Jesse Teller fell in love with fantasy when he was five years old and played his first game of Dungeons & Dragons. The game gave him the ability to create stories and characters from a young age. He started consuming fantasy in every form and, by nine, was obsessed with the genre. As a young adult, he knew he wanted to make his life about fantasy.
His writing influences include Stephen King, Steven Erikson, Robert E Howard, George RR Martin, Piers Anthony, and Paulo Coelho. From exploring the relationship between man and woman, to understanding the qualities of a leader or a tyrant, Jesse Teller uses his stories and settings to study real-world themes and issues.
He lives with his supportive wife, Rebekah, and his two inspiring children, Rayph and Tobin.
What draws you to this genre?
Fantasy has been my life since I was five. It provides me with a lens through which to understand the darkness of this world. As a kid, I used it as a coping mechanism. As a man, it allows me to search for wisdom. Fantasy is a language I use to discuss themes like hope and despair.
Why do you write?
How could I not? Writing is a passion that gets in your blood. Like cars to a mechanic, or gospel to the Christian, writing seeps into your bones. Once its there, it never leaves. I write to keep my sanity. I write because I can’t stop.
Is there a message in your books that you want readers to grasp?
All my work is about hope. There are virtues in this world worth fighting for, things we can’t do without. I hope to inspire honor and vigilance. I hope to raise an awareness of innocence and its worth.
More Jesse Teller interviews (most recent ones listed first):
Bookworm Blues
Twitter Interview with Adam Weller & FBC
Fantasy-Faction
Fantasy Book Critic
The Fantasy Hive Author Spotlight
The Thousand Scars blog (SPFBO series)
Literary Titan (Hemlock interview)
Booknest.eu
Rosalyn Kelly (Song review plus interview)
Bookwraiths Review
By The Fireplace podcast (April 2018)
By The Fireplace podcast (March 2018)
One Book Interview
Confessions of a Fantasy Author
The Protagonist Speaks (Konnon Crillian character interview)
The Thursday Interrogation
Literary Titan (Song interview)
Fantasy Fiends Podcast
Ink & Magick
Author Sonya M. Black
David’s Book Blurg
In the Lime Light
Forward Scribes
The Writers Life eMagazine
As the Page Turns (Mestlven interview)
The Book Lover
The Blogin’ Hobgoblin
Our Epic Worlds
Literary Titan (Mestlven interview)
The Protagonist Speaks (Gentry Mandrake character interview)
Shut Up & Read
An Angell’s Life
Zealot Script
Literary Titan (Chaste interview)
Creativity @ Work on Bloglovin’
10 Quick Questions, GR Matthews
Grimdark Alliance
Books. Bags. Burgers.
The Thursday Interview
Voodoo Princess (Sai Sibbius Summerstone, Chaste character interview)
Renee’s Author Spotlight (Simon Bard character interview)
Literary Titan (Legends of Perilisc interview)
Publishing Spark
Fast Friday, Martin C. Wilsey blog
Waking Writer
Renee’s Author Spotlight (Liefdom interview)
Coffee with Architects of Worlds Afar
Book Wormie Spot
WebbWeaver Books (audio interview plus Liefdom reading)
Reddit Fantasy Writer of the Day
Literary Titan (Liefdom interview)
By The Fireplace (podcast 2016)
Goodreads
Smashwords
Reddit
The Review From Here
The Crazy Mind
I’m Shelfish
As the Page Turns
Harmonious Publicity
Jesse Teller 