Meet Chad: Fiction Writer
In our ongoing series of highlighting dynamic profiles, here we feature Chad Mortensen, a writer from Utah. Chad speaks with Marie Rina about his background, what he does and more.
How did you get into writing? What genres do you write?
Chad: I have always liked the idea of being a writer. In high school, I took a creative writing class, but my teacher and peers weren’t impressed with any of my stories so I decided that writing was probably not going to be my thing.
Many years later, I was working for my dad on a construction site pulling phone and data wires. I had to pull hundreds of wires from one side of the building to the other — it took days! While I was pulling the wires and listening to country music (which I don’t love) I thought to myself, “This might be what Hell would be like for me. Then, I started forming a story about a kid who gets caught up in a family curse. He discovers that if he doesn’t break it, his family will be cursed to be a witch’s servant for eternity (probably pulling phone wire). The idea progressed into a full-fledged series of books. After I finished the first book, I thought, “I like this.” I talked to my wife about it, and she encouraged me to go for it and she has been my biggest supporter ever since.
Since roughly 2008, I have written six books and am working on a seventh and eighth. I am trying my hand in a few different genres. My first series has an action-adventure feel with some fantasy elements thrown in there. I have written a science fiction short story about starting colonies of space stations called “Air.” Also, I have dabbled in a war-romance-fantasy with a book titled “Valor and Benevolence.” My latest book, “Chapter 13” is more of science fiction, although it does have some fantasy elements to it. I also wrapped some apocalyptic vibes in there too. Short answer? My books are always adventurous.
What are the biggest challenges for you as a writer?
Chad: My biggest challenges have been editing and getting my books seen by publishers. I am not a grammar wiz. My punctuation is lacking and I sometimes use the wrong forms of words. I think this is the cause of never getting much of a look from publishers. They want clean work that is ready to go. To do that, I have to hire an editor and/or agent. To do that, I have to make more money. To do that, I have to get a book published — you see the cycle. I think I have interesting stories to tell, I just need to buckle down and pay someone to edit my work. I am horrible at self-editing.
What’s is like being an Amazon-published writer? What would you like your audience to know about that aspect?
Chad: Amazon has been really good to work with. I really like the platform they offer. I mean, I can write a book and set it up as both an e-book and a print copy and it doesn’t cost me anything. And my books are always available. If one person wants the first book I wrote as a hard copy in their house, they can order and have it within two weeks. And I will get my royalties put right into my bank account. I don’t have to choose a limit of printed copies or anything. I think that is great. And, they let me print off copies of my book as “author copies” whenever I want. The only downside I have seen so far is the lack of editing and the lack of audience. My wife and I have a lot of friends on Facebook, but the percentage of them that are willing to purchase a book is low. Amazon does provide ways of advertising, but that is extra money. And, my books go out into the world with my skills as an editor. In other words, they have been known have typos.
When I was releasing one of my books, I accidentally downloaded a file that was my first draft — extremely unready for anyone besides myself to read. Luckily, I caught it before it was available for too long, but I did have four people buy a rough draft quality novel. It was quite embarrassing. I tried my best to replace them with good copies, but I think I may have missed one.
What goals do you have as a writer?
Chad: The big dream? Having one of my books end up as a screenplay for an awesome blockbuster movie. I think that may be the ultimate goal for any fiction writer, but I will take it step by step. I have fulfilled my goal of actually writing a full novel (plus a few), so my next goal is to get it published through a publisher who can help me get my name and style out into the world.
Any favorite authors, writers, etc.?
Chad: I wouldn’t say that I am the kind of reader that looks for books by a specific author, but then maybe I haven’t read as many books as they say you should to be a good writer. My creative writing teacher in college always said that you are only a good writer if you are a good reader. I don’t know that I agree with that idea completely. I think to be a good writer, you have to be good at experiencing life as it happens around you.
I do tend to be attracted to books that are more geared for teenagers since that age group is what I try to target my books toward. I read a lot of books for younger kids, since my children are still in elementary school, so my reading genres are a little skewed in my life right now. When it comes other kinds of writers, I really like the style of Jason Rothenberg, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, and the team of writers for “The Good Place.” (The 16-year-old in me really enjoys the humor). I guess my favorite kinds of writers are those who write for TV.
Almost all writers experience some sort of writer’s block — what do you do when you experience that?
Chad: I haven’t had a lot of what would be considered true writer’s block. I have a lot of projects in my “writer’s notebook” file constantly. When I feel like one project just isn’t really going anywhere, I drop it for a while. I will then either start a new project or go back to an old one. The book “Valor and Benevolence” was one of those projects that sat in my “novels” file on my computer for years. I had written a good portion of it and another story, but I just wasn’t feeling either of them. A few years later, when I was looking through my files to find a springboard for something new, I found the two half-written manuscripts. They seemed like they fit together so that’s what I did. I smashed them together and created a whole new story. Not having due dates is a huge luxury of self-publishing, too. I don’t have anyone telling me to finish by a certain date. I think if I did have that, I would probably experience writer’s block a lot more.
What inspires you the most?
Chad: Life. I have had so many interesting experiences in my life that I draw them often. I lived in two foreign countries where I had to learn two different cultures and languages. My family heritage is from the south, so I have a lot of good old Southern gems in my family history. I also have some not-so-shiny parts of my family history, but I don’t discredit any of them. The ugliness has still made me who I am today along with the awesome.
My wife wanted nothing more than to be a mother for her entire childhood. After we got married, we found out that I was not able to give that to her. Her sticking by me and having to go through the adoption process made us better people and a stronger couple. I am a religious person and I feel that I have seen the hand of God in my life so much that I can’t deny it. All of these experiences and more have shaped me into the kind of writer I am. The latest book that I have available on Amazon, “Chapter 13,” was inspired by COVID-19, my daughter, and my connection to God. I don’t know that I prayed as much as just had an open dialogue with Him saying, “What can I write that may have some affect for good for a few of the people that are down here messing up what You have created.” I feel like I was inspired to come up with a story about acceptance and love. I won’t ruin the story, but there is a challenge in the book that the main character, Camilla, gives to the reader. She asks the reader to meet new people wherever they go and just get to know them for who they are; no judgment, no arguments, just get to know them. The idea is to talk to people that you normally wouldn’t talk to; people of different religious beliefs, different race, different sexual orientation, etc. for the sole purpose of letting your guard down to just let someone else in. It’s amazing the things you can learn from people who think differently than you. I call it the #CamillaProject.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Chad: If anyone would like to read any of my books, you can find them on Amazon. Just type my name in the search bar and they should all appear. “Chapter 13” is actually in a contest right now for amateur writers on Amazon, and #StorytellerUK2020 is the hashtag. I am hoping that I can get people to read, review and share it for it to be looked at as a contender.
More about Chad: Chad Mortensen has lived in Utah his entire life, aside two years when he served a mission for the Church or Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Boston, Massachusetts, the southern half of Portugal and two islands in the archipelago of Cape Verde off the coast of Senegal, Africa. He has an amazing wife, Tina, and three children. The couple was unable to have children biologically, so they adopted their beautiful babies who are all African-American. Having an interracial family has been an awesome experience for all of them. They sometimes worry about what the future holds for their kids, but they are hopeful that people will get to know their wonderful children personally before they pass judgement. All of his talents center more toward the arts. He loves to sing and dance and on occasion and has been seen on the stage in musical productions. He met his wife in a musical at the SCERA Shell in Orem, Utah, in a production of Children of Eden. The family now lives in Spanish Fork, Utah. Chad and Tina own a performing arts studio, Rococo Performing Arts, which like many other businesses have hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and hope they can continue teaching the young people in their area.
You can find Chad’s books on Amazon here.
