As an actor, middle-grade author and playwright,
J. Lee Graham dabbles in various types of storytelling. I met him at a small bookshop
in Cape May, New Jersey and we had a nice conversation about children’s
literature and how essential reading is to success.
I found him to be intelligent and well-versed on a number of topics. He enjoys pursuing his spiritual side through astrology and currently teaches ASL (American Sign Language) and ESL at various schools.
Now that I’ve Introduced you to J. Lee, let’s get to know him a little better.
What
inspired you to be a writer?
I
have always wanted to be a writer since I was a teenager. I read voraciously
when I was young and still do. When, at 13, I announced to my family that I
wanted to be a writer; they laughed at me. That stifled that ambition for many
years. Luckily, I’m making up for lost time.
How
long have you been writing?
For about fifteen years. I had written radio mystery shows when I was younger and that was fun. I also wrote three plays.
How
many books have you written?
I
have written five books (4 MG and 1 YA) and working on number six for MG.
For MG: THE SCULPTURED ROCKS
A time travel trilogy for MG: IN THE NICK OF TIME THE TIME OF HIS LIFE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD.
One
YA book: THE PROMISE OF LIVING
Which
genre do you write?
I write mostly for Middle Grade, the upper end of the spectrum, so that would be ages 9-12, although 13- and 14-year-olds can relate to them as well because of the dark nature of the content. I also wrote one YA book, a coming of age novel set on a farm.
What
do you find most challenging writing for these genres?
Keeping
a balance between writing for that age range and their life experiences while
raising the bar on creating good dialogue, challenging vocabulary and a strong
connected plot and theme.
What
are you working on now?
My new 6th novel is called THE GUARDIANS, another MG novel featuring a 14-year-old boy named Nick.
Where
do you find inspiration for your characters?
Life,
people one meets, or has met, or simply sees in an airport, or a café, who
offer a seed of inspiration. The fun part about inspiration is the running with
it, seeing where it takes you!
What
has been your most rewarding experience since publishing your work?
Having
young readers tell me how affected they were by my novels.
What
advice would you give to authors just starting out?
READ the classics! If you only read what other current books are out there in your field, you can’t improve. Write, write, write!
What
message are you sharing in your books?
My
message always invokes the sense of authenticity and integrity that lies within
each of us. For an early teen or pre-teen, that is the challenge: to find and
define that authenticity.
In my novels, that involves a trial of some kind, akin to The Hero’s Journey. The protagonist must confront the darkness, be it in the form of a bully, or an awful home life or some kind of experience (time travel, ie) never encountered before.
He/She has to face the obstacle, learn something about their own strengths, and take it back to the tribe, however you define that to be, to share their gifts of what they learned.
What
are your favorite books/authors?
I’ll need about 3 pages.
What
are your favorite movies, TV shows?
I
don’t watch tv.
A
movie producer wants to turn your book into a movie and you get to make a
cameo. What would you do in the movie?
Be the snarky teacher whom everyone hates!
An
elf named 12-25 approaches you. He’s sneezing, wheezing, coughing and there’s a
strange tattoo of a snoring dog on his cheek. What do you do?
“What
kind of dog is that?”
Do
you have a website/Facebook page, etc?
No,
I don’t. You can follow me on Instagram: jleegraham79
Where
can we find your books?
They
are available in both book and Kindle version on Amazon.
Thank
you, Jeff, for spending time with us and sharing your story. We wish you
continued success and lots of luck!
Kira, Jed
and their friends have fled New Corporation and joined the Resistance, but
their relief is short-lived as they discover how decimated the human race has
become and learn of an environmental crisis that threatens to destroy their
existence. Kira and Jed must travel up the mountain to the New Corporation
stronghold, City 50, to bargain for sanctuary while Martha and Dina risk
everything to return to City 42 and save those who are left. With the last of
her reserves Gaia, the fading spirit of the Earth uses her remaining influence
to guide Kira and her friends but ultimately, it’s up to humanity to make the
right choice.
More about The Gaia
Collection series
The
Gaia Collection
is Claire’s hopeful dystopian trilogy set 200 years in the future after much of
the planet and the human race have been decimated during The Event, when the
world went to war with high-energy radiation weapons. In The Gaia Effect,
Kira and Jed Jenkins – a young couple who were recently allocated a child –
together with their closest friends, discover Corporation have been
deliberately lying to them and forcing them to remain sterile. With help from
Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, the group of friends begin to fight back against
Corporation eventually winning and taking over the governance of City 42.
In
The Gaia Project, Corporation fight back under a new, more terrifying
organization called New Corp and Kira, Jed and their friends end up fleeing for
their lives trying to find a safe place to live. They travel to City 36 and
City 9 in vain and must go further afield.
In
the final book, The Gaia Solution, the main characters have ended up
with the Resistance and not only do they have to deal with surviving against
New Corp but an extinction environmental event is looming on the horizon and
they’re running out of time to save what’s left of the human race.
Praise for The Gaia Effect, winner of the 2017 Raven Award for best sci-fi/fantasy book
‘A
story filled with emotion, angst & hope’
‘Brilliant
post-apocalyptic science fantasy’
‘Wonderfully
written, with a warm friendship at its heart’
‘A
fantastic debut novel’
Praise
for The Gaia Project
‘A
fantastic read from start to end’
‘Great
book, thought-provoking read’
‘Mums
are the heroes of the story and it’s the relationships that make it all work’
About the Author
Claire
Buss is a multi-genre author and poet based in the UK. She wanted to be Lois
Lane when she grew up but work experience at her local paper was eye-opening.
Instead, Claire went on to work in a variety of admin roles for over a decade
but never felt quite at home. An avid reader, baker and Pinterest addict Claire
won second place in the Barking and Dagenham Pen to Print writing competition
in 2015 with her debut novel, The Gaia Effect, setting her writing career in
motion. She continues to write passionately and is hopelessly addicted to cake.
Gina Rae Mitchell is a creative soul who likes to try her hand at various things: knitting, reading, crafting, and of course blogging. A lover of books, she writes reviews and monthly lists with recommendations on them.
In
addition to book reviews, Gina also enjoys writing about food. She lives on a
farm and shares knowledgeable tips on gardening, cooking and canning that avid foodies
will appreciate. I’m eager to prepare the teriyaki barbecue
pineapple chicken recipe. It sounds tasty!
A doting
grandmother, Gina believes family comes first.
Now that I’ve introduced you to Gina, let’s get to know her a little better.
Hello,
Gina, welcome to Angel Kiss Publications. Thank you for agreeing to do this
interview.
Thank you
for having me.
What
inspired you to be a blogger?
I love to write and talk. Since I live in a remote area, blogging is like talking to friends every day.
Can you
tell us a little about your blog Gina Rae Mitchell?
I started
out blogging about a bit of everything; books, food, crafts, family, &
more. In 2019, I have slowly shifted my main focus to books.
Is
blogging your full-time profession?
Yes, I
suppose you could say that. I am retired, and blogging lets me continue to feel
productive, and some months, I even earn a bit of extra “fun” money.
How long
have you been blogging?
I have
had several blogs over the years beginning around 2008. GRM is the first one I
have taken seriously, and I believe that is reflected in my growing following.
How many
books have you reviewed?
Since I
began my book review business & website last year, about 275. I couldn’t
begin to guess how many before I started keeping track of them.
Which
genres do you review?
I review
almost all genres. I do not read horror, gore, or erotica. My favorites are
probably romantic comedy and children’s books.
What do
you find most challenging reviewing for these genres?
Non-fiction
is probably the most difficult as I usually don’t have a basic knowledge or
possibly even an interest in the subject.
What are
you reviewing now?
This week
I reviewed two non-fiction books on religious myths and communicating with the
nonverbal child, a cowboy romance trilogy, and a dark fantasy novel. I love
being introduced to books that would not normally catch my attention.
What has
been your most rewarding experience since you started blogging?
I would
have to say it’s connecting with readers. Nothing delights me more than a blog
reader letting me know they tried a book I recommended and enjoyed it.
What advice would you give to bloggers just starting out?
Simply
write and get your words out there. As you gain your voice and improve your
skills, you can go back & polish your earlier posts. That’s a good activity
for days when you aren’t in the mood to create new posts. Oh & most
important of all…. BACK UP YOUR WORK!
Is there anything else you’d like your readers to know about you?
I’m a
geeky grandma! I love technology. I create & manage all my own websites and
images. They may not be perfect, but I enjoy doing it.
What
message are you sharing in your blog?
I believe for the world to be a better place, we should all read books. There is no better way to understand someone different from you than to put yourself in their shoes through a good story.
What are
your favorite books/authors?
Oh, I love so many!
The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon has been a favorite for years. A recent favorite is The Sinking of Bethany Ann Crane by K. Kris Loomis.
The Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene has a place of honor on my bookshelves. My great-grandma introduced me to them, and now I am so pleased to share them with my grandchildren.
What are
your favorite movies, TV shows?
It’s a Wonderful Life and The Big Chill are my two favorite movies. As for TV, I would have to say Jeopardy and college basketball. I don’t watch a lot of TV shows.
When
you’re not blogging, where can we find you?
Somewhere
on the farm with my nose in a book or at my grandkids sporting events. I also
love to travel. We have been driving all over the US since retiring. That’s the
great thing about blogging. You can work from anywhere!
How can
an author have their book reviewed by you?
I have a
book review policy on my website. They can use the website contact form or
email me at GinaRaeMitchell@gmail.com.
Do you
have a website/Facebook page, etc.?
My
website is: GinaRaeMitchell.com. I am
most active on Twitter, Goodreads, & Pinterest as @ginaraemitchell.
Thank you, Gina, for spending time with us and sharing your
story. We wish you continued success and lots of luck!
