We recently had the chance to connect with JL Lawrence and have shared our conversation below.
JL, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
My days can be absolutely insane at times. I have multiple jobs including high school teacher, college instructor, soccer board president, and a few other titles. I wake up and spend my day with teenagers working on projects running from start to finish. My students compete internationally, so it takes a lot of time to create great projects that also give back to the community. Then, I spend a couple hours on my online college classes. After that, I’m prepping a quick dinner and headed to the soccer field to cheer on my daughter and to handle whatever chaos arises. Finally, I drop into bed and do it all over again. On nights off from soccer, I try to write as much as I can. I have a hectic life but love what I do. Most days, anyway.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have been writing most of my life, but published my first book in 2017. Since then I have published 12 titles with another two releases scheduled this year. My main genre is fantasy, but I also have a strong holiday romance series. My first trilogy was called the Mystic Series and is still my best seller after all these years. When I first published, my children were younger and wanted a series they could read, so I branched into a magic and mystery YA story that became my next series, Path to Destiny. I took a little break from Fantasy and focused on a lighthearted holiday novella series that has really resonated with readers. One of my holiday titles, The Family Heirloom, just won first place in a competition out of Oklahoma. All in all, I’ve been blessed with ability to share my stories.
My new project is for young readers and takes place in a world of dragons. My main character has to complete quests in order to become the next Dragon Master and save her world. This series allows the reader to grow along with the main characters. I’m excited and hope to launch the series next year.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My grandfather, Papa, had a tremendous impact in my life. In fact, you’ll see a similar character pop up in almost every book I write that depicts his character. He could see the creativity inside me long before I believed it existed. One of my biggest disappointments is that he never got the chance to see the amazing worlds that I now create. I think he would’ve enjoyed them. He always pushed me to believe in myself and reach for the impossible. His kindness inspired so many. Even when he had little to give, he’d share whatever he had. His selflessness inspired me to be a better person. He also believed life wasn’t meant to be easy. We’d all have challenges to face, but it’s the way we go about it and the grace we show through it that defines who we are.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell myself to be bold and not care what anyone else thinks. I used to hide my imagination and try to so hard to always fit in with friends or just people in general. It became one of the reasons I turned to writing. In my stories, I could be whatever I wanted. My younger self was plagued with doubts and tended to hide from the world. I’d tell her to embrace what makes her different and not put so much stock into what others think.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
My public version is slightly different from the real me or what most consider to be the real me. It’s almost like I live in two different worlds. When I’m wearing my educator hat, I have to be serious and professional almost all the time. When I become the author and attend Comic Cons or other shows, I feel more free to interact and show my other interests and desires instead of the always serious version. It allows for balance in my life. I have to admit that I wish I had a little more time for the fun stuff.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What will you regret not doing?
I think there are several things I may regret. One, spending more time with my kids when they were little. I have a crazy work schedule sometimes, and I feel like I missed out on a few things. Two, I’d love to travel and see so many new countries. In reality, I’ll try to visit as many as I can, but I won’t see them all. I hope I won’t give up on writing. I think my biggest regret would be giving up just because I haven’t hit the bestsellers list or been accepted by a major publisher yet. I constantly remind myself there is always hope and you never know what new doors might open.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.authorjllawrence.com
- Instagram: jllawrenceauthor
- Facebook: jllawrenceauthor
