Please help me give a big Hoosblog welcome to J.R. Roper!

I’m really excited about this interview. I first met Joe at a book event in Kalamazoo, Michigan over six years ago and we immediately hit it off. Since then, we’ve shared tables at book events more times than I can count, have learned each other’s pitches well enough to sell each other’s books, and I’m constantly amazed at how quickly he sells out. While we haven’t seen each other in person in a couple years, we regularly swap marketing tips and I credit him for leading me down the path of the awards I’ve won.

J.R. Roper is the author of the Morus Chronicles, a fantasy series for middle grade readers. The Hunter Awakens, The Spirit of Steel, The Tower Below, and The Silver Spear are now available along with a collection of short stories titled Mel & the Black Rider. Roper’s work has appeared in ChildGood Magazine, Families First Monthly, and in anthologies by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, Horrified Press, and Thirteen O’Clock Press. His essay, Over The Edge, was published in Imagine This! An ArtPrize Anthology Volume 3, and nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Awards include a 2017 Children’s Literary Classics Award, 2016 Moonbeam Award for best series, a FOREWORD REVIEWS’ 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist, a 2015 Children’s Literary Classics Award , 2015 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Award for Children’s Action, and the Best Children’s Novel of 2014: Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll.

Tell us about your book!

My newest release is the box set of The Morus Chronicles. The series is perfect for fans of Brandon Mull and Rick Riordan. All FOUR books in the series of action-packed treasure hunts are included.

Book 1: The Hunter Awakens

When thirteen-year-old Ethan Morus is forced to stay on his grandparents’ old farm, he expects to find weathered barns, rusty tools, and a creaky house in need of fresh paint. What he doesn’t expect is to hear a legend placing his family at the center of an ancient treasure hunt. Or find burial chambers protected by poltergeists, or a secret lair guarded by an ancient beast. And least of all, Ethan doesn’t suspect that powerful sorcerers are watching his every move.

They’ve found Ethan and believe he is from a line of treasure hunters who possess a rare instinct to locate powerful artifacts. Whether he has the instinct or not, Ethan is faced with a choice-search the Morus property and find what they want or lose yet another family member.

Accolades for the series include:
2016 Moonbeam Award for Best Series
2015 Foreword Reviews IndieFab Finalist: Best Juvenile Fiction
2015 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal and chosen for Wind Dancer Films consideration
2015 Children’s Literary Classics Gold in Preteen Fantasy
2015 Fall Read for Children’s category at WZZM 13 My West Michigan Morning (ABC Affiliate)

 

Buy The Hunter Awakens or the full box set of The Morus Chronicles!

 

Now for the fun stuff!

What’s your favorite genre? Do you read what you write?

I am a huge fan of fantasy, mystery, some horror, and nonfiction in the self-help/optimize yourself category. I have mostly written in middle grade fantasy and adult horror. I have plans for a mystery series which will take center stage after I finish my current WIP (a middle grade fairy tale that hinges on a tweak in the Snow White story).

Logically I know there are people who love reading horror because it wouldn’t be published otherwise, but just thinking about it scares the bejeezus out of me.

What’s your favorite part about writing?

My favorite part is how much everything in the story comes together in ways I could never have imagined. I am 100% a planner. I create an outline for everything I write (even short stories and personal essays). When I sit my butt in the chair and get to work on a regular basis, that’s when the magic happens. Not sure what it is. The muses. My subconscious self. I really don’t know. But it has happened with every novel I have penned.

I wish more people understood that about writing — that even with planning, there are always surprises as the story unfolds. That’s my favorite part of writing too.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

The hardest part is definitely writing on a consistent basis. I have months where I write most days and months when I write a few days. Consistency is king. Even one meager page per day equates to one book per year. And one book per year is momentum. When I look at my writing speed and schedule I should be pumping out 2-3 books per year, but that has never happened yet.

I’ve recently seen some backlash to the “write every day” thing, but to me, if I don’t, it’s too easy to fall out of the habit. I need that consistency to stay productive.

What’s an activity unrelated to writing that you love?

I love spending time with my wife and children (always to wife, most of the time to children). We do a lot outside and love watching movies, reading books, and making art.

I would love to see the art you create with your kids!

Who’s your biggest cheerleader?

My biggest cheerleader, first editor, and motivator is my wife, Amanda. She is and always will be a more talented writer than myself. So who better to shred my work once I think I’ve finally nailed it. She has picked me up when I’ve felt down on my writing and has always been supportive of writing time and author events (which I did a lot of before March 2020).

I’m frankly a little disappointed we’ve never managed to have drinks or dinner with both our spouses. I’ve heard so much about Amanda over the years — and you’ve met Jeremy a number of times!

 

Now I’d like to play a fun little game called This or That. As a writer, I find that a lot of interviews ask the same questions, so I always appreciate sharing something new about myself. I’m super excited about these questions—and I hope you enjoy them!

Introvert or extrovert? Extrovert who gets exhausted and needs time away from people.

Morning or night person? Night person who always wanted to be a morning person.

Coffee or tea? Yes (coffee if you made me choose).

Sweet or salty? Sweet.

Eternal summer or four seasons? FOUR SEASONS.

Mountains or beach? Beach.

Dogs or cats? Dogs for sure!

Over 5’5” or under? Over (almost 6’2”).

Left or right-handed? Right.

Hoodie or yoga pants? Hoodie 🙂

I hear you on the extroverted answer. I never used to need that time to recharge, but as I’ve gotten older, I find I need more quiet time.  

Anything else you’d like to add?

For the writers out there just getting started, remember, this is a long game. You won’t figure it all out in three months. It will take years, perhaps decades. And you might have to do something job wise that you don’t love in order to live and fund the early years of your writing career. You can do it!

Readers! What else can I say other than, I love you.

J.R., thank YOU much for spending this time with me and my readers. I’ve enjoyed this so much! Readers, you can find J.R. at these links—and be sure to check out The Morus Chronicles!  

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook

 

Buy The Hunter Awakens or the full box set of The Morus Chronicles!

 

 

If you missed the previous interviews, you can read them here.