You’ll find Mr. Just’s books spread throughout several sections of your local bookstore. A prolific writer, his titles include:
- Young adult
- Wizard Chase
- Wizard Girl
- Wizards’ End
- Ghost Writer
- Adult
- Keeping Private Idaho
- Anjel (science fiction/fantasy)
- Idaho history
- Idaho Snapshots
- A Kid’s Guide to Boise
- Fearless — Faris Lind, the Man Behind the Skunk
- Images of America, Idaho’s State Parks
- Symbols, Signs, and Songs (book one of the Speaking of Idaho series)
Do you have a writing routine? Where and when do you write?
Not really. I write almost every day, mostly in the mornings. I write on a MacBook Pro in my home office.
Do you have any patterns or rituals associated with your writing time?
No
What do you do when you hit a wall with your writing?
Research another topic for a while
The eternal question: Are you a “pantser”, a “plotter”, or something else entirely?
I’ve done both. I’m currently a plotter.
What’s the last book you read that made you go “wow!”?
Caste
What book or author do you often find yourself recommending and why?
Educated, because it is a shocking book about overcoming great obstacles, and because it was written about her life in Idaho.
What’s on your To Be Read pile?
- The Survivors by Jane Harper
- About a hundred books on Idaho history
What advice do you have for readers?
Don’t slog through a book that doesn’t interest you just because you started it. Life is too short.
What author, past or present, would you wish to have a long conversation with?
Anthony Doerr
What’s the first book you can remember reading on your own?
Paddle to the Sea, maybe
What books and/or authors have most influenced you as an author?
Wallace Stegner, Harlan Ellison, John Irving
What do you most enjoy about being a writer?
I’m never at a loss for something to do.
What do you least enjoy about being a writer?
Its sedentary nature
What would you tell a new writer?
Write. Really. There’s no way around it.
What might people be surprised to know about you?
I’m a Marine Corps Veteran.
Thanks to author Rick Just for participating in our Idaho Author Interview series. If you’re interested, or would like to recommend someone, please contact the IWU website editor.