We were lucky to catch up with Jeff Circle recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jeff, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.
Thank you, CanvasRebel, for taking the time to interview me and find out more about what I’ve been up to and all the great publishing industry professionals I feature at The Writer’s Dossier. It’s been a blast, and I hope everyone enjoys this.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I love it when I meet people who’ve done a lot of different things in life because it makes me think, “Why didn’t I think of that?” It’s relevant to me because I done a few things like … remove asbestos to pay for college, went to a seminary to study theology, left the place for not fitting in, joined the army to go into intelligence, became a combat veteran, spent a year in South Korea 16 miles from the DMZ, moved to the Caribbean and worked on a dive boat, ran out of air once at 60 feet, became a cop, lived in Italy and Germany for five years as a government contractor, worked at two fortune 100 companies as a management weenie, been to 42 states and five continents, spent a week in the Ecuadorian Amazon (bugs!), got chased by a sea lion in the Galapagos Islands, stood on the rim of a volcano in Costa Rica, flew on a few dozen helicopter flights into the hinterlands of Eastern Afghanistan, and finally … finally married my high school sweetheart later in life. (Yeah, I saved the best for last.)
Creating the Writer’s Dossier has given me a profound connection to the writing community that I wouldn’t otherwise have. My list of the 160+ industry professionals I’ve interviewed on the website has given me an incredible insight into what writers and editors try to do to make a good book. I’ve used that information to craft my own novels, and learn the business. Their wise input has been immeasurable to my success. I’m really proud of what The Dossier has turned into, and I’m so thankful for everyone who’s helped me build it.
Have you ever had to pivot?
After the fall of Afghanistan in 2021, it was a difficult time in my position as a senior program manager with staff working in Kabul. I had hired several local national employees (and Americans) to work on our counterintelligence program there, and when they got left behind after our withdrawal, it took a lot to get them back and settled into a safe place. They risked their lives for our mission, and the deserved more. A lot more. That’s when I knew I was done with working in government contracting. Fortunately, I saw the tea leaves coming together and had already spent my free time working on my first novel and building contacts in the writing community. That pivot was a major shift into a career I had always longed for, but it also put me in a position to be “all in.” There’s something about that kind of feeling that motivates you unlike most other things. For my part, I was already used to navigating big life changes, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my wife. She helps me in ways she doesn’t even know.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Unlike many authors, writing wasn’t always in my blood. It started when I used to write status reports for one of those pesky Fortune 100 companies. Every week we had to write 3-4 paragraphs on what great things we had accomplished. For fun, I started doing an underground report that only went to my like-minded work friends who enjoyed witty satire and flippant sarcasm. The thing was, it was hilarious and people started passing it around. Think, The Onion or The Babylon Bee for corporate environments delivered by a respected news anchor. The more it was shared, the more I loved writing it. The reports got better. Sharper. Within a year, I figured I was a good enough writer to do some travel articles. That’s when I moved to the Caribbean “for research.” I was all in. I started a travel blog and built a website (after teaching myself html), but my writing as a career didn’t take off. Maybe it was all the rum drinks and lobster. (I can still hear the steel drums on Antigua.) There’s a possibility I may have been sidetracked by all those shiny things, but only for a while. A few years later I was back at it.
While living in Germany I started working on my first novel, which led me to writing two more. They haven’t sold yet, but I’m working on it. The process of coming up with a compelling story that threads elements of compromise, jeopardy, fortitude, and redemption is what keeps me going. Whenever I can throw in some humor and relevant life experiences, it really makes me happy.
There’s a lot to be said about living life through the lens of “journey” vs “destination.” Wherever you fall for that life concept, be sure to have a clear goal but enjoy the moment, too. There must be a balance for it to work.
More than anything, I’ve come to realize the fleeting notion of time, and that makes me want to add another wild list of things I’ve done with it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jeffcircle.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffcircle_books/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeffCircleBooks
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffcircle/
- Twitter: https://x.com/Jeff_Circle
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeffcircle
