Joshua Knels still remembers his mother making him sit down and read books when he was 15 years old. Like many teenagers compelled to play video games and loose themselves in technology, he wasn’t thrilled about the idea of sitting down and reading a book with actual pages, something somewhat archaic by youth standards of today. But her adamant belief that he should devote time to a seemingly nostalgic pastime helped him develop an appreciation for reading. And it grew from there.
Today, at the age of 22, that appreciation continues to grow with every book he publishes in the seven series murder mystery he is completing called The Ripper Case. His most recent book is a crime drama tangled into a murder mystery.
“I am obsessive about my writing. I think about it constantly. Even as I am talking to you, (the reporter) I am thinking about it. I am always looking for ideas, symbolism and character development. I dream about it and the series’ progression is always going on inside my head,” he said.
Knels uses the pen name J.J. Knight to represent his name as well as the name of his uncle and great grandfather, John. The name Knight was just a name that seemed to fit after it was suggested by a friend.
His first book, titled The Seattle Massacre made its print debut last year. The 238 page story line follows the classic, old fashioned cat and mouse murder chase as Homicide Detective Richard Holcomb is always one step behind the infamous serial killer known only by the alias, Jack. In the beginning, the action packed pages deliver the reader to a modern day triple homicide scene where a confident Holcomb gleans from his past successes with the Slayer Case of 1985 to coolly determine he will be fast to close the case.
His most recently published book, Trails of Blood, is book number two in a series he hopes to complete in the drama. He spent only one month writing the first draft of the 300 page book but spent nearly a year changing scenes and adding to the plot.
The book is available by print on demand.
In this book he develops the character Alexander Rooke, a professional hit man Knels said he enjoyed developing the most and writing the scenes for. “I gave each of the characters a personality trait similar to mine or of someone close to me. I guess I relate most to the character of Jack because he had a difficult life and I developed some of his behavior patterns and mannerisms after some of my own,” Knels said. Rooke’s character was inspired by his friend Dustin Walton.
He’s already working on his third book. He plans on titling it, The Ripper Puzzle and tentatively hopes to have it published by Christmas. His goal is to write two books a year until the entire series is completed.
“Writing is my way of venting. It takes me out of the stresses of this world and into a world of my own where I can create what is happening,” he said. He finds inspiration in music and often listens to instrumental and Celtic music when he writes, often changing the mood of the music to fit the scene he is writing for.
Keeping with the dark motif of the series, Knels said it was a dark character that inspired his plot and characters. “I actually had a dream about a serial killer who walked up to me and told me he had a story to tell and it just went from there,” he said.
Following a vehicle accident earlier this year, Knels said he almost took a permanent hiatus from his writing. Recuperating physically from the accident in his Bismarck apartment, he said he spent a miserable time alone while he was out of work, school and the social scene of friends. It took him four-and-a-half months to pick up his lap top and start working on it again.
The first book he ever read was Harry Potter. He also enjoys classic literature and characters such as Dracula and Frankenstein.
In an effort to keep costs low, Knels edited the books himself and has friends review them.
Originally from Seattle, Washington, Knels moved to Fairview when he was six years old and graduated from Fairview High School in 2008. His mother Julie Klien, still lives in Fairview and he has five siblings. His father is Jason Klein.
Along with his budding career as a writer, Knels is a fulltime student at Bismarck State University where he is pursuing a degree in journalism. He also works part time at Huhot, a Mongolian restaurant in Bismarck.
In the future he may pursue the writing of children’s books or science fiction novels.
His books are published through iUniverse and available through Amazon for about $9. Both books are also for sale on Kindle for $3.
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