Author Spotlight – Interview with Jens C. Budinger
Jens C. Budinger is the author of the Queen of Shards and the Chronicles of Lilith series.
In 2018, after working as a lawyer for almost 7 years, Jens decided to leave his legal career to pursue his own journey. From start-ups to UX design to crypto and writing, Jens has a wide range of experience and interests making him a nomadic wanderer in a sea of infinite opportunities.
Jens’ love of writing and telling stories began at a tender age but was always put on the backburner. This was until November 2019 when Jens finally decided to embark on the dream of writing and completing the Chronicles of Lilith series.
The Chronicles of Lilith’s inception began around 15 years ago. Many books were started and never finished, largely due to time and commitment issues apart from lack of experience. However, this long road brought him back to the writer’s desk with the commitment and resolve to see this through, whatever it takes.
Jens currently resides in Malta, a little island in the middle of the Mediterranean. He spends his free time, gardening, playing guitar, and cuddling his cats.
Q1 – What is the name of your latest project? Tell us more about why you embarked on this project. If a writer, share your synopsis.
The latest project is The Chronicles of Lilith book 3. The title is this installment is still in the works. At present I have no synopsis as the book is still presently being written and thought out.
Q2 – What inspired you when you encountered struggles along the way?
My general conviction to see it through but also the support of my readers and critique partners who encouraged me to continue and genuinely seemed to enjoy my work 🙂
Q3 – Have you ever traveled as research for your work/project/story?
Yes. I draw a lot of inspiration on the places I visit both from an aesthetic and setting point of view but also from an experience. Next place that I’ll be visiting in this regard is Istanbul and Cappadocia.
Q4 – How has your lived experience influenced your work/project/story?
I believe that all experiences of a person will ultimately find their way into their work. That being said I’m not advocating self-inserts but ultimately I believe that genuine inspiration coming completely out of nowhere is very rare. There’s always some event, person, book, movie, etc. that forms the base or idea for one or more aspects of your work be it some tiny detail or an overarching premise behind your story.
Q5 – What do you want readers to take away from your work/project/story?
The Chronicles is a series that attempts to answer the question of the meaning of life. Something I have struggled with in my youth and adulthood. It is a long and arduous journey but I hope that at the end the readers will feel a bitter-sweet enlightenment and comfort for the answers that the books deliver.
Q6 – Do you believe books can inspire social change? How?
Books provoke thought. Thought drives change. The rest is history.
Q7 – Anton Chekhov said, “The world is, of course, nothing but our conception of it.” What is your opinion of this statement? How does it coincide or conflict with your perspective of the world?
Well yes. Everything is relative. This is a principle of polarity, all truths are but half truths and every truth is half false. This is an important theme in my book especially when struggling with concepts such as “good” and “evil”. All absolutes meet and are one side to the same coin.
Q8 – What personal experience had the greatest influence on your worldview?
I’ve had many. I would say that outside of actually reading books and other things that formulated my world view I’d say a salient experience was a particular acid session in my early 20s which opened my mind to a more metaphysical understanding of the world. The core philosophy of the books is rooted in an idea that came from there (the “genuine” inspiration). This idea was “Everything is nothing”. Sounds simple but chew on that for a couple of years and then you might get to where I am, haha.
Q9 – What perspectives or beliefs have you challenged in your work/project/story?
The books are fundamentally an antidote to nihilism. Nihilism as Nietzsche rightly anticipated is the plague of the 20th/21st century. The lack of meaning is what we struggle with the most, replaced with hedonism, radicalism, and well, nihilism itself. Understanding our place in the world in the absence of “god” is our greatest challenge as a species and individually and sets the stage to a new gold age of enlightenment. They question is are we ready or when will we be?
Q10 – How do you see the relationship between writing and culture? How about the boundaries between fiction and reality?
Whether you like it or not you are a product of your time. Many people write and express their opinions on issues of their lives. Some concepts are obviously timeless, heroism, stoicism, etc. but the nature of the challenges we face vary from era to era. Again like I said there’s very little genuine inspiration, whether people are aware of it or not when they write.
Q11 – Aldous Huxley said, “I wanted to change the world. But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.” How have you changed throughout your creative process? How do you improve yourself every day?
You accept the process that life is in constant evolution. Expecting otherwise is a fallacy and won’t every make you happy. This exercise has been a spiritual journey as much as any other. I accept the many challenges that come with it and just go on. At the age of 37 I’ve done my fair share of soul searching and self improvement. I don’t need to actively work upon it consciously past a certain point as life on its own throws those challenges. Luckily I consider myself sufficiently self-aware to acknowledge these as they arrive. But as Tyler Durden rightly states “may I never be complete, may I never be content” – because that’s the truth. Humans didn’t reach these miraculous achievements because they were either complete or content.
Q12 – To what extent can fiction affect or improve the developments in science and technology in human life? What about religion and politics?
Like before, it provokes thought and different ideas. Fiction is a mirror onto life. A fable to frame history because otherwise life would be just a diary or chaotic events. I guess this is why humans have always told stories. To try and make sense of the inherent incomprehensibility of life.
Q13 – Eckhart Tolle said, “Awareness is the greatest agent for change.” In your opinion, what is the next step and how can writers affect this?
If you never meditated, meditate. If you need to go on a psychedelic adventure…
Point is in life, the more you know.. the more you know. You being to understand life in many different ways. That’s why reading may different and challenging books is important.
Q14 – Intolerance and divisiveness are prevalent across the globe. Our voice may not be loud enough to right every wrong, but it is enough to make a difference one person at a time. Small acts move mountains. What one thing would you ask your audience to do to help inspire social change?
Refer to question 13 haha.
Q15 – Pick 1-3 social issues that are most important to you. Explain why you picked these and how we can help raise awareness/impact change.
Wealth inequality, fiscal migration and monetary policy. The root of the problems of the modern world is in those three factors. Power aggregates in wealth and unless something is done to rectify those three issues we’re in for a ride in the future. Governments should be prevented from printing more cash and dispossessing the poor of the value of their money – that is theft. Big corpos need to have their power and wealth capped through taxation no matter which country they go to – the world doesn’t need billionaires flying around in private jets and pinning climate change on the responsibility of some poor sod who drives his shitty 2nd hand car to his “job” which is just a fancy word for modern indentured servitude. Solve those issues and everything will fall into place. But the war is already here and ultimately it takes awareness and awareness can never flourish when people are constantly distracted by crappy tv, social media and nonsensical social issues to keep them occupied instead of turning on those truly responsible for their individual misery.
Q16 – Maya Angelou said, “I did then what I knew how to do, but now that I know better, I do better.” We have all made choices that we regret. We are all flawed humans. Together, we are experiencing this human story unfolding. Share a transformative experience where you learned from a mistake. How do you actively choose to make better choices?
Of all my mistakes I would say those I “regret” are those that hurt people. Truth is that it is impossible not to make mistakes but whatever happens it’s important to learn from them.
Q17 – Challenge readers and listeners with action steps to increase engagement with identifying hashtag and @mention.
@authorjensbud
#thechroniclesoflilith
#thequeenofshards
#thedarknesswithin
Connect with Jens C. Budinger
An author is only as good as his audience. Support this amazing writer by connecting with him and checking out his books.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjensbud
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjensbud
Website: https://www.jensbud.com
If you want to hear my guests’ stories in their own words, check out our video interviews on my Story Unfolding YouTube channel. Be sure to go subscribe to hear about Jens and other authors, creators, and entrepreneurs who are making a difference.
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