Most people are surprised when I tell them I write mainly New Adult redemption stories and character-driven Young Adult fiction. Those who know me usually expect crime or horror. I’ve tried writing horror—but having your own monsters chase you through your dreams isn’t ideal if you value a good night’s sleep. That realization is what first pushed me toward writing YA stories instead.

It might seem backwards that my New Adult book will release months before my Young Adult ones, but the truth is, I started this journey with an idea for a YA story. Sometimes the order of publishing doesn’t match the order of inspiration.

To really understand why I write the kinds of stories I do, you’d have to understand where I was raised—and how that place shaped the way I see the world. I grew up on a small dirt road nestled between two of the tiniest towns you’ll ever come across. I knew every inch of that road, and I was somehow related to nearly everyone who lived on or around it. You could say that when my forefathers came to Canada, they claimed that patch of land and never left. Maybe that’s why my books either take place where I grew up or somehow find their way back there.

When I think of home, it’s that dirt road—even though, like most things, time has changed it beyond recognition.

In my books, you’ll see and feel the memories of where I grew up. I’m not saying my hometown is any different from thousands of others, but it’s the place I know best. It’s not just the people or the buildings—it’s the stories, the quiet moments, the sense of belonging. I suppose I add pieces of my own history into every book, and my hometown is part of that history.

People often ask me why I chose the 1970s and 1980s as the backdrop for most of my stories. For me, that’s a no-brainer. It was a simpler time—not necessarily easier, because the world still had its share of crime and heartbreak—but everything seemed a little slower, a little quieter, and somehow more human.

So I guess if you read my books, you get to see a piece of a country boy’s home—and the world that shaped him.

What about you? Has the place you grew up ever found its way into your stories?

— James D. Simser