Six Questions with Jake Lockett

Jake Lockett writes books and stories for children, including My Life as an Asthmanaut (Free Spirit Publishing, 2026).

His short stories for young readers have appeared in Smarty Pants Kids, Skipping Stones, and Spider. Jake enjoys learning about space, exploring nature, building Lego sets, and watching movies on his home theater projector. He resides in the forested Allegheny Mountains, where the night skies are clear and blanketed with countless stars!

You can find Jake on Twitter/X and Facebook, or visit his website to learn more about his writing projects.

1. Who was your favorite author when you were a child? Why?

R.L. Stine. I was a big reader of the Goosebumps books and was obsessed with the 90's TV series as well. I just loved how Stine made his stories immersive and scary in a kid-friendly way. And you have to admire someone who’s written hundreds of books for children and keeps writing stories for that age range to this day! He’s an author who loves his craft and audience.

2. If you could be any character in a book, who would you be? Why? 

Ever since I was a little kid, it’s been Harry Potter all the way. You get to travel to beautiful Hogwarts and learn magic every day while having unforgettable adventures. And with friends like Ron and Hermione by your side, is there anything better? Just don't send me back to the Dursleys when each school year ends. I'd be happy to live at Hogwarts all year round! 

3. What’s one lesson you’ve learned the hard way in your publishing journey? 

That you have to really understand the genre that you want to get published in. When I started querying in the picture book space in 2018/2019, I shopped around several stories, most of which had been rejected manuscripts for children’s magazines. Over the course of countless passes, I received feedback saying that these stories were just too long and overly descriptive. Essentially, they were short stories and could never really fit into the traditional picture book model. I was even recommended to write middle grade instead, as my writing had leaned more in that direction. For a few years, I took a break from writing for very young readers until I knew more about crafting picture books.

4. Was My Life as an Asthmanaut always the title for your newest project?

Yep! This title has been glued to the story ever since the first draft over two years ago. I thought it fully described the book’s content while addressing the asthmatic experience with clever wordplay that kids and adults could relate to. For a time, the publisher considered changing the title, but then came back around and decided to keep it.

5. If you could tell readers one secret about this book, what would it be? 

When writing this book, I also drew upon my experiences living with PET (Patulous Eustachian Tube), a rare disorder that makes my ears sensitive to loud sounds and sometimes even the sound of my voice. When I got diagnosed with it over a decade ago, I had to make many lifestyle changes and quit tons of activities that I did with people close to me, which created a sense of frustration and isolation at times.

6. If you read this book to a room filled with kids, what message would you want them to leave with? 

I want kids to know that there is hope in living with illness and that they are not defined by their limitations. With the right knowledge, a positive mindset, and the support from loved ones, they can overcome their struggles and reach for the stars. Also, kids have the ability to easily share compassion and make an impact in the lives of the people around them.

Six Questions is a weekly blog focusing on traditionally published picture book and middle-grade authors and illustrators. If that's you and you'd like to be featured sometime in the future, email mary@boonewrites.com to get signed up.