Welcome back to my Saturday Spotlight series! Thank you to not only the authors who have participated so far, but those who are planning to in the future. Most importantly, thank you to all of my follower who read each post and follow some of these authors. As readers, our support means everything. They work so hard to put their novels into our hands, the least we can do is show support. Be sure to leave a review for each book you read, even if only a sentence long. It makes all the difference!
Today, I am bringing to you a new author! She published her debut novel this year, let’s all welcome J.L. Keathley…
About the Author
J.L. Keathley is a self-published author who focuses on YA Fantasy. She lives in Arkansas with her husband and two daughters. She loves animals and has a variety of pets. She has always loved to read and decided to write what she wants to read about. She likes to travel with her family and find adventures.
J.L. Keathley’s Novels
Interview
Hello J.L. Keathley and thank you for joining us today. Especially because you are more than willing to answer some questions for your readers and fans. Well, let’s get to it…
Could you tell us a little about your most recent book and why it is a must read?
My most recent book is Distant Memories (The Shadow Realm, book 1). It is a must read if you are a YA book fan and like the supernatural. It is different than the normal vampire story full of twist and turns. From page one until the end if will be packed full of action. You get to follow Jade on her journey from the human world to the non-human world.
I agree that everyone should read it and give it a chance. I did enjoy it! You can find my review of Distant Memories here. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think!
Are you a full-time author or do you wear another hat?
I would love to be a full time author, but at the moment I’m not. I am a technical customer service representative. I am also owner of Keathley’s General Store and own a Publishing company Merfire Publishing.
Wow! That is a lot. You are one busy person, I cannot imagine how you find time to write!
How did you come up with the title of this book? Was it something you created before, after, or during the writing process?
I came up with the title years ago when I wrote a little fan fiction, but it just fit with my story, then it just became a series when I first started writing it.
That is cool, I had no idea you wrote fan fiction! I would love to hear more about that sometime. Thank you for the interesting insight into how the title and series title came to be.
What has influenced you most as a writer?
My love for books. I love to read but sometimes think that parts are missing in a story or that something could be different to make it better, so I figured write what I want to read about. Tell a story the way I see it.
I agree! I think many authors are influenced by other works withint their genre.
Did you ever think you would not be able to finish your first novel? How did you overcome that?
Honestly no, it was more for fun, just to see if I could do it. It came out better than I thought it would and I feel the story or stories aren’t over yet. I just kept writing and had a lot of support from my husband and friends.
That is wonderful! The support system is vital. It sounds like it flowed well. I look forward to seeing what is in store next in the series.
Do you read and reply to the reviews and comments of your readers?
At first I read reviews, honestly some were hurtful. A couple of the individuals didn’t finish the book. After the first few I stopped. They can either lift you up or hurt you. Everyone has their own opinions. Most importantly it is how you feel about your book. There are books I love and could read over and over, but others don’t care for them and vise versa.
I think it is important for an author to realize that there will always be a handful who don’t like your book and that is fine. Ultimately, the novel should make you happy and if your fans love it, that is a bonus.
What are two of your favorite covers of all time (not your own)?
I love the House of Night series covers, mostly the cover for Burned.
I also like Nicholas Spark’s cover The Longest Ride.
I like it when the cover is simple, but still grabs your attention.
Oh my goodness, I love the House of Night series!!!! I agree that a cover does not need to be extravagent to grab your attention.
Do you plan on owning a publishing house?
I already do. I didn’t plan it at first, but I plan to write several books, but most importantly I want to help fellow authors where their journeys. It took me a lot of trial and error to figure things out. Some people don’t have to time to do the other stuff, they just have time to write their story. Merfire Publishing is there to help with everything else.
That is wonderful. I beta read, proofread, and I am learning the ropes of editing. It is wonderful knowing you can help authors along the writitng and publishing process. Maybe someday I will learn the ropes and become a literary agent. Probably not, but hey the future is unknown.
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Different, Shy, Bold
I think “normal” is overrated and different is a good thing. Think about it, Life would be so boring if we were all the same cookie cutter style. Shy…I get that! Bold, that is a nice touch.
I want to thank J.L. Keathley again for being so wonderful and participating in Saturday Spotlight. You should check out her work by clicking on the book’s title! Add it to Goodreads as well, but be sure to leave a review if you read it.
If you are an indie author who is interested in having your work promoted during one of my spotlights, contact me and in the subject area insert Saturday Spotlight. If you are an author who has participated, please spread the word to other authors you know. I would love for this to be continuous. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Thank you for another great interview Mrs. Bibliophagist! It is amazing that she can find the time to wear all those different hats. I find it hard to wear more than two: husband/father and professional me. Maybe once the kids are older and have moved on to start their own adventures I will pull out some other hats and dust them off. But for now those two are the most important hats i own. 🙂
You are correct life would be boring if everyone was the same cookie cutter person. But it would be a better world if everyone was an avid reader.
I look forward to your next Saturday Spotlight. It is so exciting seeing all the authors that want to be apart of this amazing adventure with you. Keep up the great work and most importantly enjoy yourself.