We recently had the chance to connect with Jonathan Yanez and have shared our conversation below.
Jonathan , it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
When I’m writing a new novel or script and I’m really into the story, it’s like all time is lost. I miss meals, and if you know me, I NEVER miss a meal.
I know this is going to sound crazy but it’s almost like I’m time-travelling. I get so engrossed in the story that I’ll look up and a half hour or hour has passed and it feels like minutes.
This is how I know I’m doing something right. If I’m so involved in the story, then I know readers will be as well.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve sold over a million copies, won the Jack London Award, had my work adapted for film and won awards for those films.
But if you really want to know who I am, I’ll tell you why I write.
I write for you. I write because that’s what I was born to do. I write because I beleive in stories with heroes you can feel good about rooting for, stories of adventure, family, and hope.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
There’s so much hate out there with people who love to argue. I think if we spent more time in what we have in common and less in arguing the world would be a better place.
The stories I tell, whether in novel form or on screen are character-driven and will always give the consumer three things, a sense a family, adventure, and hope.
I think the world is a dark enough place already. I don’t need ot add to it. Yes, there will be conflict and sacrifice but my promise to my readers and viewers is that we will always end in hope.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell him to risk more sooner. I don’t know if I was ever afraid to take the leap but rather I didn’t know what leap to take.
Now I risk it all whenever possible. I bet on myself and my company to pull through and find a way forward.
People say they don’t have regrets because if they changed their past, they wouldn’t be the person they are today. Yeah, maybe, but maybe if you acted differently in the past and made better decisions, you could be better than the person you are today.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yesssss, I was just talking to my wife about this. We encounter people who portray themselves one way online and are totally different in real life all the time.
It makes me sick and sad for them at the same time. You don’t have to pretend to be something or someone you’re not. Just be you. YOU are enough.
It’s too much work in my mind to try and be two different people. There’s so much going on I only have capacity to be me whether online or in real life. There’s only one me.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
I don’t plan on ever retiring. I love what I do and I’m thankful to God that I have a profession I can work at until the day I die.
I can continue to tell stories through novels and tv/movies for decades to come.
Readers and viewers would miss new stories the most. Even now, I receive emails and messages asking me to write faster and produce films quicker all the time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://store.jonathan-yanez.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_jonathan_yanez/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonathanYanezAuthor
