Jake Burt
Author Interview - Jake Burt
Author I draw inspiration from: I’ve always admired authors who play with language and are clearly into the beauty of words. Peter Beagle comes to mind. Cathrynne Valente. Tolkien. Dahl.
Author Interview - Jake Burt
Favorite place to read a book: The grey chair in my living room. More specifically, that grey chair, backlit by the multicolored lights from the Christmas tree, with a fleece draped over my legs and my cat in my lap. There may be tea involved as well.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets. She’s a wish-granting fairy, from John David Anderson’s Granted. I could also make do with any one of several wish-granting djinn from 1001 Arabian Nights. You get where I’m going with this.
Author Interview - Jake Burt
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I knew in 8th grade. Our teacher set up a sort of “open-mic” class period, during which we could read anything we wanted. I read a twenty-page fantasy story about a dragon slaying a knight. It was terrible. My classmates applauded anyway, thus sealing my fate.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Hardback. They last much, much longer in my classroom.
The last book I read: The last book I read for kids was Karina Glaser’s The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue. For grownups, it was Just Mercy, by Bryan Stevenson.
Author Interview - Jake Burt
Pen & paper or computer: I write almost exclusively on the computer. My pencil grip is of the “death” variety, so my hand gets tired pretty quickly.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: I don’t know if we’d be best friends (he’s already got an armored bear that might lay claim to the position, and that’s not a contest I reckon I’d win), but I’d love to spend some time with Lee Scoresby, from Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.
Author Interview - Jake Burt
If I wasn’t an author, I’d be a: Is it cheating to say 5th grade teacher? Because I already am one. If I can’t pick that, I’d say the mediocre banjo player in the bluegrass trio that you see advertised on the pinboard at your local coffee shop.
Favorite decade in fashion history: The 90’s. ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU MY COLLECTION OF HORIZONTALLY-STRIPED SWEATERS.
Place I’d most like to travel: I’d love to visit Ireland. I lived in Scotland for awhile back in college, but I never managed to make it across the Irish Sea.
My signature drink: Sweet tea, but not too sweet. Elmo’s-Diner-in-Durham-North-Carolina sweet, rather than McDonald’s-syrup-in-a-cup sweet.
Favorite artist: I’ve always loved Brian Froud’s work. His concept art for the creatures in Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal is filled with personality, whimsy, and magic, and his Faeries book (with Alan Lee) remains one of my favorites in any genre.
Number one on my bucket list: To see one of my books on the screen. Is it too much to ask Hayao Miyazaki to come out of retirement to animate Cleo Porter and the Body Electric?
Anything else you'd like to add: Just a thank you for letting me answer such fun questions!
Find more from Jake Burt, here:
I’m on Twitter @jburtbooks, and my website is www.jburtbooks.com.
Author Interview - Jake Burt
