When I asked Jared why Eagle Mountain he answered, “My family and I moved to Eagle Mountain in July 2017. We decided on Eagle Mountain because of the clean air, beautiful scenery, and highly rated school district. We are still here because of the amazing people, and loving the community.” Jared has been married for 18 years, this July. He has five “wonderful” kids. “Our oldest Duncan was born with a condition called TEF w/atresia, and has sever food allergies. Our second child Jack, was born with only two chambers in his heart, and is currently on the Heart Transplant list at Primary Children’s Hospital. Our three daughters Lindsay, Ruby, and Sophia are happy, healthy, and are dang smart.”
Jared has been very involved in a couple of organizations. He has been working with The Leauge of Utah Writers, as well as the Big World Network. Jared explains the League of Utah Writers, “The League of Utah Writers is an 83-year-old non-profit organization. Focused on the development and fellowshipping of existing and aspiring authors. Through our 29 chapters throughout the state, that put on open workshops monthly, and our well-established Spring and Quills Conferences, as well as our annual writing contest, we help authors at every level grow. You can find more about the League at www.leagueofutahwriters.org.”
“I have the honor and privilege of being the Executive Director of the Board for Big World Network. Which is a non-profit publishing house, one of only a few in the United States. It serves to represent the minority, underrepresented, and underserved writers. As a non-profit platform, the profits the company makes goes back into the company. We have access to grants that will help us alleviate putting the full burden of the success of the company on the authors, unlike traditional publishers. We are currently open for submissions, and you can find more information at www.bigworldnetwork.com.”
Jared has received numerous awards for his service. “The bulk of my service has been to The League of Utah Writers. I started my service to the organization as a Vice-President of the Oquirrh Chapter under the wonderful author Eliza Crosby. I also joined the Marketing team. After spending time on that team, I was nominated by then-President Amanda Luzzader and elected to be the President of the League of Utah Writers. From 2015 through the end of 2017 I had volunteered over 1,500 hours with the League. This is time spent helping writers become authors, through planning and executing conferences, creating and refining programs, and personal hands-on time with writers.
During the last few years I have had the honor of serving as the Chair of the West Jordan Arts Council, Recruiting Chair of the Association of IT Professionals Utah Chapter, Board Member of the Cultural Arts Society of West Jordan, Grants Director for the Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance, and a general volunteer at events like the Give Salt Lake City Conference, Salt Lake FanX, LTUE, and several other events and projects. None of that time spent is calculated into the over 1,500 hours previously listed.”
Jared continues, “I have worked with amazing artists like Roger Whiting, to put on assemblies, and after-school programs, to encourage kids to invest time in the arts. I have helped establish events like Spring into Books, an author signing event in West Jordan to help promote local authors. I have helped groups partner together to create wonderful relationships that have a positive effect on the community, like that of the Salt Lake County Library Systems and The League of Utah Writers.”
Besides being heavily involved in the community, he is also a writer. “I have a few published books, and several short stories published online. This has given me the opportunity to teach at conferences like LTUE, be a panelist at SLC FanX, and the League of Utah Writers.”
Some of Jared’s published works include: EZEKIEL’S GUN (Action/Adventure), CHANGING WAX (Fantasy/Comedy), CLASSIFIED (Horror/Supernatural), PATHOLOGICAL PASSION (Futuristic/Romance/Steampunk, which I co-wrote with my wife), UNCLASSIFIED (Horror/Supernatural), and PREPPED (Horror, in the Apocalypse Utah Anthology).
Besides write, and working with these groups, Jared has a few other hobbies. “My favorite hobby is playing video games, and that right up there with writing. I also turned meeting people into a hobby, I enjoy it and try to go out of my way to do it, which is funny because I a very natural introvert.”
This is an Cedar Valley Sentinel (formerly i84005) Resident Spotlight. If you know a resident that you would like for us to spotlight, please let us know. You can view other resident spotlights on our Resident Spotlights page.
Advertising Disclosure: cedarvalleysentinel.com may be compensated in exchange for featured placement of certain sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted in this article.
Other Resources
LUW, League of Utah Writers Big World Network Jared on Linkedin Jared on Twitch The Quan’s website
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.