Hello. My name is Jim Perkins. I live in Olympia, WA with my amazing wife, Sharon, and currently five dogs and three cats. We do some fostering of old dogs so the number tends to vary. We both work too much and continually lose the blackberry war unfolding in our backyard.
I started blogging on a long bicycle trip down the Pacific Coast with my dog, Elke. After thinking about writing for half my life, I finally did something about it.
Many of you are here because I took a stab at writing some oddly optimistic apocalypse fiction in 2011, and thanks to that first Amazon review from Dan in Texas, it did pretty well. I wrote in a different universe, poorly and incompletely, and it didn’t do so well.
Since then, it may surprise those same people to know that I have written a great deal, including major rewrites of the originals, but it doesn’t count if I don’t publish. Herein lies a fountain of details involving life, platforms, and work – along with a fairly typical wagonload of creative character flaws.
Even working in speculative fiction, it’s all about three main things. People first. How we deal with ourselves and each other. The vast range of relationships… Even in 2008, it was clear that the ground was becoming treacherous in terms of writing and speaking about people in groups. Culture, politics, race, gender are all things that were beginning to trigger people. I could see it developing first-hand on that long bike trip in the midst of the 2008 campaign. Now the levels of risk in those kinds of thoughts are off the charts, no matter the flavor of my personal opinions.
Second is our relationship with animals. If I have a character arc beyond getting old and occasionally learning a life lesson, it’s my view of animals over a long period of time. In the past few years, I’ve been involved with my wife ( I tease her about dragging me into it ) in some serious volunteer work in animal rescue. I’ve learned a lot about the good and bad of animal nonprofits and a big part of my plan is to work in the field of animal rescue and advocacy.
Finally, I’ve worked in technology for my entire career, mostly in the form of communications. Our relationship with technology is important as it becomes incredibly pervasive. Just like every shift in the human trend line, tech is capable of great benefit and fraught with unintended consequences. Every tool is a potential weapon. Speculative fiction has always handled the optimism and danger of technology, but I don’t think many of the masters could have predicted how entwined we have become with our tech toys.
This is all just life in today’s America. I think we could extend that set of issues to much of the Western world, but I’m not the one to write about the rest of the world with any authority. Besides, we have enough to handle right here at home.
I’ve got a pile of drafts, a bigger pile of research, and a confluence of reasons why I plan to open the gates to publishing again. Some of it will be expected, and some is completely out of left field. I’m looking forward to it, and I hope a few of you are as well.
It goes without saying that creative work can be very solitary, and it always helps to hear from you all.
My email is always open, and I’m pretty good about answering it too: jfp@jfperkins.com
You can find my Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/WriterJFPerkins Facebook is becoming rare for me, but I do see it from time to time.
My Twitter is… Let me look… Oh yeah: @WriterJFPerkins Full disclosure, I rarely use Twitter. It messes with my positive view of human nature.
I’ll be adding some other social media links here very soon.
Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/JF-Perkins/e/B005FCZRSS/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/jf-perkins
Jim, I’ve been picking up your books on Amazon and have really enjoyed them a lot. Saw that you have the third one listed out there today and grabbed it.
The story is great and you are doing a great job on it. Hope you will keep up the good work and keep them coming out.
I’m gonna do some postings on some of the blogs I am on and see if I can get the word out on these books.
Hopefully you will stay encouraged and keep these coming.
Thanks,
Dan
Hi Dan,
I really appreciate it. You know how people love to grab the first post on a thread on a popular site? Well, you get the King-of-First-Post awards. Thank you.
As for the story, it’s been learning experience for sure. I’ve written a pile of other work that I’ve tried to publish the traditional way, so Renewal started out as a short story intended to test the waters of ebook self-publishing, and quickly expanded into a multiple novella series. More importantly, it caused me to stumble over some lessons about fiction writing that are probably obvious to the pros, but just hit me in the past couple of months. I’m hoping to use that new understanding to go back and improve the earlier stuff.
Renewal 4 is in the editing stage, and Renewal 5 is over half written. The action is heating up now, heading for the big finish I have in mind. I appreciate your encouragement, and it helps, but I probably couldn’t stop now if I tried. It’s got me. 🙂
Jim
Oh yes, I forgot. If you have some way you are keeping up with folks interested in your books, I’d really like to be put on a list to be notified as they come out.
Thanks again. I’ll start a list today. You’re first on it.
Just finished the 10th ‘Renewal’. I read a review on Amazon and thought it sounded interesting. I never stopped reading ntil after book 9 and then I had heartburn for a week or two until I finally spied Book 10.
Great job! I have never read anything quite like this but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I will be eagerly waiting for your next book! Yea for good stories and for those courageous enough to risk writing them! Keep on!
Peace,
Ellie
Thank you, Ellie. Did you mean you never read post-apocalypse?
Hi Jim! I’ve been loving your books! I found them on Amazon & have been engrossed ever since. My partner & I are just leaving the built-up coast in Eastern Australia to head inland & to try to become ‘reasonably’ self-sufficient on our new 100 acre farm. Some of the reason why we are doing this is that ‘the centre cannot hold’ (thanks Stephen King) & we’re worried where it’s all heading. Australia isn’t in quite as bad a position, financially, as the US but boy we’re only a step away I think. I’ve read a few of the post-apocalyptic novels around over the years – but probably because of where we’re at in our lives, yours really resonates but also they’re a great read too. Keep up the good work because I’m LOVING it.
Thank you very much, Sally. I’m tempted to write directly about the state of the US every day, but I’m sure that if I get in the habit, that’s all I’ll ever do. Besides, if I do it in the guise of non-fiction, I’ll have to argue too much. I’m curious. What do Australians think about what’s happening in the US? How does it compare to Australia? Congratulations on your farm. Hopefully, I’m not too many steps behind you. I’d settle for 20 acres. Thanks again!
Hi Jim. I think Australians are generally very complacent & don’t see what’s happening in the U.S. as ever affecting them. However, the smart ones get a bit trembly in the knees about it. We were lucky having 11 years of a Liberal Federal Government (like Republicans but not so hard line right wing) who did the right thing & tucked away lots of money so when the GFC hit we were in a good place & so didn’t suffer much. The unfortunate thing was that by then we had a new Federal Government (Labour – read Democrats but very left) who just gave money away. So now, our Government (we had a hung parliament after the last election & the power is held by a couple of Green MPs who are the real power behind the throne) is trying (& succeeding unfortunately) in pushing through a Carbon Tax that will look like $20+ a ton. I’m all for looking after the environment but hey, people have to live too. Most people don’t realise what this will mean for industry, mining (coal, one of our biggest exports & what really keeps us afloat at the moment) & for their jobs. So, to the bush for us. Hopefully eventually living on solar power. The other thing I like about you is that you’re a rescue dog person. We are too. I’ve had three lovely little chaps over the years & we just lost our last one, Teddy, a couple of weeks ago. Good dog that he was he made the decision for us because I was really worried about how he might cope with the move to the farm as he was nearly blind & had very sore back legs. We miss him like crazy but buried him on our new farm so he’s waiting there for us. My plan (if I get a well paying job in the mines) is to, like you, have a whole pack of rotten old rescue dogs that nobody else wants because there’s nothing like them. They are the universes gift to us – trying to show us how to live.
That’s enough from me – up to book 8 & if we weren’t packing I’d have my Kindle in my hand all the time!
Thanks for your thoughts. I’ve had several opportunities to get the British take on America, but never the Australian view. We’re in an interesting place because the frustration is beginning to bubble up here, and those of us who are not surprised are probably hoping that the voice of the people still means something here. The only insurance against whatever happens is to be prepared to handle you own basic needs. I’m sure 100 acres with some off grid power and a good water supply is a very good basis for preparedness.
As for dogs, one of my wife’s specific goals is to provide shelter for old dogs. I like that idea, but my dog dream is just to have enough fenced land to take morning walks with free dogs without having to worry. Dogs are beautiful examples of how to live. They are always honest, they love purely, and they live fully in the moment. Ours are spoiled rotten. We have cancer survivor, blind, deaf, nervous, and smartarded in our pack.
So how’s Decay coming??? I should have known that you are a man who loves to work with wood. I have no talent in that area. I can make music, but not on a grand scale (no pun intended). Since we have a small farm, woodworking skills would really come in handy. Alas, I can’t even build a bird house that doesn’t look like it came from one of Pablo Picasso’s nightmares.
In my effort to produce cleaner work, I’m going through Decay a second time before I dump it on my wife. I still haven’t quite resolved the ending the way I want it. It’s about the equivalent of the Renewal series, plus 60,000 words.
I do love woodworking, but in general I just like making things. One day, I hope to have a shop where I can do anything I can think up, and a bunch of folks who want to hang out and make stuff. If I had a small farm, woodworking would be useful, but I might trade it for a decent welder. There’s nothing quite as useful as being able to fix broken metal on the farm.
Those birds do love their symmetry, don’t they? I’m reading this as, if you need a tree house, I’m going to have to come down and help you build it. 🙂
In a former life (20 years ago) I was a working musician. So, I need the scoop. What do you play, and in what styles?
Music… It’s always been a huge part of my life. When I was young it provided a shelter when I needed to get way from the everyday world. I guess is still does. As to what I play, well I’m not a pro, but; keyboards, guitar and a little flute. I can read music if I really put my mind to it. I try to practice at least four times a week. In one of my “man caves”, I have a fairly nice recording studio. I have analog and digital mixers and recorders. The usual amps, mikes & mike stands, etc.
Is a teenager and young adult I performed in a few small clubs and such. Now I entertain our dogs and myself. I hope you get as much pleasure from writing and woodworking as I do from music. I consider enveloping myself in music a form of meditation.
Your writing projects sound like they require a varied array of skill sets. You must lose yourself in your work for many hours at a time.
I’ve always loved tree houses. We never had trees that were large enough to play or build in where I lived when I was a boy.
I am finishing book 10 of the renewal series. I have loved every book. It has cost me sleep over the past few weeks because I start reading and cannot stop. Thank you for a great story. My parents have lived in Nashville for 20 + years and I loved reading a story set in an area I’m familiar with.
Thank You
Jennifer Jensen
Thank you, Jennifer. Sorry about the lost sleep 🙂
My brother lives in Nashville these days. My sister is out in Gallatin. Have you been down to Coffee County?
Hi Jim,
Being a real technophobe, my biggest worry over the years, has been running out of books to read,in english, through the winter. My dear husband thought that a Kindle would be the answer. I left it in the box for a while, then thought I’d have a go at starting it up. Well, to cut what could be a long and boring story short, Thought I’d buy something inexpensive to put on it. Just to see if I could without messing it up. Amazon, knowing my tastes came up with Renewal. Thankyou very much for writing it. I’m on 5 now, it’s much how I would imagine it. Living in the depths of the countryside here in France, we have all we need to survive if we have to and luckily, a number of the old skills that would come in handy. I’m not expecting it but as long as we are at home, if disaster strikes, we could get by. I’m 64 so if it got too difficult I could always use old age as a get out! Anyway, this is the first time I’ve had a go at putting something ” out there” computers and I just don’t get on! Thankyou again, will keep an eye on what you’re up too, and add my pennies to your coffers. Regards Jan.
Hi Jan,
First off, my regards to your husband. He’s clearly trying to help, even if it’s an uphill battle. Second, I’m honored that I was your techno-reader test case.
I would bet that the French countryside is better prepared for disruption than the average American countryside. Although I believe there are plenty of well prepared folks out there, I suspect the majority is entirely too dependent on the Wal-Mart supply chain. Having basic skills, or at least access to basic skills, seems like some of the best insurance you can get.
I was once the king of technophiles. Everything was the latest and greatest. The older I get, the more I’m content to just let it pass me by. Simpler is better, especially when it comes to a ridiculous piles of cables and wires. Kindles, e-readers in general, are an exception. They actually create some elegance in the process of reading. I fought the concept myself, being a lover of books, but in a very short amount of time, I started looking at my reader as the preferred method.
Thank you for reading my story, and for putting it “out here” for me to see. I appreciate it.
Best,
Jim
I just finished the 10 Renewal books on my Kindle and really loved them. You are an excellent story teller, and the characters & action mixed nicely. I also liked the way you mixed the past and present; that worked well. I would have liked a bit more about Bill and Aggie’s early days, and some information about their 2 other children, which was sort of dropped.
There were some typos/continuity errors, and I would prefer to send them to you “off-board” (I am strauss@email.wcu.edu), but if I don’t hear from you, I’ll mention them here. Unfortunately, Kindle does not lend itself to proofing (too tedious) so it’s mostly a general comment with several specifics.
Please keep writing; I’m looking forward to your new series.
Best,
Pegleg
Where’s the “contact me” tab?
Thanks for the catch! Fixed, more or less. – Jim
renewal books terrific, but now that Decay MIGHT come out I gotta read em all over again to get back to that world!!! I’m a Jim by the way too…
Interesting book to read The Last Policeman by Ben H Winters…