J.T. Holden

On his work:

I love coming up with new and different stories to tell. It makes it a little harder (on marketing) when all of your books don't fall into a simple and easily labeled category, but my tastes have always run a bit eclectic (as anyone who has read Twilight Tales can tell you). The one constant, or linking factor, would be that all of my novels center on teenage boys coming-of-age, so there's always a good deal of me in at least one of the main characters. The other constant is that there is never a 'bad guy' in my novels -- at least not in the willful or wanton sense. Even the 'villains' in Manchester and Three Imaginary Boys are not wholly villainous; each has his or her own demons to contend with, forces beyond their control, or comprehension, that made them the way they are. For me, the villain with no redeeming qualities is like the hero with no flaws: bland and uninteresting.

On superpowers in his books:

I've only written two novels that don't feature any characters with superpowers (both set for release in 2016), and though I'm proud of both, I'd have to say that I prefer writing stories about teens with superpowers. But as anyone who has read my books knows, I strive for a more realistic take on the subject. I grew up on DC comics and still love them to this day, but I'm wise enough to recognize that I do not possess the sort of flare it takes for that style of writing. Instead, I do what I do best: telling stories of teens in the early development of their special powers -- which is why there will never be a sequel to The Boys From Manchester. Not because there isn't more to tell, but because I've already told the best part of it. I'll leave it up to the imagination of the readers to decide what happens with Daniel and Brandon and Cody in the future when they're grown up and have realized the full potential of their powers. In experience, the origin story is usually the best, and often the only one worth writing or reading.

On reviews:

What I love about these two reviews is that they came from readers who didn't just enjoy my books but truly understood what they were about.