Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerome C. Farmer.
Hi Jerome, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Sure, thank you for asking. I guess my backstory begins when I was 11 years old, and I told my elementary school teacher I wanted to be a writer. She suggested, before I focused on writing, to go into the world and experienced life as fully as possible. Only write after using every opportunity to grow and learn. This advice stayed in my thoughts for decades as I pursued a career and traveled as much as possible. After growing up in Michigan, I earned three degrees from Stanford: electrical engineering, computer systems, and industrial engineering. I invented several products and was granted a handful of patents. I attended the Anderson School at UCLA to earn an MBA and spent many years managing engineering teams and consulting for start-up tech companies, Fortune 500 companies, and movie studios. I also earned my pilot’s license, embarked on a variety of unconventional trips, and embraced diverse activities to give me material to write about. I enjoy sailing, scuba diving, surfing, hockey, skiing, and snowboarding. I’ve explored Tibet, camped in the Australian outback, canoed through the Amazon River, and retraced segments of Ernest Shackleton’s famous rescue in Antarctica. I love photography, especially wildlife photography, and have photographed animals on all seven continents, including Komodo dragons, platypuses, and rhinoceros. The idea for Counterfeit Lover was inspired while consulting for The Walt Disney Company. When I walked through sets on the studio lot, I sometimes felt overwhelmed by how the movie industry can be simultaneously inspirational and superficial. Dreams of enlightened storytelling mix with desires for fame. Glitz and glamour mix with desperation and despair. It astounded me how much actors were willing to sacrifice to be cast in a part. At the same time, I was consulting in technologies which were rapidly revolutionizing the entertainment industry yet not changing the way people dreamed about it.
The interaction of technology and identity formed a question in my mind: “How much would people change for love?” Struggling actors, eager for a part, seemed a microcosm of society. To get approval, they’ll do almost anything, and technology gives them power to become almost anything. The question of altering identity for love resonated, both in my work and in my life, and finally led to Counterfeit Lover.
The novel’s protagonist, Darrin Clark, is a destitute, heartbroken actor who is promised riches and fame in exchange for allowing his face to be altered and his identity to be reinvented. Darrin’s motivation is to impress a women named Janie, a friend he’s loved since they were children. The heart of Counterfeit Lover is a romance, but it’s designed to spotlight the collision of culture and technology in our modern world. I observed (from working at studios and in normal life) that endless nostalgia exists for the icons of Hollywood’s Golden era. Darrin’s and Janie’s adventures allowed me to weave classic Americana around technological innovations. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback. Readers appreciate a novel when the relationships between characters grab your attention, and the book’s thought-provoking aspects just add depth.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, it’s been a long, difficult journey, although highly rewarding. As I mentioned before, I spent decades trying to gain experience worth writing about. Finally, I found an idea I loved and had expertise that qualified me to write it. However, I learned that having confidence, talent, and desire doesn’t necessarily mean that other people believe will believe in you. It’s easy to be pigeonholed. They can see your background and think, “Your science-minded, not creative,” or “You’re an engineer, not a writer.” I’ve had literary agents encourage me to write nonfiction books about technology, but that’s never been my dream. When you take the road less traveled, don’t get discouraged if you feel alone. You have a unique perspective, and that will make the difference in anything you do, whether it’s solving an issue in science, inventing a new product, marketing an idea, or expressing creativity in art. There is also the danger of opportunity cost impeding your dreams. Once you’re earning a good income in a particular career, it’s hard to change careers and risk everything. However, the greatest breakthroughs come when someone mixes depth and breadth. I’ve studied Albert Einstein a great deal and have a theory regarding his genius. Other scientists could match his understanding of the details of physics and math. And other sagacious thinkers could stand back and speculate on the grand issues of science. Einstein changed the world because he could do both tenaciously; he embraced the broad picture as well as the details.
Struggles can be good or bad depending on your attitude. If you get discouraged, struggles are harmful. If you use them to gain understanding, you turn them into a positive. I’ve found that the things I’m struggling with usually identify areas I can improve. Perhaps it’s the complexity of certain detail, or the way my work fits into society, or an aspect of my relationship skills. One of the best blessings in life is that you almost always turn a negative situation into a positive one. If readers remember something from this interview, maybe that’s what I’d like them to carry away.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At first glance, the two books I’ve published so far seem very different. Counterfeit Lover is a romantic thriller. Santa’s Dashboard is an illustrated story for children. However, there’s a common theme to the books, which people have noted after reading them. In both cases, there is a question being explored. Santa’s dashboard answers, “How does Santa Claus deliver so many presents in just one night?” Counterfeit Lover addresses the question: “How much are people willing to change for love?” Both books touch the question in an entertaining manner, and let readers think for themselves.
Santa’s Dashboard is a holiday tale for a generation of children growing up with iPads, apps, and cell phones. Despite their technology, these kids still face the ageless question: “How can Santa deliver so many presents?” The book shows the technologies that Santa needs to visit every child’s home and climb down billions of chimneys. The book begins with a boy being chased by bullies on Christmas Eve. To escape, he climbs onto a rooftop and sees Santa’s sleigh after Santa lands on the house. When Santa goes down the chimney, the boy climbs into the sleigh and flies away with the reindeer, leaving Santa stranded. During his adventures, the boy learns the innovations Santa has on his sleigh. For example, the sleigh has technology to put snow on rooftops, and enlarge chimneys, and select the perfect present. By the end of the book, the reader knows how Santa can deliver so many presents so quickly. Also, the meaning of Christmas becomes apparent, and the boy returns the sleigh to Santa to save Christmas.
As I’ve mentioned, Counterfeit Love is designed around the question, “How much would you change for love?” At every stage, Darrin has to decide how much of his identity to sacrifice for the woman he loves. The changes begin with his appearance and reputation. Later, he is forced to sacrifice his interests and personality. Ultimately, he has to consider the very nature of identity and how it coincides with unconditional love.
The books I’m working on now share this theme of entertaining while addressing a meaningful issue. Literary professionals (agents and publishers) encourage an author to demonstrate consistency in the type of work they do. I’ve been pleased with the feedback I’ve received regarding the consistency of my writing. A reader of my books knows to expect intriguing characters, a fun plot, and meaningful situations. The entire reason I’m writing, instead of focusing my career on technology, is to offer something original and uplifting. Therefore, it’s essential to me that my books leave people inspired, either from learning something new or considering things from a different perspective.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m a fan of Goodreads, a website for finding and reviewing books. I read books constantly and carefully, both fiction and nonfiction. I don’t skim, but really study books. However, I stop reading if a book doesn’t impress me. If a book is well-written and fills my mind, either with knowledge or imagination, then I glean as much as possible. A good fiction book also teaches you, and a good nonfiction book is entertaining.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jeromefarmer.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeromeconnelly/
- Other: www.amazon.com/dp/1952112044
