Interview with Jordan Maxwell

1. Jordan Maxwell, What is/are the title(s) of your book(s)? * * My first novel is titled “Dandyflowers”. My second, which continues the story, is called “Dandyflowers – Laura’s Diaries”. *********** *

************* 2. What is your genre and why did you choose to write in this genre? ************* * My books tend to cross over a couple of genres; those being Young Adult and Romance. I write for these two genres because they are the most popular and have the biggest audience. I also write in these styles because I have to children; a daughter and a son, who are both “readers”. I want to have stories available to them that I would approve of. *************** * 3. Is there a particular message you wish to transfer to your readers? ************* * The “Dandyflowers” series; I am writing the third and final book in the series right now, has one core message that is: Love the ones you love with all you have all the time because you never know when your last goodbye will truly be your last goodbye. ************ * 4. Did you find yourself researching information during the writing process? * ************* Absolutely! The majority of my books take place between August 1962 and August 1969 and a lot of well known events took place during that time period i.e. John Glenn orbiting the earth, the Kennedy assassination, Bobby Kennedy’s murder, Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, the Apollo 11 moon landing etc. To include these in the story line I had to do quite a bit of research to make certain I was being accurate. One of the hardest things I had to do was find the name of the man who did the countdown for Apollo 11; it took me weeks to find out his name. By the way, his name is Jack King and as of the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing he was still alive and well!! ************** * 5. Do you see yourself writing other types of books in the future? * ************** I am planning on writing a book about the Holocaust which has so much potential. I’m not sure what direction it will take, but we shall see. I have already adapted my first book into a stage play; that was an interesting process and quite a bit of fun too! * *************** The script with limited production rights is available to any non-profit i.e. high school, college or community theater group at no charge; details can be found at: www.dandyflowers .com * *************** 6. Do you speak to groups? If so, do you enjoy it? * *************** I have spoken to book clubs and groups such as that. I do enjoy it, but being in front of groups of people is an easy thing for me to do. My “day job” is a paramedic, but I am no longer on an ambulance every day. Instead, I teach the continuing education for about 1,500 EMTs and paramedics in the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department. If I can make it through that boisterous group, I can make it through anything! * *************** 7. What have you found surprising since becoming a published author? Just how much fun book signings can be; how much of an upper it is when someone tells you how much they loved reading the books! * *************** 8. Can you describe the day that you saw the first book you authored in your hands? * *************** I really do not recall the day I got the first copy of my first book, but I do remember with great clarity the day my kids saw it for the first time in Barnes & Noble. It was January 27, 2007 at 1:32 pm; I know this because I still have the picture I took on my cell phone that is time / date stamped. * *************** I knew ”Dandyflowers” was on the shelf so I slowly headed towards the aisle where it was and waited to see if my kids would notice it; they were oblivious. I finally put my hand on the shelf immediately underneath the book and drummed my fingers (yes, I’m subtle) when my then nine year old daughter finally saw it and pointed it out to my then six year old son. That day I got the best compliment from my kids. They said as they were holding a copy, “Daddy, we’re proud of you!” I will tell you I walked quite a bit taller the rest of that day! * **************** 9. Is there any particular thing that you wish you had known before getting the book in your hands? * **************** I wish I had known about vanity vs. traditional publishing. Knowing the difference would have saved me quite a bit of frustration and three to five years of lackluster results. * *************** 10. What was your favorite childhood toy? * *************** That is tough. I had a lot of toys that I enjoyed playing with while growing up. If I have to pick just one I’ll pick my snow sled. It’s about four feet long and has metal runners. It would scream down hills especially after you waxed the runners. It is nearly forty years old now and I still have it. I wish we would have had a good “sled snow” this past winter, my kids love riding on it almost as much as I did!