Community Corner

Swampscott Writer Lifts Off

Jason P. Stadtlander will release a book of short stories June 1, among them stories set in a place much like Swampscott.

 

Jason P. Stadtlander remembers being a kid growing up in the middle of Ohio and saying that one day he was going to build a space ship. He told this to his father.

Today, Jason is 37 and living in Swampscott and has a family of his own.

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He has a family, a house, a yard and a car but no space ship under construction.

At least none that you can see.

Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Instead he likes to take flight writing stories such as Ter’oc or In the Shadow of a Moment, set in a place much like Swampscott.

In the Shadow of a Moment is a selection in a short story collection called Ruins of the Mind. Jason will release the book on June 1.

Shadow has father and son traveling in a car on the way to a party.

It includes tender scenes and bares some resemblance to the Bruce Willis movie the Sixth Sense.

Ter'oc's main character is tomboyish and walking railroad tracks when she hears something that turns out to be ancient.

It’s an ancient creature from an ancient underground civilization that created humans.

Jason’s writing interest resurfaced about seven years ago with the birth of his first child.

Before that, long before that, he liked to write stories.

From the time he was in the sixth grade until he was about 20 he wrote hundreds of stories. Then he stopped.

He came east to go to school and work.

He studied computer forensics at Salem State and Marian Court College. 

For 10 years he has taught seminars on Internet safety but his main job is in Boston.

He is a tech guy working in server maintenance and network design.

He writes on the commute and at lunch and at night — when he has a chance.

The writing gives him pleasure.

He got back on the writing track in 2004 when he started a baby journal for his first child.

He recorded how he felt. Later, he transitioned to fiction, following ideas through stories.

He estimates he has written about 150 short stories in the past seven years.

“I love it, I absolutely love it,” he said.

He has written four children’s books and likes turning out stories and ideas in tandem with his children.

Jason has gone the self-publishing route. He said he has spoken with numerous agents and publishing houses but they will not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

He will sell his book online and at independent bookstores.

His stories range from thriller/mystery to science fiction to historical fiction.

For more about Jason and his writing visit his website.


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