Texas Author Spent 15 Years Writing a Series Readers Didn't Want to Put Down

Will Holcomb spent a decade and a half writing the same book, not because he was a perfectionist, but because life kept happening around it.

He was raising six children, working as a software engineer, riding motorcycles, co-founding a local music organization and spending evenings at the Bastrop Opera House, all while carrying a story he couldn't let go.

"When the story that became The Infinite Jeff started forming, it seemed too important to ignore," said Holcomb, an author and playwright based in Smithville, Texas.

The result is a four-part spiritual fiction series that won a Gold Medal in the 2023 Global Book Awards and draws comparisons to Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" and Richard Bach's "Illusions."

The Engineer Who Became a Storyteller

Holcomb grew up in Cheboygan, Mich., taught elementary school, earned a master's degree in computer science and spent most of his professional life as a software engineer. Writing came much later, held back for years by what he calls impostor syndrome.

"I was absolutely shocked that people loved TIJ. I wasn't a writer, after all. I got lucky once with one story," he said.

Then another story started forming during his daily commute. Instead of ignoring it, he turned it into a play. "Clinically Un-Depressed" came out in a weekend and opened to standing ovations. His play "The Puzzler" later won the Audience Acclaim Award at TEXFest 2023.

"I spent most of my life ignoring the stories in my head because I didn't realize that wasn't normal," Holcomb said.

Writing a Book in the Margins of a Full Life

The first draft of "The Infinite Jeff" arrived fast, almost involuntarily.

"Writing the first draft [was] like reading a book but my fingers were moving. I needed to keep moving my fingers to find out what was going to happen," Holcomb said.

Editing was less exhilarating. The final installment, Part 4: Connection, took seven years on its own. Holcomb wasn't sure he could close the story in a way that honored the first three books.

"The easiest way not to fail is to not attempt," he said. "But it was a hard seven years with that hanging over my head and people constantly asking when it would be done. The mental baggage was holding me back. Once I released Connection, projects around the house started getting done."

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A Story That Doesn't Try to Fix You

Readers who pick up "The Infinite Jeff" expecting a self-help framework will find something different. Holcomb pushes back on the "life-changing" label on purpose.

"I resist describing the book as 'life-changing.' To me, that starts with the premise that there's something wrong with the person reading the book and I have the answers that will fix them. TIJ isn't trying to convince anyone of anything. It gives people a different perspective and way of looking at life, but the person holding the book, reading the words, is an okay person. Ends up, the freedom to be okay with yourself can be life-changing," he said.

The book draws its power from a character, not a thesis. Holcomb started with a "what if someone like that existed?" question and let the character lead.

Reader Christina Gustafson described the experience of reaching the end of the series as bittersweet, comparing it to the end of a vacation or a really wonderful class. "It's books like this that made me wish I read slower," she wrote.

Holcomb welcomes comparisons to Coelho and Bach, especially the comparison to Bach. "Illusions" was, he says, a transformative book for him in his early 20s.

"My hope is that TIJ's story is captivating enough that the reader forgets there is a message but the message stays with them long after they close the book," he said.

Who Should Read It

When asked what kind of reader gets the most out of "The Infinite Jeff," Holcomb didn't hesitate: "People who ask tough questions but don't want trite answers."

New readers should start with Part 1: Insight. "Absolutely start with Part 1: Insight, fall in love with the characters and join them on their journey through the other three parts," he said.

As for external recognition, Holcomb takes a measured view of the Gold Medal he received in 2023.

"My number one audience is me. The best advice I've ever received is 'Write the book you want to read.' I've done that multiple times," he said. "I write the stories for me, but edit and publish them for everyone else."

"The Infinite Jeff" is available at most online booksellers. Signed copies are available at willholcomb.com.