Jarrod L. Taylor interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is Jarrod L. Taylor, and I’m a combat veteran, an educator, and apparently on some level, a writer. I’m originally from Illinois, but I’ve lived in upstate New York, Hawaii, and now Kentucky. I married my high school sweetheart in 2001, and we have two children. Our son is studying music education at University of Kentucky, and our daughter is in middle school. I enjoy cooking, winemaking, riding motorcycles, fishing from my kayak, and writing.

When did your love of books begin?

Honestly, I was never much of a reader. I still struggle sometimes because my mind wanders if the book hasn’t really pulled me in. I’ll find myself reading the same paragraph or page over and over, because my eyes are taking in the words, but I’m thinking about something else. The books that really caught my attention when I was younger were war stories. I loved reading stories about Vietnam. I was probably in junior high or high school when I realized that I was really into those books, and I could just fly through them. Other books, that I wasn’t into, took much longer for me to tackle. Today, I find myself mostly reading books about education and leadership. I’m not convinced that leadership can be learned from a book, but those books can be nice reminders of my days of leading troops. I still don’t read as much as I’d like to, but I try to make time to sit down with a book when I can.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I don’t really consider myself an author, and maybe that’s something I need to get over. I used to keep journals when I was overseas, and I joked about putting my soldiers in a book someday. I started writing stories about some of my experiences pretty soon after leaving the Army, but it took me more than a decade to finally put it all together in a book. I had several stories published along the way, but I was really intimidated at the thought of a whole book. There’s so much information online about how to do it, but none of it seemed particularly helpful. I kept thinking about it, but I did nothing to make it happen. I’m glad I finally did. I’d like to write more, but it can be difficult to make the time or find the energy to sit down and put words on paper.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

I mentioned this a little bit already. My first publication was a photo in a university literary journal. Next was a research paper in a university journal. A professor suggested a writing contest, and that was where my first story was published. After that, I kept finding ways to get my short pieces published. Years later, I met a couple other authors and their publisher at a military veteran’s event, and the rest just fell into place. I started putting my writing together to create a collection of stories that I wanted to share with people. At times it was a blast, knowing I was writing what would become a book. Other times, I was ready to walk away and forget it. It was tough, but I’m glad I did it.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Words matter! Tell your stories, even when you feel like no one will care about what you have to say.

Tell us about your book/books:

I’ve had a number of stories and photographs published over the years in different anthologies and online journals. Most recently, I published my book, No Shit Here I Am: A Soldier’s Stories of Life During and After the War on Terror. It’s a collection of stories about my decision to enlist, training, starting a family while serving, going off to war, and coming home. It’s sort of a nod to the men I served with and a tribute to those we lost along the way. I hope that civilians gain some insight into the lives of warfighters, and I hope that other soldiers and veterans can relate to my stories and feel a sense of connection through shared experiences. Video trailer for the book: https://No Shit Here I Am - YouTube

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love that people who love reading and/or writing are willing to go against the grain. Words have power. The writing/reading community ensures that people aren’t stuck in silence.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thanks for being here. I hope you enjoy reading what I have to say, even if it makes you uncomfortable at times.

Where can people connect with you?

Twitter -

@jltaylor0602

Facebook – https://(4) Jarrod Taylor | Facebook Facebook – https://facebook.com/NoShitHereIAm