At 42, he's a bestseller: 'My last novel just debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times'

For TJ Klune, writing has always been essential.

The author, who is now 42 years old, recalls knowing they were queer by the age of 10. Growing up in rural Oregon in the '80s and '90s as an effeminate kid, they faced challenges. Additionally, the author had undiagnosed ADHD, which brought its own set of difficulties. Despite this, reading and writing were essential escapes for them.

Klune worked as a claims adjuster at Geico for one semester before attending community college. After publishing his first novel, "Bear, Otter, and the Kid," through an independent publisher in 2011, he found success in the writing world. The book was a contemporary drama about a queer family and sold extremely well, opening the door to a dream career.

He quit his insurance job in early 2016.

Since then, Klune has authored numerous novels for both adults and young adults, primarily in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Among these are series such as "The Extraordinaries" and "Tales from Verania." In 2020, his book "The House in the Cerulean Sea" became a New York Times bestseller and received several accolades, including the 2021 Alex Award, which honors books for young adults.

His upcoming novel, "The Bones Beneath My Skin," a supernatural road trip thriller, will be released on Feb. 4, 2025.

Klune talks about the decision to become a full-time writer, his experience with success, and advice for aspiring writers.

What was the moment you realized it was time to leave your job at Geico?

One of the top executives from the company visited the office in Virginia and met with me to discuss the claims because I was one of the highest claims adjusters there. After our conversation, the man looked at me and said, "You are very skilled in insurance."

I had been working there for 10 years when I realized I needed to take a chance. I couldn't continue doing the same thing, so I gave two months' notice and left in February of 2016.

Did you consider quitting before you wrote many titles?

Before the conversation, I had a feeling that I would do this.

To ensure my survival during the first year, I saved a year's worth of salary as an emergency fund. In case my books didn't sell or my career took a hit, I had a safety net to fall back on.

That level of planning was absolutely necessary.

Since you've been writing full time, do you feel like you've achieved your goal?

I've been fortunate to have my last novel debut at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, which has allowed me to make a good living and meet interesting people.

My goal is to improve my writing skills and become a better author, but I don't aim to be the best in the world. Instead, I focus on making small improvements each day.

What does being a better author mean?

It means taking chances.

I want to write books with unconventional storytelling techniques, including footnotes, marginal notes, doodles, and other creative elements.

What did you do with your first big paycheck as a writer?

In 2013, I received a quarterly royalty check for $8,000, and I felt like I was on top of the world. I was ecstatic and thought that this was it. So, what did I do with the money? I used it to pay off my credit card and medical debts.

Despite attending only one semester of community college, I still had student loans due to financial constraints.

Is there a best piece of career advice you've ever gotten?

You will always have people who hate your books.

Focus on the former, don't focus on the latter.

Rewritten sentence: Instead of catering to people's desires, write what you truly want and let them discover your story.

One important aspect of a fiction writer's career is the need for creativity and imagination in order to develop compelling and engaging stories.

No two career paths are the same, and what works for one person may not work for another. To succeed, you must define your own career path and determine which option, such as self-publishing, independent publishing, or traditional publishing through an agent, is best suited to your needs and goals. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Final words?

An increasing number of publishers are recognizing and promoting queer authors, both in the independent and traditional publishing sectors.

Numerous queer men in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s have written to me, expressing that after reading one of my books, they experienced seeing queer people portrayed as happy in a story for the first time. This has been the most fulfilling aspect of their lives.

If you are a queer individual with a book idea, now is the ideal time to pursue it.

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