Speaking with Patti Just, bestselling author John Jakes reflects on a lifelong devotion to storytelling that began in high school, when he mailed out handwritten stories in hopes of being published. That early persistence paid off when his very first short story, about a man battling a diabolical toaster titled Machine, sold to a science fiction magazine for $25, a moment that encouraged him to keep writing. His first novel, The Texans Ride North, was written during his senior year of college, launching a remarkable career that would later include 12 consecutive bestsellers and iconic works such as The Kent Family Chronicles, the North and South trilogy, and California Gold. Writing across genres, from science fiction and mystery to westerns, plays, and children’s books, Jakes speaks on his newest novel, Homeland, even reading aloud to introduce its story. Jakes emphasizes that his historical novels are written with careful accuracy, as if they may be a reader’s only encounter with that history. John Jakes is a writer with many skills and much to talk about!
Patti Just, host of the Writers' Circle of South Carolina, talks with authors and poets from across the state and country whose work highlights South Carolina’s rich history, diverse culture, and people.
