J.’s Comments (group member since Jul 30, 2011)

J.’s comments from the Q&A with J. Gabriel Gates group.

Hi Joshua,
Thanks for writing. I'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the open-ended finish to The Sleepwalkers. You're not the first reader to be bothered by it. Some of it has to do with the reader's aesthetic and expectations, I think. I'm mostly interested in literary fiction, which is more designed to raise more questions in reader's minds rather than it answers. The expectations in genre fiction are different; in genre writing, loose ends tend to be tied up. In the case of The Sleepwalkers, I intended for readers to finish the book and feel a bit uneasy. After all, it's horror. And what's scarier, having all the answers, or living in uncertainty? I'd also argue that the lack of full closure is more realistic. When was the last time in your life that every question was answered and every concern was met? In life, our endings revolve toward new beginnings. Every revelation raises its own new questions. Every victory points toward a new challenge we'll have to face. That was the sort of sense I was trying to capture in the ending to The Sleepwalkers. Plenty of readers have asked if I plan to write a sequel. The answer is that I certainly could, but I have no plans to do so at this time. Always when it comes to literature, if you want to see a sequel, the best way to make a sequel happen is to tell about a million of your friends to go buy a book-- make it financially impossible for the author to NOT write a sequel. That's the way to get all your questions answered. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll have to live with the uneasiness, or engage your imagination and construct the answers yourself.

Thanks again for writing, and for reading my books!

-J. Gabriel Gates

Frank wrote: "I find your writing style and ideas to be very clever and witty just like Rick Riordan. I had to throw Rick because if not for being a Percy Jackson fan I may never had gotten a recommendation from..."

Hi Frank,

Thanks, I'll certainly take a Rick Riordan comparison. I haven't read a ton of his stuff, but I liked what I read. And he has sold a few million books, so that's a plus!

Hi Frank! I like Nass and Dalton's relationship, too. It's always fun to write about two big personalities colliding - whether in love or conflict!

I'm glad that, as a martial arts student, the relationship between Raph, Zhai and Chin worked for you. I think the desire for a mentor is a pretty universal thing, so it was fun to tap into it for this series. I wish I had a master Chin! (Although my kunk fu teachers have been wonderful.)

Priyanka wrote: "hi!! wat did u xactly want 2 convey thru dese lines:

''Usually when Americans try 2 help people, all that seems to happen is a lot f people get blown up and some company makes a crapload of cash. ..."

Hi Priyanka, thanks for the question. The passage above relates Bean's rather jaded view of America's involvement overseas, particularly in regard to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, where by all accounts thousands of civilians were killed and where U.S. companies, such as Halliburton, (a company led by former vice president Dick Cheney) received tens of billions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer money for their roles in supporting the war effort. Basically, Bean is saying that when people try to help the less fortunate, it's usually really for their own selfish purposes, whereas Caleb has a more idealistic world view.

Priyanka wrote: "Well said Branwen! I agree wid u...
J, ur writin style is sumtymes 2 scary... It gave me goosebumps while readin ur bk in d dead f ni8!!!"

Being scared is half the fun, though, right? A horror book that isn't scary would be like a rollercoaster without any drops or turns.

Wendy Lovetiggi wrote: "Thanks J. I really am looking forward to Sleepwalkers in trade as well. I love ur writing style, detailed character and world building.. I can only imagine how Awesome it is...... Thanks for replyi..."

It's my pleasure! Thanks for the questions.

I'm looking forward to The Sleepwalkers release, too.

Branwen wrote: "I just finished Dark Territory so I can answer these questions now! lol I really liked Aimee, but I think my favorite character is Raphael. He is such a tortured yet honorable guy I can't help but ..."

Thanks for reading it, Branwen, and thanks for adding to the discussion. I like a lot of the characters. Of course I like Raphael for his bravery and his perseverance. I like Zhai for his commitment to his beliefs and his quiet strength, Chin for his nurturing qualities and his goofy side, Nass for his loyalty and his humor. Dalton for her boldness. And I like Aimee because I feel like I need to give her a hug. They're like my kids (if I had kids) and I love them all.

Wendy Lovetiggi wrote: "Dark Territory ~ Are there any characteristics or aspects similiar to your own in your characters? I see the TV pilot in my head~"

That's a good question. My editor thought Raphael seemed like me (and even joked about using me for a cover photo-shoot). I think there's a part of me in every character I write, but ultimately each character has his or her own distinct essence. To me, they are themselves and no one else.

Thanks, Branwen. Your comment was a compliment on several levels!

Does my writing style remind you of anyone else's? If so, whose?

Jackie wrote: "Was it difficult to write the creepy parts in Sleepwalkers? Also, did you get creeped out while writing it? Just wondering :-)"

Hi Jackie. There were some parts of The Sleepwalkers that were pretty creepy to write - particularly the part where they're in the catacombs under the Dream Center. The Sleepwalkers was one of the easiest writing processes I've ever gone through, because there were several spots where I had to keep writing. How could I leave characters in such frightening scenarios? I had to get them out, and fast. That sense of urgency made the book fun - and easy - to write.

Branwen wrote: "I have two questions! I was wondering who your favorite character is in The Sleepwalkers? I just adored Bean! A couple of times he had me laughing so hard out loud! Also, in regard to the martial a..."

First, The Sleepwalkers: I like Bean, too. Everyone loves Bean. What's not to love? He's a lovable guy! I like Ron Bent too, though. He's so human, it's beautiful. Sometimes I wonder how he came out of my head...

As for the martial arts in Dark Territory, I take Wing Chun Kung Ku at the Battle Creek Traditional Wing Chun Club with sifu Robert Vahovic. I also took it for a while years ago with I was living in LA. It's an amazing art and it's been a lot of fun to learn. I might add that being an author has to be the coolest job in the world - I mean, I get to learn kung fu as part of my professional research. Who does that? What a life!

Wendy Lovetiggi wrote: "Who or what was your inspiration behind this book?"

It was originally an idea for a TV show. It came to me when my ex girlfriend and her buddies were watching Degrassi and the OC and I was taking kung fu. I thought: "wouldn't it be awesome if there was a teen drama with kung fu? That would be truly epic." They thought the idea was kind of weird at the time, but it ended up being the inspiration for "The Tracks."

So, who's your favorite character in Dark Territory?

Hey guys! I'm going to kick off this Q & A by inviting some questions from you all. What would you like to know? It can be about writing process, the business of publishing, or any of my books. Fire away!

Hey guys! I'm going to kick off this Q & A by inviting some questions from you all. What would you like to know? It can be about writing process, the business of publishing, or any of my books. Fire away!