Featured Interview With Jonathan Cragle
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born the youngest of five sons, to Arthur and Lenore Cragle, both smart, humble and hard-working parents. I was raised in the state of Iowa and grew up with three brother’s as great role models and it’s where I learned a strong work ethic and was encouraged to explore and try new things. My inquisitive nature and lifetime of learning mentality was flamed into a fire and forged in the cold winters and hot summers! 🙂
When I”m not writing, I enjoy competing at CrossFit, reading, listen to music, watching sports, drinking great coffee, spending time with friends, and following my families events & successes.
I’m the proud father of five, Samuel, Caleb, Joel, Micah and Tirzah Joy. They are the good in his life and the hope of a great, future generation.
When asked his greatest hope, Jonathan replied, “As you read my writings, I hope that my books and words will inspire your change, growth and a better life for you and your family”.
I live and write surrounded by the beautiful lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest near Bellingham, Washington.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved going to the library at a very young age and always had the maximum number of books borrowed that I could. I spent many weekend days there, especially during the cold, Iowa winters.
I read everything I could get my hands on and was especially taken with how-to books, crafts, and fiction. I read until the wee hours and anywhere I had a spare moment.
I didn’t start writing until I was in high school and mostly just a journal I kept. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I started writing professionally.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Jon Land, John Grisham, David Balducci, Tom Clancy, Brad Thor in Fiction.
Steve Scott, Dale Carnegie, Tim Ferriss, Steve Windsor are a few of the many non-fiction writers I read.
I love action thrillers and mysteries, but love to learn new things too.
Jon Land first inspired me to write when I was just out of high school with his stories of intrigue and suspense with Blaine McCracken as his hero.
I’m inspired by writing friends, as well as friends who have stories that deserve to be shared.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
“YOU, UNLEASHED!: Mastering the Success Mindset, Overcoming Obstacles, and Living a Life That Matters!” is a life-long book that I had wanted to write. Of course, I didn’t know it over the years, but I needed the experiences, good and bad, before I could write it. It’s a book filled with information I wrote to remind myself of how to overcome obstacles, as well as how to live a life that really matters.
As I had children I started writing notes about things to teach them or what is important. Over time I had enough scraps of paper and notes that I could write multiple books. I took the information that seemed strongest and wrote it down to help others, even it was just one person who changed for the better.
I include stories of the struggles that exist in people’s lives, including my own, into easy to understand and powerful stories that take us from the 1964 Olympics, to the daily life of a single mother and her son who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy; from a CrossFit gym to a woman who has fully lived and persevered with Parkinson’s disease for 42 years and more!
Each of us has the ability to make a profound impact for good on our world and this book is focused on helping people get rid of the obstacles and helping them live incredible, outrageous, helpful lives.
I wrote this book as a re-usable guide to life and being the best you can be. It should be referred to over and over, since we are continually changing, struggling, getting better and becoming fully who we were made to be.
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