Today we’d like to introduce you to J.S.. Living
Hi J.S., thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
When I was younger, I would ask my mom to read me bedtime stories and, when she couldn’t, we had these little blue cassette tapes that told stories like “The Fox and the Hare” and “The Three Little Pigs,” typical children’s stories. By the time I was in second grade, I had a great love for books, reading far above the level required for someone my age.
Then, in third grade, I was lured into the wonderful world of writing by my teacher, Mrs. Weinstein. She spent so much time encouraging me to write, it became an integral part of my identity.
By the fifth grade, I knew being a writer was my destiny. And, so, I made plans for that destiny. Practically manifested it by making sure I read and wrote something every day.
The girl in your class who could finish whole 300 page books in a day, that was me. The girl who wrote pages upon pages of fantasy stories, that was me too. Reading and writing were a way for me to escape bullies, loneliness, and the day-to-day drudgery of my life. And I knew if I wanted to be an author like the ones who penned my favorite novels, I was going to work hard and get into schools and programs that focused on my craft.
So, I did what anyone does: I went to a high school focused on health sciences and engineering.
Obviously, it wasn’t by choice. I mean, it’s been over ten years and I’m still griping about it. That said, my experiences at that school helped shape my writing style and broadened my concept of what kinds of writing existed. After all, what teenager thinks about medical writing as a career choice? I certainly didn’t.
By the time I graduated, my grades were poor in comparison to what they could have been had I gone to my zoned school, or participated in a program I actually cared about. But, they weren’t to poor for me to go to college. And so, at eighteen I went into my undergraduate program.
Being an English major at Augusta University (a school that went through three name changes during my tenure there!) in Augusta, Georgia was one of the best decisions I ever made, but I think making it a double major with anthropology was even better. I got to experience other cultures, understand where humans came from and why we are the way we are. Those anthropology courses coupled with my English courses gave me my fundamental understanding of how to craft characters and fascinating narratives.
Fast forward to attending grad school at the Savannah College of Art and Design, aka SCAD, where my amazing teachers in the Writing and Film departments took my education a step further by showing me other fascinating career fields I never would have considered–like video game writing, technical writing, editor, and lesson plan designer–and allowing me to hone my crafts in those fields. Honestly, I was skeptical about the cost of tuition (rightly so considering I’ll be paying those loans off for a while), but I truly believe my time at SCAD is why I have a successful career now. Especially because it opened my eyes to a new love: editing.
Because of my history, my tenacity, and the help I received from my family, professors, and advisors, I was able to realize my dream of becoming a writer and editor in many ways.
Now, I’ve been rambling forever, but here’s the part of my journey that you’re probably most interested in reading about.
After graduating from SCAD, I immediately landed a position at my alma mater, Augusta University, as an adjunct professor. And, though I was still a server at a restaurant, it was in that time that I finished my first novel (unpublished, of course because it’s a baby that needs a ton of work). Soon after that, in 2019, I was enlisted to work at Georgia Military College (GMC) as an adjunct professor, which was great because I made more money and was able to structure my day to where I could work on the novel that, years later, would be known as The Covenant of Blood.
After two quarters at GMC, in 2020, I landed a job as a Legal Writer-Technical Editor at the JAG School in Charlottesville, Virginia. That job was a blessing because it allowed me to focus on completing that second book in a way none of my previous jobs ever did. And, since I began my new job during the pandemic, it was easy to switch from completing articles for work to writing and editing my own work.
I really did love that job. But, as cost of living rises, you have to find work that can pay your bills. So, I left that wonderful, amazing job in 2022 and went to work at the Office of the Solicitor General.
Though my job title was the same, Legal Writer-Technical Editor, the work was so much different. While I still had the time to work on my book and other projects, I felt unfulfilled with focusing on formatting documents as opposed to editing them. The only thing I could take solace in was that my book would be completed soon. And, it was.
In November of 2022, I published The Covenant of Blood. A novel that started out as a collection of decent, but not-so-great, novellas was transformed into this amazing story about blood pacts and found family. I always tell people it took about two years to write and publish the novel, and that’s technically true if you look at the time it took for the processes individually. But, thinking about it now, it actually took about four years. The first two where I thought I was just writing short, fun novellas, and the second two when I realized I wanted a book I could be proud to share in bookstores like Barnes and Nobles, Busboys and Poetes, Mahogany Books, and other small and large retailers.
But, the point is, that it happened. I published a book as a black indie author, which is difficult to do these days. And, furthermore, to date, I’ve sold over 200 copies of it. I know. It doesn’t sound like a lot. But, most indie authors are lucky to sell 50 copies of their book. At over 200, I’ve averaged about 100 copies a year, and I plan to do better in 2025.
WIth my current job is a Communications Specialist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, I’m able to continue working on my craft and am on track to publish my second full length novel in mid 2025. I was hoping it would be February, but the universe threw some curveballs, so it’ll more likely be March or April.
In the meantime, I’ve kept myself busy with a couple of side hustles so I can pay off some personal debts and I’ve been fulfilling orders for the Backerkit Campaign I ran in September for my short story collection Blood Ties, which is a prequel of sorts to The Covenant of Blood.
If I had to sum up my journey in a sentence, it would be this: A little girl in Augusta, Georgia with dreams of becoming a writer grew up to be an intelligent woman with multiple skill sets that led to her accomplishing her dreams and more.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a smooth road for the most part, but there were definitely some challenges. My work-life balance took a huge hit after college. I had to work 2-4 jobs at any given time just to make ends meet, which took away time that I could have been using to craft my stories and work on character development for projects I had in mind. In the midst of all that, I also had to job hunt. And, after getting married and finally stabilizing my career, there were more surprises in store. Without getting into the whole fiasco, we’ll just say my ex-husband and I had some marital disagreements and ended up getting divorced. Then came figuring out my life and who I was without him, and some other self-journey/self-reflection that had to take place before I was in a good place again. And, then, of course, I have post-exertional malaise and chest pains whenever I over exert myself, courtesy of catching Covid back in November 2020. I wish I could say long-haul Covid is a joke, but it’s very real and very frustrating to want to do things but have to limit yourself so you can operate at 80 percent capacity–especially when you’re someone who used to work 2-4 jobs in your sleep.
Anyways, still navigating the long-haul Covid, but everything else is pretty good now.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As I said earlier, I’m a writer. But, more than that, I’m a storyteller. I love creating lore, fantasy worlds, and characters that readers can get lost in. I love creating content that reflects those worlds.
If I had to categorize my specialty in one sentence, I would say that I write character-driven fiction that will excite you with its fresh lore and slow-burn romances. But, just because that’s how I categorize it, doesn’t mean that’s all there is to it. I also love music, comics/manga, movies and television, graphic novels, and other expressive mediums of art. My dream is to take the worlds I create and turn them into an interactive multi-media experience that can reach people of different cultures, ages, and backgrounds.
I’m most known for doing this with the series I’m currently writing, which I’ve recently decided to call my Bloodlines series. The Covenant of Blood is the first book in the series; but, as I mentioned, I’m working on the second book. Blood Ties: A Collection of Three Covenant of Blood Shorts is a short story collection based in the same universe. I’m also working on getting audiobook versions of both done. I’m also experimenting with the idea of a curated playlist of original songs to go with the series.
I’m most proud of the work I’ve accomplished so far, especially the idea that I’ve sold over 200 copies of my book. But, more than that, I’m proud of my perseverance and my determination to push through.
I would love to give a really inspiring quote to reflect what sets me apart from others but, honestly, I don’t know. And, I know that’s terrible marketing skills, or whatever, but I’m not the only black indie author out there. I’m not the only black indie author writing fantasy. And I’m definitely not the first person to be candid or authentic in an interview. I guess the only thing that really sets me apart from others are my own, personal experiences. No two people experience the world in the same way, which means my perspective is uniquely mine.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
The thing I love most about Atlanta is the food. There are so many amazing restaurants in the area and so many different cuisines. Though I currently live in Maryland, I can’t wait to visit Atlanta again in 2025 so I can eat food from my home state.
The thing I hate most is parking. While not as bad as DC or Maryland, I hate the idea of paying for parking anywhere. So, yeah, that’s my least favorite thing.
Pricing:
- The Covenant of Blood Hardback $39.99
- The Covenant of Blood Paperback $ 20.99
- Blood Ties $35.99
- Character Inspired Metal Bookmarks $13.99
- Character Prints $10.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thejsliving.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejsliving
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thejsliving
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thejsliving
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejsliving
- Other: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19385481.J_S_Living
