J.R. Bloodsteel interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

My name is J. R. Bloodsteel and I am a self-published author.  I am an avid lover of artistic expression; music; literature; sculpting; painting; you name it!  I would absolutely call myself a renaissance woman and a hopeless romantic.  I'm a lover of stormy days, cold nights, and candlelight.  When I'm not writing, I can usually be found loving on my dog, binging something on Netflix (shout out to all my fellow Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, and Shadow and Bone fans!), doing photography, or getting myself knees deep into another craft project (I'm currently working on my Halloween costume for this year - it's going to be epic.)

When did your love of books begin?

I remember being a little girl and wanting my mom to tell me stories.  She would come up with short fairytales right off the top of her head, always starting with once upon a time.  Those moments definitely kickstarted my love for stories in general.  For books, I remember having a Dick and Jane book that I loved to read and would carry around the house with me.  I can still remember the first moment I realized that even though I finished the book, I could continue the story in my mind and create whatever I wanted to happen; the story never had to end.  That was such an awe-inspiring moment for me.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

I believe when I was about thirteen.  My love for writing came as a surprise to me because I had always been in love with music.  There was a band that I really enjoyed, and I wanted to catch the attention of one of the members.  My dad suggested I write a song for him, and when that backfired, I made the comment that I could write a better romance than I could a song.  Instantly, my creativity was challenged and I went to work.  I really don't know if anything had ever come to me that easily before.  The second my fingers hit the keyboard of my old laptop, it was game on.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

The process of becoming an author has been an incredible journey.  There have absolutely been some bumps along the way and many moments of self-doubt; Will my work be good enough?  Can I make a living doing this?  How can this impact other people's lives?  When I first started out writing, I wanted to become an author eventually, but I really never saw it coming to fruition.  It's been a long process of growing into my work and finding the right style for myself, but it's been an incredibly rewarding adventure of self-discovery and self-development.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

I would tell them to never stop writing.  Just keep swimming!  The more you do something, the better you become at said thing.  When I first started out, I had no clue what I was doing - I just knew I loved doing it.  That was over ten years ago now, and I just published my first book... try not to put an expiration date on yourself, your dreams, or your work!  Write about things you love, things that make you happy.  Get a feel for what it is you want to create and why you're creating it.  Is it to benefit you?  Is it to benefit others?  Find a reason and run with it.  Learn how to tell a story and express emotions; learn how to make your readers feel the characters' emotions while they're going through your work.  Being an author is just a fancy title; we're all still writers and lovers of creating stories.  Always make sure you're staying authentic to yourself, as well.  I know the fact that there are hundreds of books in the world can seem daunting, but none of them have your soul in them.  I believe a piece of us goes into every single thing we do/create and that is what sets us apart from everyone else.

Another little tip that I'll throw in here, as nuts as it might sound, is to fall in love with phycology just enough to understand human reactions to the things that happen in people's lives.  If you can create a character and understand why they do what they do, the depth of that character just grew substantially.  Learn to psychoanalyze people.  

Tell us about your book/books:

My book is called Our Saving Grace, and it follows the POV of Lieutenant Savannah Warner as she's trying to navigate through her struggles.  She's a hardworking woman, but she's mentally exhausted and needs a break from her life.  Deciding it's the perfect time to take some time off from work, she starts her new journey by moving to the country with her German Shepherd, Ace.  There, expecting to find peace, she's met with even more challenges from her landlord, Brady Beauregard.  While still trying to deal with her past tragedies, life doesn't stop coming at her.  Savannah and Brady will quickly learn there is far more going on between them than what meets the eye.

It's a story about strength, never giving up, and how life always comes full circle.  I like to describe it as DIY home renovation meets country romance, meets just a dash of murder mystery.  

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I love how supportive everyone is!  We all know we're all in the same boat, trying to get just one more chapter finished.  I think it's a fantastic community and I'm blessed to be a part of it.  I'll always value the friendships I've made over the years.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Leave a review!!!!!!  I would say thank you.  My readers are the engines on this boat and without them, I would surely sink.  Y'all are the reason why I write and I hope my work is able to touch at least a few hearts.  I've been blessed with incredible readers in the past as well, back when I was posting fan fiction.  I did a personalized story once for this woman, and she later told me that what I wrote was going to help her from relapsing back into depression.  That's always going to be my goal, you know?  Giving someone something to hold onto; something to find and take away after they finish the story.  I believe we can change the world one book at a time, and I'm here to prove that theory along with my readers.  I wouldn't be where I am today without you guys and I love every single one of you!

Where can people connect with you?

Twitter: Twitter.com/J_R_Bloodsteel

Instagram: Instagram.com/J_R_Bloodsteel

Facebook: Facebook.com/JRBloodsteel

My website: BloodsteelBooks.com

My email: BloodsteelBooks@gmail.com

I have a readers list that anyone can subscribe to through my website, and a podcast as well!  Emails and new podcast episodes go out every Saturday!  I love interacting with new faces, so be sure to swing on by!