Interview with Jodi Langston

Author of Always

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in Minnesota. I currently live in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis. Bloomington, the city I grew up in very wild with all the conveniences. I photograph the prairie wildflowers in my spare time.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I have lived in Oregon and Washington over the years but something seems to call me back home every time I try to leave.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I started writing stories as soon as I picked up a pencil. I would write the story, make the cover and bind the book with yarn and then beg someone to read it.
I get a story stuck in my head and most often I have to write it out for me to let it go. I was disappointed in the traditional publishing concept so I decided to self-publish instead. It has its pluses and negatives.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

I think they all touch on the daily struggles we all share. I like to include something for everyone, a mystery, some action and suspense and usually a touch of romance.
Like any author I want to take you on a journey and hopefully you can walk away with something positive. Through it all my characters may stumble but they get back up and they persevere.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I would like to think anyone can relate to some aspect of my characters lives. I tend to push the to their limits, adversity can lead to growth and positive change. My novel, Always, centers around my characters life after domestic violence. My characters are flawed and human just like the rest of us and they struggle to be better.
I want to feel my stories can be read and enjoyed by either gender.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

How hard and time-consuming it really is. I started my first novel, Nature of the Beast back in the early 90’s and I didn’t complete it until 2007. Always, came much faster once I had determined I would finish the projects.
The demands of marketing as a self-published author can be overwhelming and can interfere with the writing of your next book.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Keep your head down and keep writing and try not to be distracted by the drama along the way.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I would love to reach millions, but I believe I have sold in-excess of 5,000 copies of my books when I was making the effort to market them. Life and my health issues got in the way and I stopped writing and marketing for a half a dozen years.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Trying to find the time to market and to write can be an obstacle.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I think I can tell a pretty interesting story and as I said, I like to write a story anyone can find something to relate to in their own lives.
I’m currently struggling with my publishing choices for my new work.
My biggest strength is my determination to complete something and my greatest weakness is my need to move on to something different once I’ve done that.
I have some challenges with Dyslexia, etc. which can make things a little more difficult for me to navigate.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

With writing it has been committing to finish what I have started and then finding the courage to let it go out into the world.
I would like to do a better job making connections in the publishing industry and turn out a better product each time I publish. It’s a learning process.
I need to make the commitment to market the books.
It sounds strange but I tend to reach my goals and then move on to a new challenge.

When do you think you will write your next book?

Last year I started a science fiction fantasy trilogy. It was a character I had developed after I had finished my other books.I recently finished all three books in the series and I am now debating whether to self-publish again or perhaps trying to go the traditional publishing route.
I have also been sitting on a completed sequel to my Nature of the Beats novel. I’ll give it a rewrite with fresh eyes before I release it.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

After getting several poor quality photocopied rejection letters from traditional publishers I opted to do it myself.
Having to be solely responsible for your own success is daunting, not only from my writing, but also from how and if I market my books.