John J. Zelenski Interview

Q: How long have you been writing and what other careers or jobs have you had?
A. I have been writing off and on since I was seventeen. I wish that I had taken it more seriously back then. As far as other jobs, I’ve had a few including, painter, maintenance man, care giver, cashier, store manager, waiter, service representative…does being a dad count as a job???

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release The Journal of Ezekiel Walker?
A: The Journal of Ezekiel Walker is the prequel to my first novel, Walker’s Vale and provides the history of the small town and some very unusual and eerie events that lead up to the current supernatural story in Walker’s Vale.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for this story?
A: The inspiration without a doubt came from the sequel, Walker’s Vale. I knew that there would be backstory from the beginning when writing Walker’s Vale, and I wanted readers to experience the town of Walker’s Vale about 70 years earlier.

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?
A: I would hope that readers will take away the fact that God can use someone despite their perceived limitations or self-imposed inadequacies. When we give ourselves to God that opens the door to possibilities.

Q: How do you choose your settings for your books?
A. The settings are based upon experiences I remember from spending time as a child in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. To me, there is nothing better than country living.

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?
A: I think all writers base their characters, at least to some degree, on actual people, and I would be no exception. Physical characteristics and traits may differ to an extent, but underneath the outer shell, there is a real person who has impacted the writer in some way.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I am working on a new novel tentatively titled, The Fourth Chamber which will explore love, loss, salvation, and of course there will be elements of suspense, horror and the supernatural.

Q: If money were no object what vacation would you like to take and why?
A. Other than taking a trip to a distant plant to explore, I think I would like to visit Alaska and see the Northern Lights. I can imagine the clean, crisp air and beautiful mountains teeming with wildlife.

Q: What is the silliest thing you have ever done?
A. Ah, there’s been so many. Probably pranking my mother on the phone. I am pretty good at disguising my voice – at that’s what I’ve been told.

Q: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?
A. Hmm…probably each time I have to give a speaking engagement. I like to be the man behind the curtain.

John J. Zelenski interview with Susan Sleeman

February 17, 2020

Q: What is the hardest thing you have ever done?
A. Hmm…probably each time I have to give a speaking engagement. I like to be the man behind the curtain.

Interviewer Info

Susan Sleeman

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a bestselling and award-winning author of more than 25 inspirational/Christian and clean read romantic suspense books.

[ Read full bio ]

About John J. Zelenski

Born in beautiful Northeastern, Pennsylvania, John was raised in a strict Christian home where “the fear of the Lord” was taught and put into practice daily. It was a different type of fear however, which proved to be the catapult that started John on the road to the supernatural.

When John and his family moved to their new home in 1977, a series of strange and otherworldly events followed their arrival. Only after two ministers performed a cleansing in each of the rooms of the home, did the paranormal activities cease. Having seen firsthand that there is more to life than meets the physical eye, John started a lifelong journey of research and dedication toward understanding the supernatural. John states, “The supernatural is usually thought of in terms like ghosts, and goblins, but in all actuality, the supernatural simply means that which cannot be explained by natural forces or laws. This can mean evil manifestations yes, but also miracles, supernatural blessings, and divine providence.”

Taking this knowledge and blending it with his passion for storytelling, John’s first work was the award-winning novel, Walker’s Vale. Combining elements of his own experiences with a natural flair for descriptive writing, Walker’s Vale has been released in two editions to fabulous reviews of critics, comparing the storytelling to that of Ted Dekker and Frank Perietti.

Johns’ follow-up to Walker’s Vale was another award-winning effort titled, The Journal of Ezekiel Walker. This novel and prequel to Walker’s Vale, retells the eerie history of the small, fictional town of Walker’s Vale, Pennsylvania. John states, “It was a great honor and pleasure to have The Journal of Ezekiel Walker endorsed by friend and Christian music legend, Les Carlsen of Bloodgood.”

John’s writing accomplishments include being selected as one of the Fifty Great Writers You Should Be Reading, The Spirt-Filled Recognition of Achievement, Five Star Seal from Reader’s Favorite, and placing within the final Top Ten of the 2018 Author Academy Awards. Other short stories by John have appeared on The Untold Podcast and in Hello Horror Literary Journal. John is also an active member of the Horror Writers Association.

John has appeared on television, radio, print, and in public speaking events to tell his story.

When not writing, John enjoys spending time with his family, collecting sports memorabilia, and playing bass guitar.

His motto resides in the words of one of his favorite characters in Walker’s Vale in that, “Not everything in this life can be explained.”