Meet J.E. Larson | Fantasy Romance Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with J.E. Larson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J.E., can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Alaska, and it plays a lot into how I write my stories and build my worlds. For example, I walk outside to my back porch, and I have mountain ranges surrounding me. I have pine trees along my walking path with my dogs, and I am surrounded by nature. In my books, you will always know where the character is located and be able to “See” what you are reading. Living in Alaska has gifted me a beautiful home that grants me a setting that a lot of authors don’t have.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What sets me apart is that I 1,000% love my work and believe in my stories. I could never publish a book that I didn’t honestly love myself wholeheartedly because I wouldn’t be strong enough to withstand the harsh reviews of writing a book or anything in the public eye. My books will always paint a picture for the reader, like you are watching a movie unfold while you are reading. They are thought-out, descriptive, and character-driven, with easter eggs scattered to hint at what is to come.

I am not afraid of working hard to achieve my goals. Once I have my mind set on something, I give it everything I have, and if I fall short, I am comfortable changing the goal. However, more often than not, I have been successful in achieving my realistic goals. I have frequently been told, “Good luck with that, or maybe you should pick something else, you won’t ever achieve that,” but I am stubborn. I work hard and give my goals everything I can, and here we are. I’ve published a debut novel in a series, and it is successful. Readers love the book(s), and sharing this story with anyone willing to read it brings me so much joy.

As an author, you’re an iceberg. The public sees 10% of what you do (aka the book itself). The other 90% is done when no one is looking. For example, I am waking up at 5:30 a.m. Saturday to answer these questions for this interview, but don’t worry—this is my normal writing time. The public doesn’t see the tears over your first negative review after you have put your heart and soul into your work. No one sees the frustration of “why does this scene not work,” or the beauty of your fingers typing away when the scene in your head magically flows into words on a page or when your character finally develops a life of their own and helps write the scene for you. The countless drafts we write, read, and re-write. We stress over the covers, the formatting, and the font selection (I could go on, but I believe you understand).

To me, 90% of the hard work is worth the beautiful 10% on top. It is all a part of the creation of the iceberg itself. You can’t float above the water without the foundation holding you up below.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First off, I do not like big cities. Crowds make me nervous, and if my best friend Mckenzie were visiting, she would know exactly where I would take her.

Stop number one would be coffee and a bite to eat at local Jitters or Sleep Dog in Eagle River. We would wait until the sun is up (oh wait, we are in Alaska, and it’s summer time, so the sun is up at 5 am). So this is technically more like 9 am. After we catch up and eat, I would take her on a hike into the mountains surrounding us. Depending on her mood, we would go to South Fork to Symphony Lakes, and if she was feeling adventurous, Mt. Baldy, followed by Blacktail Ridge.
Of course, we would bring a beverage to cheer us on to the halfway point on the mountaintop and then descend for dinner at a local restaurant, like Corks and Hops or 49th State Brewery.

The beauty of Alaska is that you can dress up and be “fancy” at a nice restaurant. Or you can come off a mountain and sit at a table next to the fancy couple. It is our way of living and it’s fantastic, I love it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband. Without his encouragements and stopping me from throwing away my spiral notebook with drafts of ideas, characters, worlds… I wouldn’t be here today. He was the first person to really listen to this dream I have and also nurture it. I believe statistics say that 90% of people want to write a book, but only 5% start one, and then only a smaller fraction write and publish their story. He’s my shout-out and the first person to listen to my ideas, give me input, and kindly allows me to write MMC (main male characters) that readers will fall in love with. And yes, there are pieces of him in my MMCs, and he laughs or says, “Hey, I’ve said that!” I smile and say, “Yes, dear”.

Website: jelarson.my.canva.site/author

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Image Credits
At Jitter coffee shop, Cherie Fox designed for cover art, At Beauty and the Book ANC. for book signing