10/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/08/2025 12:39
While getting an original work published is no easy feat, Jason Offutt, a senior instructor of mass media at Northwest Missouri State University, is celebrating the publication of his 20th book.
His latest, "Chasing North American Monsters," is a compendium featuring monsters and folklore creatures stretching from Greenland and the Arctic Circle down to Panama. The book is the second in his "Chasing Monsters" series. After Offutt authored "Chasing American Monsters" in 2019, his publisher encouraged him to write similar books. He plans for the third book in the series to be published next year.
"For anyone who has played 'Dungeons and Dragons,' it's sort of a real-life monster manual," he said. "I hope they (readers) just have fun."
The book, released Sept. 8, came easily to Offutt as he has always had a heavy interest in monsters. Growing up in small-town Orrick, Missouri, he gravitated toward books about creatures such as the Loch Ness Monster or television shows about Bigfoot. He also remembers reading "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" as a child and wanting to be an author ever since.
"The unknown has always fascinated me, and it still does," he said. "I've never grown out of that."
Jason Offutt, pictured in his Wells Hall office, teaches coursework in Northwest's School of Communication and Mass Media. (Photo by Lilly Cook/Northwest Missouri State University)
After a successful 17-year career in journalism, Offutt decided to share his expertise by becoming an instructor and joined the Northwest faculty in 2005. He teaches courses in Northwest's School of Communication and Mass Media related to reporting, opinion writing, communication law and ethics, and photojournalism.
He uses his own writing and researching practices as real-world examples for his students.
"Good writing is good writing," he said. "The methods of putting words together I use in my work are the same I teach in class. As for research and interviewing, I teach those same skills I use in my books. There are good sources and bad sources. I teach my students which are which."
His lighthearted, informative, easy-to-read writing style has led Offutt to win numerous awards. He won the Independent Book Publishers Association's best horror novel in 2022 and best audio horror novel in 2023.
He feels an unmatched fulfillment from creating pieces of entertainment.
"As an established author, I have access to bigger publishers and all their benefits," Offutt said. "Now, instead of simply writing a book and trying to get it published, which of course I still do, a couple of my publishers are happy enough with my work they ask me to write more books. That's a great feeling."
Although he has published 20 books, he says his routine prevents him from burn out. He dedicates two hours each day with the same materials and working environment to keep him motivated.
Simultaneously, Offutt encourages his students to constantly work toward improvement. Learning to write effectively stems from plenty of reading and writing, he says.
"Have really think skin," he said. "And just don't give up."
For more information about Offutt and his writing, visit https://www.jasonoffutt.com.