J.M. Rose

“Welcome back, everyone! I’m your host, Ajay, and today I’m hanging out with the brilliantly eclectic and emotionally charged storyteller, J M Rose. So glad to have you here!”

Thank you for having me, Ajay! I'm excited to chat.

“Let’s dive right in. I have to start with the classic question. What is your favorite genre to write and why?”

All. That sounds like a cheating answer, but as I am very much a mood reader, my writing follows suit. Some days I want to write fantasy, dystopian, or even contemporary. Most have an element of MM romance incorporated, but not all of them. Lately, the one that captured my soul the most was writing a release that I hope to drop for my birthday. It’s a contemporary MM romance, where a cosplayer falls for his bully who happens to be a swimmer. I can't share too much yet, but this one slumped me as a writer for a whole month after finishing.

“That sounds emotionally loaded and deliciously complex. I love it. Let’s talk identity, describe yourself in one word?”

Eclectic.

“Perfect choice. That definitely tracks with the range of genres and emotions in your writing. What’s one of the most surprising things you've learned through creating your books?”

How much trauma and lack of self-esteem I still carry. Ultimately, I end up channeling that into my characters, which I hope shines through to my readers.

“That kind of vulnerability really resonates. Does writing energize or exhaust you?”

This varies. If I'm locked in and loving what I'm doing, then I’m energised. But if I'm feeling forced or unable to continue, then I'm absolutely exhausted by it.

“So true. The energy can swing wildly depending on the headspace. How do you personally handle writer’s block?"

I don't really handle it. I moan a lot to an alpha reader who lets me vent my frustrations. Then, I often voice note exactly what I want to write, and more often than not, that lets me start up again.

“Voice notes! That’s brilliant. Sometimes talking it out does the trick. Quick one, what’s your favorite 90s or early 00s song?”

In the Shadows by The Rasmus.

“That’s a total anthem. Dark, catchy, very on brand. Love it! Where do you usually draw your inspiration from?”

Dreams, images, nightmares, and media that I feel I can twist into a different way.

“And how do you handle criticism, especially in such a vulnerable craft?”

As a former teacher in the UK, I handle criticism fairly well. Being watched and critiqued during lessons was constant. For writing, if you come with constructive feedback, that’s helpful, then yes, I’ll handle it well. But if you’re just out to be mean, then I do get a little sad.

“That’s completely fair. Constructive is key. So tell us, what inspired you to start writing in the first place?”

Storytelling has been ingrained into my bones since imaginative play from a young age. Playing and acting out stories was always fun. It changed to performances on stage for a while, but ultimately I had stories in my head that needed an outlet and that’s why I chose to start.

“And thank goodness you did. Now, how important are book reviews to you?”

Generally, if they are positive, they provide the dopamine to write more. If it's negative, personally I'd say not to bother wasting your time writing it, as I probably won't look just for my own sanity.

“Fair enough! Protect that mental space. Alright, here’s a fun one, if you could be any animal, what would you choose and why?”

Penguin. I adore penguins! I think that community is big for this animal, and even now at my age, I feel like I don’t have that community still.

“That’s both beautiful and a little heartbreaking. I totally feel that. Community really is everything. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?”

Just get the story down. Then go back and fix it.

“Simple and solid. Finally, what have been the most rewarding and challenging aspects of self-publishing, and how have you navigated those challenges?”

The most rewarding thing is my lovely little team who encourages me to keep going when I struggle. Imposter syndrome hits harder, I feel, when you're doing everything yourself. The most challenging part was finding editors and cover artists that could work within my budget.

“Thank you for sharing all of that so openly. It’s been such a pleasure getting this insight into your process and journey.

To the readers:

Be sure to follow KD on social media, links are down below. Show your support by grabbing a copy of their books, diving into those fantasy worlds, and most importantly, leave a review. We live for that feedback, and it helps more than you know.

Until next time!”

Thank you so much for having me. This was such a joy.