A.J. Aaron

Biography

I was born in Connecticut, educated as a mechanical engineer in Massachusetts, and moved to Ohio for a job in a Fortune 200 company. I've since left the safety of that career, having been in multiple manufacturing roles, including: engineering manager, plant manager, and an acquisition captain, as well as an internal consultant for numerous manufacturing plants on Lean methodology. I have now set about consulting part time and writing the rest of the time.

I was always a maverick as a child, and an adult, and was never quite able to draw inside the lines or follow certain rules. I did however, figure out how to fit into acceptable society and not be a pink monkey. This, and the engineering training I had, taught me to question everything, and never automatically believe in anything. Consequently, I was always a handful for anyone I reported to. Once they knew me though, they pretty much let me run free with the reservation, "If anyone asks if I knew about this, I didn't." - since the things I did usually didn't fit into the nice neat corporate boxes or standards, but were effective at getting the job done.

This personality trait, possibly due to playing with mercury as a child, influences my writing to be somewhat different than others. My hopes are that it will make reading more entertaining for you, with a fresh approach to viewing the world around us, by removing the usual paradigms and blinders we impose on ourselves through our culture's influences.

I've done some pretty dumb things while learning about writing as a career. The first thing is, how darn hard it can be, and I've taken classes, and read several books on writing. The second is how easy it is to make a mistake, such as over-write a good file with a draft copy and promote it to 35,000 people. Yikes. That was a nightmare. I'm much more careful now.

If you are someone that doesn't always feel you fit in all the time, and sees things somewhat differently than most, or looks at things and says, 'What if?' then you might like my work.

If you like a more lighthearted group of somewhat irreverent characters, you might like my Reluctant Gods Series. If you've been in business and know some cold and cruel characters, you might like Dr. Roland Vandergrift in 'Power, Control, Conformance.'

If you are a person who is set in their ways and beliefs and can only see things a certain way, you might not like any of my work.

I hope you enjoy what I've done. If you don't like it, remember you can always return it, though I've had no returns so far. Remember, I did warn you.

Smashwords Interview

Tell us about yourself and how you started writing.
I was schooled as a mechanical engineer and worked in manufacturing as a plant manager and various other positions. I have since started consulting in manufacturing part time and now write full time. The first book I wrote was called “A New Reality – A Wake up Call to Life’s Mysteries” which journaled a series of strange events that happened in my life. A producer director I knew told me I should write a script based on that book and helped me with it. In the process of writing the script for that book I found I really enjoyed the freedom of writing fiction since the script was only “based” on a true story versus being totally true like the book was. That was when I started the Reluctant Gods series while I traveled for my job.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Reluctant Gods is the name of the series that followed after “A New Reality.” With the new knowledge I had from researching the first book, I thought I should write a fiction asking the question, “What if?” What if people could read minds and affect physical reality. Heck! They’d be like Gods! It was with the paranormal and scientific knowledge that I learned in writing the first book that the series, “Reluctant Gods”was written.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find A.J. Aaron online

Books

Reluctant Gods - Books One Through Four
Price: $7.99 USD. Words: 269,800. Language: English. Published: May 1, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal, Fiction » Themes & motifs » Spiritual & metaphysical
Are you interested in time travel, mysticism, alternate realities, archangels, demons, wizards, immortal gods and goddesses, telekinesis, ESP, psychic powers, magic, or use of the Akashic records? Are you hungry for a different fantasy? Something based on scientific theories, and ancient beliefs, yet humorous, sometimes romantic, and only for readers with open minds? Then this series is it.
Reluctant Gods III - Reset
Series: Reluctant Gods, Book 3. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 55,510. Language: English. Published: September 23, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal, Fiction » Science fiction » Apocalyptic
The year is 2050, 38 years after the debacle created by the Demon Seth, the Earth is on a crash course in more than one reality. Parallel universes, alternate realities, time travel, jealousy, and experiencing more than one life simultaneously must be dealt with. Experience what gods, goddesses, angels, a demon, Satan, and his wife, Lillith do to try to save it all.
Reluctant Gods II - The Demon Seth
Series: Reluctant Gods, Book 2. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 89,150. Language: English. Published: September 18, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal, Fiction » Romance » Paranormal » General
Book two of the Reluctant Gods series. Four immortal gods, capable of creating and destroying universes, are forced to be confined to their mansion by a 1000 year old, insolent boy demon named Seth. Join them as they deal with their forced imprisonment, with the unlikely influence of the novel “Fifty Shades of Grey,” while archangels, witches and other gods work with them to resolve the dilemma.
A New Reality - A wake up call to life's mysteries.
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 65,940. Language: English. Published: April 24, 2012 . Categories: Nonfiction » New Age » Supernatural
Meet A.J. Aaron, the plant manager of a Fortune 500 manufacturing plant. He is a 40 year old businessman educated in one of the most logically-driven professions - Mechanical Engineering, but has an opening to many unexplained energies and experiences that challenge his every belief. With the help of several strangers, A.J. changes his life and his outlook on everything he believes true.
Reluctant Gods
Series: Reluctant Gods, Book 1. Price: Free! Words: 63,820. Language: English. Published: October 15, 2011 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Paranormal, Fiction » Themes & motifs » Spiritual & metaphysical
(4.00 from 2 reviews)
Past lives and past mistakes echo themselves for over five hundred years until an ancient agreement with the Archangels manifests itself to remind Leyna and Sevilen of their destiny. This is Leyna and Sevilen’s last chance to reunite and achieve the divine levels meant for them. Engulf yourself in this tale of romance, denial, disbelief, and shattering of paradigms with outrageous characters.