Interview With Jon McBrine
I’d like to introduce one of the first authors to list books for readers to find on Spotlight on Indie SFF, Jon McBrine.
As an author drawn to superhero sci-fi aimed at young adult readers, Jon McBrine adds a unique spin on coming-of-age stories – by adding superpowers, snarky villains, and big robot fights. Focused on pure fun and adventure, Jon also showcases the people under the mask (and spandex).
Jon works in the Dallas area as an author, graphic designer, illustrator, and comic book aficionado. He combines these different fields of work to build interesting projects that capture humor, intrigue, and authentic emotion. His ever-evolving career trajectory keeps his sense of wonder alive—and his coffee cup full.
Q: How long have you been writing?
JM: Like many authors, I’ve been writing in some way or another since childhood, but the “official” answer is late 2018. I’ve been writing consistently since then.
Q: Was there a particular inspiration behind your Eric Icarus books?
JM: Eric Icarus is one of those ideas that float around in one’s head from a young age – as the character developed and changed over the years, inspiration came from several things I enjoyed, such as superhero comics and action/adventure movies, and, of course, sci-fi. The likes of Spider-Man, Robin, Iron Man, and, of course, Superman all served as influential icons.
Q: Tell us a bit about the main character of the Eric Icarus series and what makes him special in his universe and to you as the creator.
JM: While I don’t really do self-inserts, Eric Icarus and the supporting cast and the story elements have app drawn from my life experiences. A lot of feeling insecure and unsure of yourself comes out in Eric and what especially interests me about him is that he has this miraculous, mysterious ability to fly—naturally, without the aid of any technology—and yet he is afraid of it and because he lives in a city with technologically-enhanced superheroes and other futuristic aspects, Eric doesn’t consider himself to be special. There is a lot of humor and action in the book, but there is also a sneaky message in there about believing in your own talents.
Q: Tell us about the story and its development. How did it come to be?
JM: A fellow author friend encouraged me to give writing a serious chance. I originally set out to write a one-and-done book and self-publish it so I can say I did it. Well, the more I wrote notes, the more I got into the weeds of story structure. and the more I studied the technical techniques of writing, I was enthralled. The early drafts of Eric Icarus were a way to finally put this superhero story out into the world.
Q: Have you always been a fan of YA and superheroes or did it just happen to work out that way with the inspiration to write?
JM: As time passed for me, the concept that would eventually manifest itself as Eric Icarus went through phases of being targeted at more of a “new adult,” or high school-to-college-age audience. Gradually, the overall story became much more interesting to me if it was closer to young adult or even middle grade. And besides, YA leaves room to be a bit looser. Becoming a late-bloomer fan of teen dramas well into my adulthood also shed light on the how purely entertaining these kinds of stories can be. Smallville, Dawson’s Creek—it’s all just too much fun.
Q: Would you want to describe your writing process? And editing? A lot of writers hate editing after the thrill of creating; how do you feel about that?
JM: Despite knowing better, I edit as I go, which admittedly delays the process. Work and family commitments also take up a lot of time so sometimes I’ll only able to carve out a few minutes to write. It’s because of this lack of downtime that I sought a more convenient way of writing. I almost exclusively write on my phone these days. As far as creating goes, world-building is extremely exciting. At its core, dreaming up snappy dialogue, intriguing settings, and high stakes scenarios is mainly just pretending. I like to say I have an “immortal imagination,” meaning there is no shortage of ideas, it’s just a matter of tuning in to the right frequency at the right time.
Q: What are your future writing plans? Do you have more books in this series planned or something else in mind? Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about your book, the series, or what you might be working on?
JM: I am currently writing an anthology of short stories and novellas that are prequel tales taking place in the same universe as the two Eric Icarus novels that are available. I have outlined a total of five books in the series. The anthology of shorts will be a companion piece to the first two books and contribute to setting up the third main book. The shorts will be presented in a chronological order, however, they are being written in a way where you don’t have to have read any other book or story for them to make sense.
Q: What is your favorite comic character and why?
JM: Tough call because there are so many greats, but I typically go with Superman. However, if I’m being honest, my favorite stories come from Batman’s lore.
Q: If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?
JM: I go back and forth with super speed or stretchy powers. Both are desired out of wanting to make things more convenient.
Thanks, Jon!
Be sure to check on Jon’s book, Unsecret Identity, here on Spotlight on Indie SFF, check out his website at jonmcbrine.com, and follow him on social media at X and on Amazon to receive notifications of new releases.
