Welcome, Jonathan!

Jonathan Fesmire, a devoted single father and enthusiastic author of speculative fiction, particularly enjoys the weird western genre, which inspired the creation of his series, The Adventures of Bodacious Creed. Residing in California with his son, they share hobbies such as watching movies, visiting Disneyland, and playing guitar together. As a prolific writer, his ambition is to publish at least one novel annually, a goal nearly met with his recent work, Bodacious Creed and the San Francisco Syndicate. He’s currently writing, and Kickstarting a spin-off, Anna, Daughter of Creed.

About Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western, Book 1 in The Adventures of Bodacious Creed

U.S. Marshal James Creed, devastated by the tragic death of his family, devotes himself to law enforcement in the Wild West. His relentless pursuit of justice is interrupted in 1876 when the notorious outlaw Corwin Blake fatally shoots him. Unexpectedly resurrected in a secret lab beneath a brothel, Creed finds himself torn between vengeance and the peaceful oblivion of death. Now with enhanced abilities, he must navigate his new existence while protecting Santa Cruz, California, from criminals. As Creed battles against a syndicate exploiting resurrection technology, he allies with a brothel madam, a bounty hunter, and local marshals to thwart their plans and stop Blake from harming those he now holds dear.

Purchase here.

Interview with Jonathan Fesmire

Tell us about yourself – what is something readers would be surprised to find out? 

I speak fluent French! I majored in Language Studies at UCSC with French as my main language. It’s gotten rusty since, but I’m using DuoLingo and getting it all back. If I could live in France with my son I would, though I’d still write weird westerns. I mean, if we lived in or around Paris, we’d even be close to a Disney park!

What is it about the Weird West genre that draws you to it? What are your favorite aspects or examples of this often-underappreciated genre?

While an essentially American genre, Weird West is wide open for adventure, much more than any era since. I also read fantasy and other science fiction, play Dungeons and Dragons, and so I love worlds were so much adventure and other possibilities are so ready for exploration. There’s moral ambiguity, the gorgeous aesthetics of the Wild West combined with anachronistic elements, complicated characters, and so much more.

What inspired you to write this story?

I was studying for my MFA in Animation and Visual Effects. For that major, the thesis project is to create a demo reel, which needs a theme. So, I came up with some steampunk western characters, added in the idea that the gunfighter was resurrected with steam-era technology, then that the person who brought him back was his estranged daughter… and, with that, I realized that I had an excellent beginning for a novel or series. A few years after graduation, this story still on my mind, I decided to write it. The three characters shown in that demo reel, namely James “Bodacious” Creed, Anna Lynn Boyd, and a coyote with cybernetic parts named Coconino, all made it to the novels.

If you were living in the Weird West, what kind of character would you be?

Ideally, I’d be a novelist, like Mark Twain! More likely I’d be a journalist or commentator like the de Young brothers or Ambrose Bierce and writing novels on the side. It’s hard to see myself doing many other jobs.

Are there any other writing projects you’re working on?

Right now, with the first Bodacious Creed trilogy finished (and yes, that means I plan to write another), I’m writing a spin-off trilogy about James “Bodacious” Creed’s daughter, the young brothel madam, women’s rights advocate, and secret inventor, Anna Lynn Boyd. In fact, I’m running a Kickstarter for it now that ends on May 30. Readers can check my links to support it! She’s a terrific character and it’s fun getting back to her story.

What are you reading right now?

A long time ago, when I was a young teen, the first comic series I got into was The Micronauts by Bill Mantlo, the same writer who created Rocket Racoon. Sadly, though I had the entire collection, I had to sell them about sixteen years ago. They’re getting re-released in omnibus format, though, and I have the first collection. So, I’m rereading those. Like westerns, they’re full of wild adventure and colorful villains.

Favorite weird west movie/book/comic/etc. and why?

Stephen King’s The Dark Tower Cycle. That series, which starts with The Gunslinger and wraps up with The Dark Toweris what got me into blending Wild West aesthetics and culture with science fiction.

I’ve also enjoyed Steven Savile’s Hallowed Ground, K.C. Grifant’s Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger, and Tammy Salyer’s Gnome on the Range.

Anything else you’d like to add about writing or the Weird West (tips, etc.)?

I share tips and interesting western information in my blog, which is on my website. Here, though, let me say this. Know your world and do your world building. I call my setting The Creedverse, and it’s my own spin on the American West. So, I often have to research history, and you’ll see various historical figures in my stories. If you’re creating an alternate history, think about how the changes you’re introducing might change events. If you’re creating a new world based on the American west, similar to what Stephen King did in The Dark Tower Cycle, research history and culture, anyway, to get the aesthetics, culture, and more feeling right.

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