About James

Professional Bio

James Pack is a member of the Horror Writers Association and has published several collections of poetry and short fiction. Learn more about James and his collected works on his personal blog http://www.thejamespack.com. He lives in Tucson, AZ.

Personal Goals

  1. Have 100% of my income from self-employment by 2025.
  2. Finish writing my first novel and submit it to literary agents.
  3. Have a short story adapted to film.
  4. Campaign as a Candidate for President of the United States in 2024 (Unlikely at this point, but could be fun to try).
  5. Go to Disneyland.  (I’ve never been there.)

Recommended Reading

The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage by Daymond John

An excellent book for anyone looking for inspiration to start a business from the ground up without having a lot of funding to get things rolling.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Targeted for those of us who are more introverted, this book is helpful even if you are an extrovert.  It can be very helpful to understand how to interact with an introvert if you are not one.

The Martian by Andy Weir

I have not found any other books that so effectively inspire you to keep pushing forward no matter how many failures you have experienced.  The takeaway of this story is to never give up even when facing death.

​Mastery by Robert Greene

This was one of the many books I had to read while I worked on my Master’s Degree and what I really enjoyed about it was the details of historical figures trying to achieve all the things they dreamed.  I related to many of the stories including those about Benjamin Franklin and Leonardo da Vinci.

​Rebel Without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker with $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player by Robert Rodriguez

While this might be a good resource for someone wanting to venture into the film industry, this also offers a similar concept as The Power of Broke mentioned above. It is also always good to hear about other’s experiences when they started in the business.