Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature hosted by yours truly and celebrates authors. Focusing on Indie, self-published and debut authors, we love them all. This week I have the pleasure of introducing readers to:
JAIME BUCKLEY
~ya author of Wanted: Hero: Prelude to a Hero~
Creating accidental heroes on purpose.
by Jaime Buckley- July 2011
People have been asking why I decided to become a YA author.
The truth? I converted to writing when a car accident ended my cartooning career. I never intended to be a writer of novels. Writers were the ones with clever things to say, PhD’s or mental instabilities. Ok, maybe I could have been a writer after all…but it was never planned. My dream was always to be a cartoonist. It was my love, my talent and my passion. Wanted Hero—was my second self-published story which took off faster than I thought possible. 750,000 visitors our first year online which grew into 12 comics, 2 graphic novels and readers in 60+ countries. I even got to talk with and encourage 15,000 kids a week online, teaching them how to make comics just like me. It was my own personal heaven, which supported my family of 10 at the time (yup, 8 kids—have 11 now).
…it was incredible.
Then the universe said ‘time to take a detour’…and in less than 30 seconds my life changed as a Ford LTD hit me head on and ripped my body (and hands) apart.
In 2009 my oldest daughter and sweet wife encouraged me to go back to Wanted Hero and write the story as a novel series instead.
An author? Me? HAHAHA!! Nooooo. Dumb idea. I still use my kids to change the channels on the TV for crying out loud…but those girls were persistent, pushing and prodding for the better part of a year before I gave in. The thought of writing a book was painful to me. A picture is worth a thousands words. Crap, that was easy (or at least it was). Now they were telling me I had to come up with 1000 !%$@#! words to create a flippin picture!?! That’s not so easy. But there was something eating at me. Something big.
So once my wife and daughter converted me to the idea, I made two specific goals to work towards with a frenzied passion: My first goal as a writer was critical: Don’t suck (still crossing my fingers on that one).
My second goal as a writer was a bit more complicated: create heroes by accident. Yeah, I know—the first one obviously makes sense, but the second?
Let me try to explain.
My life growing up was ‘less than perfect’. Filled with extreme violence, embarrassment and ridicule. Unique and sometimes terrifying challenges that I did finally conquer over time…but as I got older, got married and had kids of my own—I saw others struggling with the exact same challenges. It tormented me to see youth gasping for breath in an environment unwilling to help them. Amazing youth, who weren’t being offered assistance, guidance or true hope for a better future. Known as ‘the comic book dad’, I naturally started thinking of stories or characters youth could relate to. Someone who would face near impossible odds, but work through each challenge in such a way as to be a guide…while the reader was having a total blast.
An average person who would become a ‘hero’, by accident.
The story started creating itself…and I started sharing my ideas with others. Modeling characters in the story after real people I admired—those who fought against the painful aspects of life and won. Kids started quoting the story, the characters and sharing their experiences with others. Having conversations with their parents and friends…and over time, I received fan mail from youth and parents with amazing news:
They started believing in possibilities.
They started believing in probabilities.
They started believing in their potential.
…and they started believing in themselves.
It’s my hope that through a good story, good characters and great experiences…Wanted Hero might be able to help someone, somewhere, find that hero inside them and give them encouragement to set it free. To be amazing. To be themselves and shine. To realize at some point in their lives that they can affect those around them in a positive, magnificent way…and actually become a hero to those in need.
My definition of a hero is simple:
A ‘hero’ is anyone willing to do for another, that which they cannot do for themselves. In the end, I decided to become a YA author because I believe in the potential of the human soul.
…and I wanted to create heroes by accident.
God knows this world needs them.
Find out more about Jaime at www.wantedhero.com
~ Thanks Jaime for stopping by, your story is so inspiring and I wish you all the best and success in your YA writing career. I hope others read this and spread the word about Hero.......
MEGA GIVEAWAY
So from that post you all know Jaime is kind of full of awesome and today he is giving away 20 (TWENTY!!) E-book copies of Wanted: Hero- Prelude to a Hero away to my readers. This is open to everyone......is all you need to do is leave a comment and a way to reach you either by email or your info page! Winners will be drawn August 13, 2011.....Thanks and good-luck!!!!
Wanted- Hero: Prelude to a Hero
by Jaime Buckley
May 2011 by On the Fly Pub
Wendell is a young man who learns what his potential is while on a strange, enchanted world with a funny old wizard and ugly troll to mentor and guide him. Prelude to a Hero, the debut book about how Wendell came to be the one expected to save an entire world. . . by accident.
**Photo courtesy of Weheartit
Wow- this is really inspiring. You basically just listed all the reasons why I coach (much more eloquently, might I add!) Congratulations on taking such a tough age and helping them through it. You should be extremely proud of everything you accomplished. http://kacimari.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteWow what an amazing interview, and story. This just pulled on my heart strings. These sound like some great books every teen should read. Thanks for the great giveaway as well!!!
ReplyDeletemrs _laura_ [email protected]
Wow sounds like a great read...would love to win it..
ReplyDelete[email protected]
This is one of the best author interviews I've ever read. I can only imagine your art and words will have as much heart as you do. I can't wait to be inspired like your other readers when I read this.
ReplyDeleteSmiles!
Lori
serena423[@]yahoo.com
Just wanted to stop in and say thank you, even though it was delayed by "life". Thank you to Tina, for letting me ramble and to each of you for the kind comments above.
ReplyDeleteWith 11 children of my own, I always have youth around to motivate and inspire me. Yes, I did say eleven.
Tina, your blog is awesome and if I can ever be of service to you in the future, please let me know.
-Jaime Buckley