: What would readers be surprised to know about you?
H.W. Jackson: Well, I’m not sure about that. I know from being an avid reader myself, you kind of develop a picture of the author from his main character.
MTAR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
H.W. Jackson: My main character had many problems growing up, but, he never quit, he never gave up. That’s a lesson for all of us: life has many bumps in the road, we must go on and over come the obstacles of life.
MTAR: What are your current projects?
H.W. Jackson: I have started another novel. It is a sequel to A Killer in the Ozarks.
MTAR: Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
H.W. Jackson: That’s another hard one. I have many. John Sanford, A.J. Quinnell, A.B. Guthrie, etc. An author must get my interest from the start, and keep it.
MTAR: What book are you reading now?
H.W. Jackson: The Blue Ring, by A.J. Quinell
MTAR: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
H.W. Jackson: Getting started.
MTAR: Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
H.W. Jackson: My inexperience mostly.
MTAR: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
H.W. Jackson: Thank you all for your kind words, I hope I don’t disappoint you with my next book.