Novelist and Original Jars of Clay Co-Founder, Matt Bronleewe Interviewed

MATT BRONLEEWE --PRODUCER/ SONGWRITER/AUTHOR


Matt Bronleewe is a recognized producer, songwriter and author. The former member of the band Jars of Clay, has earned numerous awards producing and co-writing albums that have sold a combined total of over 20 million copies. His songs have recently been recorded by Disney pop sensations Aly & AJ, American Idol finalist Kimberley Locke, and more.

Bronleewe has worked with Grammy Award-winning artists such as Michael W. Smith, International pop singer Natalie Imbruglia and Heroes star Hayden Panettiere.


Born in Dallas, Texas, Bronleewe was raised on a farm in Kansas, where he lived until he left for college in 1992. At Greenville College in Illinois, Bronleewe formed the band Jars of Clay with his dorm roommate and two neighbors, and the group soon found success. Though Bronleewe opted to leave Jars of Clay early on to pursue an academic career, he soon found himself in Nashville, co-writing, producing, and playing music professionally.

To add to his list of accomplishments, Bronleewe has expanded his love of story telling beyond music into authorship. He is currently penning a 5 book series for Thomas Nelson Fiction. Illuminated, in stores now, begins the adventurous series about rare manuscripts and the mysteries within.


“I believe we are entering a new Renaissance,” shares Bronleewe. “We have the power to express our thoughts, ideas and knowledge in ways never before possible. There are new creative mediums cropping up everyday. It’s easy to get caught up in the differences between these creative outlets, but in truth, they are synergetic, working together to foster a new age of artistic innovation. In the end, it all boils down to storytelling, and we all have a great story to tell.”


Bronleewe currently resides in Brentwood, Tenn., with his wife and three children. He continues to write and produce music, and he also volunteers through his church to help disadvantaged youth in the community. Bronleewe enjoys reading, taste-testing good food and watching sports, as well as indulging his interests in art, architecture, design and science.




Matt's Website


To read a review of Illuminated click here.

What is your current project? Tell us about it.


My first book – ILLUMINATED – just came out a few months ago. It’s a modern day thriller surrounding the mysterious illuminations found in the Gutenberg Bible – the rarest book on earth. Some people have said ILLUMINATED is like a cross between “24” and “the Da Vinci Code”. I just say it’s a high-octane thrillride!



Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head.


My story is a little different than most. I’ve not been writing for long. Before ILLUMINATED, all I had to show for was a handful of short stories and my blog at Infuzemag.com! It still seems crazy to me that I have a book on the shelf. Here’s a brief summary of my story:


A few years ago I met with a friend of mine, record producer guru Charlie Peacock. I explained to him that I’d been doing a little writing, and I inquired if he knew anyone in the literary world that I should meet to pursue things further. He connected me with Don Pape, who was a publisher with Random House at the time. Don and I really hit it off, and he offered me a contract. I was flabergasted!


Only a short time later, however, Don left Random House. The deal was still on the table, but I passed on it in order to stay with Don, who became my agent. He hooked me up with the people at Thomas Nelson, which was such a blessing, because they totally understood what I was about and where I wanted to go as an author. It’s been a partnership that I continue to be amazed by on a daily basis – they’re such big supporters!


Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work, or struggle in a particular area such as writers block or angst driven head-banging against walls? Please share some helpful overcoming hints that you’ve discovered.


Writer’s block has not been much trouble. (Crossed-fingers, knock-on-wood.) I think working in music for over a decade has taught me that you can’t wait for the muse to deposit some magical words in your ear…you have to go out hunting for them. That’s not to say that every day I’m cranking out perfect prose. Many times I look at the page and think, “What the heck am I doing? Am I going to be laughed at for writing this?” And I am definitely plagued by some self-doubt.


I just completed my second book – HOUSE OF WOLVES, a follow-up to ILLUMINATED – and after the last word was written I experienced the same terrible fear that I did the first time around. “Will anyone care to read this?” You have to remember: Only a few months ago no one had ever heard of me – I had no “fans”, no one waiting for my book to come out, I was a total newbie in the black, bottomless void of my own imagaination. What a relief it has been for ILLUMINATED to be doing so well and for the response to be so positive! It has really been an encouragement, and makes me strive to write even better stories!


What mistakes have you made while seeking publication? Or to narrow it down further what’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?



I’ve been extremely blessed. I’ve been so fortunate to be surrounded with smart, hard-working people who help me play at the top of my game. If anything, I would encouarge others to do the same – be real about any shortcomings and connect with people who can help build up those areas. I love the community that occurs in creative circles!


What’s the best or worst advice (or both) you’ve heard on writing/publication?



I’ve heard a lot of people say, “Find out what people want to read and then write it!” That might work for some, but not for me. I can only write about the things I’m trully passionate about. Maybe that means I won’t reach as large of an audience as the author who completely plays to the crowd, but at least I’ll be able to look back and be happy with the books I wrote. Of course, it’s not like I’m trying to write some artsy book no one understands…I just want to write novels that keep people up all night because they can’t put them down!


What is your favorite source for finding story ideas?



Real life. I love hearing peoples stories. I love exploring wherever I can to find some lost fragment of information that sets my mind on fire. Sometimes it’s a old book. Sometimes it’s a footnote on the internet. Sometimes it’s a facinating artifact in a museum. But it’s got to start somewhere real for me before I launch into the fantastic.


Have you ever had one of those awkward writer moments you’d like to share with us, the ones wherein you get “the look” from the normals? Example, you stand at a knife display at the sporting goods store and ask the clerk which would be the best to use to disembowel a six foot man…please do tell.



Ha-ha! Oh man…there are so many times that I get awkward glances from people in bookstores and coffeeshops. I usually have a stack of research books with me, and many times they’re about Hitler, or Nazis, or ancient daggers and swords. I’m sure people think I’m crazy! They usually keep their distance.


Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share? Or have you ever been at the point where considered quitting writing altogether?



Even if I wanted to quit, I don’t think I could now. I’m hooked. I love writing. I keep a notebook filled with future novel ideas, and I have more than I’ll ever have time to write in this lifetime. Not that writing isn’t difficult. I think because I’m still so new to the game, I don’t have all the writing tools that more seasoned writers have. I keep making the same dumb mistakes – not staying with the same POV, jumping around too much from character to character – but I’m trying to learn!

What are a few of your favorite books? (Not written by you.)



The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon. The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova. Motherless Brooklyn, by Jonathan Lethem. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers. Anything by Tolkien or C. S. Lewis. So many more!


What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?


Hard question. I always feel like the minute I finish any artistic endevour, I’m ready to move on and try and do better. I’m glad people are loving ILLUMINATED, but I really hope that my next book blows it away. And I hope that the book after that blows that one away…and on and on… I’m never satisfied! I suppose that’s a bad thing, but it also serves as a driving force to keep writing, to keep searching for that perfect plot, or character, or idea.


Do you have a pet peeve having to do with this biz?



I wish some people would loosen up! I’ve met some very stuffy people in the book world. I’m used to the music crowd, where things are more flexible. I’m not trying to solve the world’s problems, I’m just trying to give people an experience that will make their day a little more exciting and colorful. I’m happy to say, however, that most of the people I’ve met have been amazing, wonderful people.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

When I first began writing, I envisioned that it would take years and years before I would ever be considered “publishable”. Having a book out was my dream, so now I’m scrambling to dream up something bigger! I want to continue to expand. For instance, I’m working on a young adult spin-off for my young mystery-loving bibliophile Charlie. And I really want to get involved in graphic novels…and well, anything else I can get my hands on!

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?



What’s the famous Dorthy Parker quote? “I hate writing; I love having written.” (I looked it up to make sure I got it right!) I don’t hate writing, but it can be extemely taxing…the creative outpouring is like nothing else I’ve experienced. But to have a book done, that is pure joy, even when you know it’s not perfect. And it’s even more rewarding when I get to talk with family and friends about the book. I’ve heard from people I haven’t heard from for years…it’s really been fun to connect with everyone!


What aspect of writing was the most difficult for you to grasp/conquer? How did you overcome it?


Music – whether songwriting or producing – feels like a sprint compared with the marathon of novel-writing. It’s strange to say, but it was a revelation to realize that I wasn’t going to write ILLUMINATED in a day, a week, or even a month. It was going to take a lot longer. But what a reward it was to finally get it done! Now, after having just completed my second book, I’m a lot less intimidated by the process. It doesn’t make it much easier, but now the light at the end of the tunnel shines a little brighter.


What is the first thing you do when you begin a new book?


I’m a big believer in letting my mind do a lot of the initial work. I’ll sift through rare books, web pages, old documents, museums, libraries, etc, and just let the information swirl around in my head. At that point, I’m not really even trying to fit things into any type of form or plot, I just want to ingest the data and let it plant itself, root itself, deeply in my thoughts.


At some point after that, I’ll start three documents, an Excel doc to track my progess, a Word notebook with tabs to keep my ideas in one place, and finally the actual Word document which contains the chapters. And then, it’s go time! Load up the Starbucks card and rock and roll!


Writing rituals. Do you have to sit somewhere specific, complete a certain number of words, leave something undone to trigger creativity for the next session?



I’m really trying to break in myself the need to be anywhere SPECIFIC to write. I know it’s just a “magic feather”. I should be able to write anywhere, right? I like to write at home at my kitchen counter, up on a bar stool. Right now I’m writing in a coffeehouse, though oddly enough it’s a similar setup, up on a bar stool at a long counter. (Apparently I like high chairs and thin tables.)


For both ILLUMINATED and my new one – HOUSE OF WOLVES – the last couple weeks were spent writing in a hotel room. I would go home at night, but during the day I was locked away from the world. No distractions. Just me and blank page. And there’s nothing more intimdating than a blank page!


Plot, seat of pants or combination?



Mostly SEAT OF PANTS. No matter how much I try to plan things out, my characters are really good at messing things up. They behave very badly and I have not found a suitable solution to make them act properly. The fun thing is that the writing is as much a thrillride as the end result. Just like the reader, I have no idea what’s going to happen! It’s a surprise for everyone!


What is the most difficult part of pulling together a book? Ex. Do you have saggy middles, soggy characters, soupy plots during your first drafts…if so, how do you shape it up?



I don’t like things to get overly serious, so I can sometimes err on the side of having too much fun. Don’t get me wrong, things usually get downright nasty – people get shot/killed/tortured/etc – but my characters always seem to enjoy the adventure, even when things are horrible. My editor has been extremely helpful in finding the right balance…letting the tone be light where it’s appropriate, and heavier when the story calls for it.

Have you received a particularly memorable reader response?



Any response is awesome. I’m still overwhelmed by the idea that people would take time out of their day to read my book. And then to have people be so positive, so over-the-top in their enthusiasm for it…wow, it’s so much fun! One person sent me a letter saying it was their favorite book ever. I laughed out loud and nearly dropped to the floor. Maybe I should hire him to be my publicist! Ha!


My favorite response, however, has been from a guy named Jeffrey L. Loop (is that a real name??) who posted a comment on Amazon.com. He ripped ILLUMINATED to shreads, quoting all kinds of facts and figures he’d clearly dug up zipping around the internet. It’s absolutely hillarious. The guy obviously needs some attention! I hope he reads and comments on my next book too, because I’m always in need of a good laugh!

How much marketing/publicity do you do? Any advice in this area?



I’m still figuring out that whole scene. An independent, outside PR firm was hired for ILLUMINATED. They’ve done a great job. And Thomas Nelson has done a great job with the marketing. But I always want more. I’m really going to try and push things to the next level for my upcoming books. Thinking outside the box is important to get recognized amongst the zillion of other titles on shelves.


But some of the greatest ideas are hampered by a lack of resources and funding. I’m learning to be more creative. Of course, in the end, nothing beats having a great story out there. The best marketing and PR I’ve received have been from the people who have read ILLUMINATED and then rushed out to tell all their friends about it. Word of mouth. Nothing beats that! (Well…except maybe Oprah…)


Parting words?



This is such an exciting time for me, being the new guy on the block. I can’t wait to get more books out there…and to meet as many of my readers as I can. I truly believe that this is a team effort…I can’t do it alone! Also, for anyone out there wondering if the dream is possible, it is. I’m just a farm kid from Kansas…there’s nothing special about me… All I had was prayer, patience, and persistance. If I can do it, anyone can!