Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with J.C. Hutchins, author of the chart-topping podcast novel, 7th Son, which has recently become available in print. I'd become aware of Hutchin's work through Twitter (where he welcomes folks to follow him - "jchutchins"), and was impressed both by his talent and his open-handed support for other authors.

After I'd heard that Publisher's Weekly said that "thriller readers seeking edge-of-your-seat action flavored with conspiracy and futuristic tech will love every page," I couldn't wait to ask Hutchins some questions about the book and his career.

JESS: Tell me a little about yourself, J.C. Have you always been a writer?

JC: While I currently live in South Florida, I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. Looking back, I guess I always was a storyteller, which blossomed into writing. I attended college to become a journalist, and spent some time in the field before deciding to change careers. I reckoned that would give me the time and energy I needed to write this novel I had an idea for, 7th Son.

JESS: Tell me a bit about how you came to write 7th Son.

JC: I spent a lot of time -- too much time, in hindsight -- noodling over the concept and some of the key plot elements long before I wrote the book. I knew I wanted to pay homage to the technothriller and sci-fi genres, as well as leverage some inspiration from "team" superhero comics like the Justice League of America. I knew I didn't want capes in this book, but the ensemble cast -- each character with his own specialty -- is something I love.

Eventually, I took the leap of faith and just started writing. It was tough going at first ... it always is, when you're digging into a new world and trying to find your place in it ... but I eventually became swept up in the characters and narrative, and didn't look back.

JESS: And the story itself? Can you tell us a bit about that?

JC: I'm fascinated by technology, and how it can improve our lives. I'm also fascinated by genetics. Perhaps most telling, I'm a HUGE fan of "evil twin" stories. All of those influences played key roles in creating the foundations of the plot and themes of the book.

JESS: There's a lot of complementary media available for 7th Son - Is there a particular order that new readers/listeners should partake of
the material in, in order to get the most out of it?

JC: Not really. Newcomers are welcome to start with my free audio prequel story anthology, 7th Son: 7 Days. That'll give a peek into the lives of Descent's heroes before they learn of their extraordinary origins. But honestly, I suggest diving into 7th Son: Descent. It's a helluva fun read.

JESS: You came at publishing 7th Son in a rather unusual manner - Would you like to speak about that?

JC: After receiving dozens of rejections from publishing pros in 2005, I reckoned that 7th Son would never sell. So I chose to give it away as an audio podcast. Nearly four years -- and more than 5 million episodic downloads -- later, a thriving fan community exists, and the book's in print. It's a circuitous route filled with an extraordinary amount of work.

JESS: Do you recommend this process for other aspiring writers? What advice to you have to those who might seek to follow in your footsteps?

JC: I'm reluctant to wholeheartedly endorse this model, as it's an incredible amount of work. You need to really analyze your goals. If you just want to share your tale, by all means share it online. If your goal is print publication, carefully consider pursuing the "traditional" route of querying agents before you release the work online. It's a well-established path, it's worked for decades, and it could safe you some risk and effort in giving away your content. For me, I released 7th Son in podcast form because the book had been rejected by dozens of industry pros. This isn't a guaranteed path to publication, not by a long shot.

JESS: What did you learn in the process? What might you have done differently if you had it all to do over again?

JC: I've learned to become a believer in myself and my work. I wouldn't change a thing.

JESS: What's next from JC Hutchins?

JC: I'll be promoting 7th Son until the end of the year. After that, I'll start cooking on some new fiction projects.  One of them is a podcast fiction series called "The 33" that promises to be a lot of fun. I also have a few high-tech and supernatural thriller novel ideas to work on in 2010, as well.

For more information about J. C. Hutchins and his most recent project, check out 7th Son: Descent, available from Amazon ~ from IndieBound ~ from Macmillan ~ from Barnes & Noble ~ from Borders ~ from Books-A-Million ~ from Powells

Also, be sure to listen to more of Hutchin's work on audio or see what he's up to lately at his website: www.jchutchins.net