Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with J.S. Matthews

What inspired you to write “The Marshal”?

Matthews: When I was a kid, my grandpa always shared westerns with my siblings and I, whether through movies and shows or by telling us bedtime stories. The movie, Shane, was always our favorite. The slow build-up to the final showdown is incredible, and though I did not appreciate it as much as a child, I began to love the story that much more the older I got. Once I started writing, I played around with an idea inspired by the western, True Grit. There is such a great relationship between Mattie Ross and Rooster Cogburn in that story, and so I started to wonder what a story like that would look like if Mattie was also a Marshal. What if she had a rifle? That was the foundational idea and concept for the story, but I wasn't happy with the setting initially. I love studying history, in fact my degree is in the subject with an emphasis in Secondary Education, but I did not like being entrapped by the rules of the time period. So, I left the idea for a time. Eventually, I came across a video game called Fallout New Vegas, and I realized just how perfect a marriage between the western genre and a post-apocalyptic setting could be! That was when The Marshal was truly born. I took the elements of the western genre, the setting, and bits and pieces of history, and began crafting a post-apocalyptic world that could, somewhat, believably exist within the confines of my fictional universe. There are elements of The American Civil War, western expansion, conflicts between Natives and settlers, and many western staples such as outlaws, gunslingers, and morally gray characters. Add to that the post-apocalyptic setting with forgotten technologies, mutated monsters, irradiated wastelands, and a host of interesting landscapes, then the end-product is The Marshal.

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process, or your book?

Matthews: One of the most important things about me is that I am a teacher. I was not the best student when I was growing up, as, once I realized I could just talk with my friends, my desire to listen to my teacher faded rather quickly. However, no matter how little effort I put in to my education, I always had teachers who looked out for me. They forced me to analyze myself and helped me to see the value in becoming a life long learner. It was at this school that I developed a love for reading, and eventually a passion for writing. I decided that I wanted to help others in the same manner, and so I set out to become a teacher! Fourteen years later, I am now employed at that very same school I graduated from and get to attend meetings with those same teachers who helped me to become who I am today. 

When it comes to my writing process, my concepts tend to start with some fundamental inspiration. Honestly, this can be anything. It could be a story, a specific scene, a character and how they look, or a deeper idea that I feel could be explored. The fundamental story theme in The Marshal is justice. What is Justice? Is it balance? Is it following the laws? Is it punishment? Or, perhaps, can justice be redemption? Can horrible things be forgiven and justice still be satisfied? I love exploring these deep-rooted questions because I am not sure if I have the right answer, and so exploring the various aspects and answers through my characters is both enjoyable and helpful when it comes to processing what I believe.

If "The Marshal" was adapted into a movie, who would you like to see cast to play your lead characters? I often write my characters as if they are being played by actors/actresses I like. However, with The Marshal, I can't really think of who I would pick for my main character!

• Elizabeth: ????

• Rubin Stark: Josh Brolin or a slightly younger Jeff Bridges

• Wesley Kerrigan: Tim Roth

• Trent Blackburn: Sam Elliot (I don't think you can truly have a good western without this man's voice)

• Frank Timmons: Idris Elba

• Thomas Rawls: Benicio Del Toro 

• Lewis Carrol: Viggo Mortensen 

• Jack Gaines: Kurt Russell

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

Matthews:

1. Don't be afraid to share your work

2. Get a good editor (if you can afford it, because I can't)

3. READ good books! This is the best way to become a better writer.

4. Let your characters write the story. Don't force them to make decisions to drive the plot.

5. Enjoy the writing process! Don't get too caught up in selling, advertising, and worrying if people like/don't like your work. Writing is about growth and exploring, so don't worry so much about the other things around it, as it will affect how you write and how much you enjoy it.

What are you working on next?

Matthews: Currently I have an exhausting list of stories that I am working on. Here are the next few I am planning on publishing!

•  A Curse of Darkness - This will be the first book in my fantasy world of Tyriel! I should be releasing this in the next few months, so keep an eye out! In the world of Tyriel, there have been many fantastic stories, but few tales have been shared as often as those of Gerhold of Vilheim. For years, the monster slayer roamed the realms, cutting his way through the armies of werewolves, vampires, cursed beings, and specters alike, until one day, he vanished. One Hundred years after the famed hunter’s disappearance, a young scholar named Jarrell Vorren finds himself on the brink of uncovering the answer that age old mystery. When a stranger arrives claiming to have the lost journals belonging to Gerhold of Vilheim, Jarrell is tasked with recording the story and determining if they are real. Three stories, three nights, all to answer a question a century in the making: What happened to Gerhold of Vilheim?

• The Whistler - This one is completed but needs a bit of editing before it is ready. This takes place in the world of The Marshal, and revolves around a wasteland legend known as The Whistler. Some say that he is an outlaw who hunts outlaws, others say he a spirit of vengeance, while most believe him to be nothing more than a myth. When a famous author comes to the settlement of Lonetown in the middle of the far eastern reaches of the wastes, the townsfolk are enamored with the story teller as he tries to convince them that his stories about The Whistler are in fact true. 

• The Drifter - This is the sequel to The Marshal. Since it picks up where the first book ends, I would rather not spoil much just yet! I am around 140 pages into it and I am hoping to get it finished by Christmas of 2021.

• Spark - This is a short story staring an 7 year old girl name Lily, who is stuck on a massive island-city made of brass and metal. Her only companion is an automaton that resembles a dog that she has named Spark, and together they are trying to escape the seemingly deserted city-island. The story explores what happened to this city and what led to its abandonment, as well as following Lily and Spark on their quest to find a way off the island.

 I have more, but I will refrain from adding to this list for now. Once I get my website up and running, I will be sharing a lot more about the individual stories I am working on and planning. I will also be doing videos on these on my Youtube channel, so stay tuned!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JS-Matthews-779748282091772/

Twitter: @JSMatthews24 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9865142.J_S_Matthews

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPRx6tgEiME-W1RqdY1mj9w     (Videos are coming in the next few weeks so stay tuned!)

*Finally, I would like to give a HUGE thank you to Heather for giving me this opportunity and for reading my story. You rock!*

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