Miami resident, Jason Wood is a man of many talents, and truly unique experiences. He is an entrepreneur who stumbled into writing that was inspired by a letter he wrote to his birth parents. Jason is a sailor at heart and a true lover of the sea; he is also a Yacht Broker for one of the largest privately owned yacht companies in the world. Born in downtown San Francisco, California and raised in Half Moon Bay, California and Lake Oswego, Oregon, Jason is the youngest in the family with three sisters.
His first and new book From Here to Half Moon Bay was written in 30 days. He wrote non-stop morning and night, on land and at sea, at work and at home. Transferring his life experience to paper and being able to laugh, cry and get emotional all at once was a healing experience for him.
The name of the book: From Here to Half Moon Bay was a perfect fit for the title because Jason sought to find the metaphor that fit his life “beautiful on the outside, with dark secrets on the inside”.
Across North American, Half Moon Bay is known as a beautiful coastal community located just south of San Francisco California. It is considered the “perfect” neighborhood you don’t need to lock your doors, friends help friends and families and everyone knows everyone. It would seem like the perfect place to raise a family but like every small town, it has its secrets. This book is a one man’s account of some of those secrets.
With From Here to Half Moon Bay, Jason highlights different problems many of us face at different times in our live: abuse, sexism, drugs, alcoholism, family and especially for him Adoption. From Here to Half Moon Bay takes you through Jason’s experiences, the everlasting capacity of the human mind to grow, to evolve, over come and rise above in a whole new light.
PGM: What compelled you to write this book?
JW: I had a break down one day in my office and the outcome was me hiring a company to find my birth parents. When I realized that the company I hired was going to actually find my birth parents I figured that I had better write them a letter. I sat down to write them and 30 days later I had it all written, my story.
PGM: What was your biggest challenge in this writing process?
JW: My Biggest challenge was fear. I was afraid that I was not a good writer. I was afraid that no one would understand my story. I was afraid that my family would resent me for telling my story.
PGM: Why did you decide to self publish?
JW: The pen is the biggest weapon in the world. Wars are fought with guns and bombs, but all wars are won or lost with the stroke of a single pen. I now own and run a publishing company. Kantanoose Global is now on the map. I have two more books to be printed in 2010 and two more to come in 2011. Publishing is an amazing process and I am so happy that I decided to push onward to this point.
PGM: How did you decide on what format to write your story?
JW: The format came to me so naturally that it was almost effortless. I had a person I trusted to read each chapter as they were being finished and she pushed me to just simply “keep going.”
PGM: Your book is very personal and it addresses issues that most people go through daily. What is the biggest lesson you want people to learn from reading your book?
JW:I would say a few things. The first is you are never alone. No matter what you have done or what has been done to you there will always be someone out there that understands. You can and must keep going.
Secondly is push on. Do not let anyone or anything break your will. Life is tricky at times and road blocks will show up everywhere. Use the road blocks as a bench to sit down and re-tie your shoes before jumping up, jumping over and continuing on your journey.
PGM: This is the first book of what seems like a series. How many more books should we expect for the completion of from here to half moon bay?
JW: Yes, This is part one. There are three in total at this point. All have been written and edited. I expect to write at least one more to wrap up the saga. But you never know what will happen with a person like me. I might sit down for part four and end up with three more books.
PGM: What should we look for in the next book?
JW: Part two will allow you to see the dark side of Jason Wood. You will surely hate me for a part of the journey. These years were hard to live and almost harder to relive when I was writing the book. Part two will also make you cheer for me. It is a time in my life when I really started to define who I am and what I stand for. I look forward to seeing it in print almost more than the first one.
PGM: What was the best part of writing your first book?
JW: The very best part was seeing the cover in its final form. Just to look upon my work and knowing that what is inside is going to bring emotions up inside people that they may have never felt before was my true pleasure. My books are beautiful inside and out…just like we all are!! Please enjoy, Jason Wood.
Kantanoose Global will be celebrating the soft launch of Jason Wood’s first book at a private event on Saturday, June 26th 2010. The event is sponsored by Hennessey. For more information on the event e-mail info@kantanooseglobal.com and to get a copy of the book, please visit www.fromheretohalfmoonbay.com .The book sells for $14.99 + tax and shipping and handling.
