What would you like readers to know about you? 

I’d like readers to know that my primary purpose in writing a book is to entertain them. Would it be fantastic if, in reading, they learned a lesson, attained a deeper understanding of the human condition, or made a meaningful connection with my characters? Absolutely. But I’ll settle for laughs, a couple tears, and, at the end, a “Huh…cool…”  

What is your book about for those who haven’t read it? 

CLEO PORTER AND THE BODY ELECTRIC is a seriously sci-fi quest in a post-pandemic world. It’s got wild discoveries, dangerous drones, mile-a-minute action, and enough plot twistage to keep your head spinning. Its beating heart, though, is a twelve-year-old girl with more brains, courage, and compassion than a dozen of the most dedicated doctors.  

What has been your inspiration for writing it? 

NOT COVID-19…that was just an eerie coincidence. The actual inspiration for Cleo’s journey came from an article I read about Amazon.com considering drone deliveries. It got me wondering about what might happen if that worked so well that we never needed to leave our houses again. From there, the idea of a sealed-off world protecting itself from a pandemic grew, and Cleo arrived as the girl who could not only live in that world, but change it. 

What was your favorite scene or part of your book to write?  

My favorite scene has got to be Cleo’s fight with the Cleanser drone. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to writing a terrifying monster battle in my books, and the physicality of it was a ton of fun to explore. Plus, the stakes are so high that the scene hurtles along, and those are great for both writer and reader alike.  

What books or authors inspired you to become a writer? 

I have a thousand and one inspirations, but my love of stories and storytelling goes back to the read-alouds my dad did when I was a kid, chief among them Tolkien’s THE HOBBIT. Twain was a big influence, too.  

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write a book? 

Somewhere in the figuring out of what to write, spend some time figuring out HOW you write. Are you a sit-for-eight-hours-and-crank-out-five-chapters kind of writer, or a little-bit-a-day type of person? Do you do you best work in the morning or evening? Music or no? The more comfortable you are with the act of writing, the easier it will be to tackle a project with the scope of a novel. 

Jake Burt: 

Twitter: @jburtbooks 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jakeburtbooks 

Instagram: @jburtbooks 

Website: www.jburtbooks.com 

Book purchases: indiebound.org, bn.com, amazon.com 

Books: 

GREETINGS FROM WITNESS PROTECTION! 

THE RIGHT HOOK OF DEVIN VELMA 

THE TORNADO 

CLEO PORTER AND THE BODY ELECTRIC 

Coming Sept. 2021: THE GHOUL OF WINDYDOWN VALE