Today we’d like to introduce you to J. Barrett.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am the author of the fantasy fiction series The Keepers of Imbria. I have always loved both reading and writing and when I was young, I was one of those awkward kids with big glasses whose nose was always stuck in a book. Life was not always easy for us. I grew up in a house where I was often afraid, and I used books to hide from the world and escape what was happening around me. I loved getting lost in other worlds, especially science fiction and fantasy. When I wrote my first novel, Orabelle, I let a couple of friends read it and was surprised at how much they enjoyed it, but I never believed that it would actually go anywhere. Then, twelve years later, my friend Erin messaged me randomly and asked whatever happened to that book I wrote and suggested I publish it. And so, I did! At the time, my mom was in remission for cancer, and I knew it would mean a lot to her to see it in print. I was so excited to show her an actual book, and one that she had participated in creating, being my sounding board for ideas and proofreading everything over and over. It was quite a learning process for me, but I received great feedback and even won an award for the book!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In February of 2023, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had three tumors, one of which was extremely aggressive. I was devastated and completely unprepared for it. I thought I was too young to have to worry about that sort of thing, and I had seen firsthand how difficult my mom’s journey with cancer had been. For the next year, I would undergo multiple surgeries and treatments. I was an active person who loved the outdoors – a sailor, a rock climber, and mountaineer, and I was suddenly unable to do any of the things that had been such a huge part of my life. I felt lost and afraid, and I needed an outlet, so once again, I turned to writing, picking up where I had left off twelve years before and writing the next three books in the series. It kept me grounded and gave me something to focus on besides the cancer. I am still trying hard to get back to the life I loved, and this summer, I am planning to climb my first mountain since my diagnosis!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think what sets me apart from other writers in my genre is my character development in my novels. While there is plenty of action and lots of twists and turns, it is important to me to tell the individual stories and to have the reader understand their motivations and influences, why they make the decisions they do, and what happened to them in their lives that led to these moments. I don’t believe that most people intend to be the villain, and I love showing that there are always more sides to the story than you first see. I think there is often that initial bias based on what we hear first, but I always remember the old saying: there are three sides to every story – yours, theirs, and the truth.
What does success mean to you?
I believe that success is defined differently for each person. For me, success is overcoming obstacles. It is reaching the top of a mountain, it is surviving cancer, and it is living a life that is full and happy. I also feel that completing my book series, The Keepers of Imbria, was something that makes me feel very accomplished. The last book is by far my favorite, and I wanted to have a satisfying ending for my readers. No matter what happens to me, I know that I have left something behind that I am proud of.
Pricing:
- 4.99 Kindle Ebook
- 15.99 Paperback
- 25.99 Hardcover
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jbarrettauthor
- Twitter: @jbarrettauthor
