Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .
What drew you to the genre you write?
Mystery and suspense novels. A big fan of Rex Stout, Mickey Spilane, Mary Higgens Clark, Alister MacLaine, John D. MacDonald and many others.
Tell us how you got into writing?
As a punishment for a bit of mischief I initiated, not the only one, I was thrown into a Creative Writing Class. Two things I learned. I love to write and can’t stop. Also doing mischief can be rewarding.
What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Ok here we go. Shoe salesman, store window decorator, Air Force Chinese linguist, corporate transportation Manager (25 years), cobbler (11 years).
How many books do you have published?
Eight – working on number 9, 10, and 11.
Where do you write?
I live in Tennessee now and have a second-floor townhouse office with my well-worn easy chair and portable desktop that accommodates my Mac. A side table contains my ice water filled Yeti, my Flip Dictionary to locate the exact word I’m searching for, my Bose speaker for smooth jazz and a window with a view of the foothills of the Smokies.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I voraciously read mysteries, suspense, thrillers. About 80 to 90 a year. I use them for enjoyment and to steal from those authors, tips, techniques and approaches.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
I’m fluent in Mandarin Chinese.
Who is an author you admire?
Just one? Lee Child, David Baldacci, John Gilstrap, Jeffry Deaver, Janet Evonovich and the list continues.
Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Do not succomb to the false excuse of writer’s block as a reason for not producing. It’s usually a matter of getting the protagonist in a situation you can’t logically figure out how to solve. I will write another scene in that novel or tackle another project to keep the creative juices flowing. And keep your butt in the chair. Write.
What is next for you?
WIP is Frequent Flier – Savannah a sequel to Frequent Flier. Go figure. My protagonist on a pleasure trip to Savannah finds himself trying to rescue a teenage girl kidnapped and sold by human traffickers. Things don’t go so well.
My latest book, SHEPHERD’S PIE, will be released on October 7, 2026.
Where can we find you?
Connect with me on my website at www.jdwebb.com.
NOW TO HAVE SOME FUN . . .
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Usually have a good breakfast after my morning one mile walk and exercise routine.
Fruits or vegetables.
fruits
Sweet or salty snacks.
Ahhh. Both in a Snickers.
Ice cream, cake, or pie.
frozen yogurt.
Cooking, baking, or dining out.
Dining out, I’m a mediocre cook.
City life or country living.
Always wanted to live in the country but city life is where I’ve settled.
Beach or mountain.
Mountain, I love hiking mountain trails.
Early bird or night owl.
Night owl. Seldom hit the hay before eleven and when I don’t have my Kindle smack me in the mouth when I doze off, I’m often up past midnight.
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall.
I love the regrowth of Spring with Winter’s chill leaving, but never quickly enough.
Extrovert or introvert.
I am both. I love talking to groups (or some unsuspecting passerby) about my writing passion and the process, but I’m so comfortable all by myself at my writing station throwing words on the page.
AND EVEN MORE FUN . . .
What is your favorite movie?
Don’t have A favorite. Love old westerns and movies that entertain, not throw the moral at you and dare you to turn away.
You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
A fresh water producing system, fishing gear and a huge box of books. With my luck the books will be in a genre I don’t like to read. No snakes please.
My bio:
J. D. Webb, an award-winning author of seven novels, an anthology and many short stories, served in the Air Force in Viet Nam and the Philippines as a Chinese linguist, a corporate transportation manager, then shoe repair and sales shop owner, before becoming a full-time author. In 2023 Webb was honored to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Midwest Writers Workshop. A recent move relocated him to Gallatin, TN where he is currently learning to speak Southern.