- a bestselling epic fantasy author
Readers, thanks for checking out another Author Spotlight Interview. Let’s give a good, hearty welcome to this week’s guest!
J.D. Ruffin is the author of multiple bestselling novels, including the epic fantasy Kingdom War series. Ironically, he never really enjoyed reading until a friend loaned him a dog-eared copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring. From that day, he was hooked, discovering fantasy authors Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, R.A. Salvatore, Terry Goodkind, and many, many others.
Becoming an author was never part of the master plan, but… As a fourteen-year-old bespeckled and befreckled boy, J.D. and his friends would gather around the D&D dice for hours on end, trading reality for fantasy, if only in their minds. In his quest to “stump his friends” with an impossible campaign, he dreamed up a storyline that captured his imagination.
Then… well… nothing happened.
He grew up and went to work in a completely different world. Too many years later, that story pulled at the corner of his mind, demanding to be heard… to be written.
Hence, an author was born.
J.D. lives in Florida with his three Australian shepherds. In his spare time, he enjoys playing amateur chef, hitting the tennis courts, traveling, and watching Survivor.
J.D., thanks for agreeing to be here today. Most author spotlight interviews start off with the boring stuff, but I know what readers REALLY want to know.
If you could have any pet (real/fantasy/no-allergies/no worries about feeding it) what would it be?
A baby dragon.
Dragons are a classic choice for a reason!
What do you write? And how did you get started?
Epic fantasy that occasionally crosses into young adult.
Becoming an author was an accident, really. I’d spent twenty years in the financial industry and never really thought about writing.
The pandemic was only a few months old, and I was stuck at home. A story I’d dreamed up as a kid popped into my head, so I decided to write it down before I forgot it. Three months later, I’d written a novel.
A few days after I typed “-END-“ a neighbor’s fourteen-year-old daughter saw the stack of papers on a side table and asked to read it. The next day, her mom called and asked if I’d finished book two because her daughter wanted to know what happened next.
That was my lightbulb moment, realizing this writing thing might have legs.
What a great way to find your way to the other side of the pen!
What do you like to read?
Mostly fantasy, but I can get a wild hair and pick up a spy or political thriller.
There are a few indie authors I’m really excited about. Michael R. Miller has put a new spin on dragons and dragon relationships with humans. I loved his latest series and look forward to more. Michael Webb and Glen Dahlgren are two other emerging indie authors with fun books out.
On the traditional side, Joe Abercrombie is a master writer. I’ve been working my way through his books, mostly in audio. Listening to his style, the way he describes people and places — without ever really describing them–is simply genius. I learn more from his writing than anyone I’ve read in a long time.
Some familiar names, and now I’ve got to add another name to my to-be-read pile.
What do you drink when you write/edit?
Usually iced tea. If I drank anything stronger, my editor would kill me.
Iced tea? Not sweet tea? You don’t sound Southern to me!
Do you snack when you write/edit? What are your favorites?
Sometimes. I try to keep it healthy, so mixed nuts with dried fruit, that sort of thing.
Yeah, those are only healthy in moderation. Lucky for you, you’re moderate in your snacking.
Name one commonly accepted piece of writing advice that doesn’t work for you
Historical fantasy doesn’t need to follow the truth.
In fantasy, I’ve been told the reader won’t care if you make up facts or alter historical timelines/norms. The few times I’ve tried that, someone with a lot more experience in that particular thing or time slapped me back into reality—usually in a public review.
I would think there are people who wouldn’t mind! As long as it’s a fantasy, they should let it go. Although, I suppose, it works best if world-building shows why things differed from reality? This is why I usually play in imaginary times and places. No one can tell me I got it wrong.
Name one commonly accepted piece of writing advice they can pry out of your cold, dead hands
Trigger the reader’s imagination, but don’t spell it out.
Joe Abercrombie is one of the best at describing a scene without really describing it. Anyone who’s read The Hobbit knows how an author can spend ten pages describing the color of the bark on a tree (forgive me Father Tolkien). Abercrombie gives the reader a few details, then lets their minds paint the rest. It’s brilliant.
For example, if you read, “James strode into the tavern,” what do you see? Probably wooden tables and chairs, a long bar on the back or side, a hearth with a roaring fire, possibly a man in colorful clothing strumming a mandolin. Those are all common fantasy tavern things.
Did I give you any of those? Nope. You did all the heavy lifting.
Joe would describe his tavern something like this, “Ale sloshed as the barmaid slammed an overfull mug against a table. Bacon fat assaulted his senses. A mangy cat in the corner yawled.”
I know enough from the description to get a feel for the place, but the writer didn’t kill me with every detail.
Sorry, Joe, if I butchered your style.
I’ve struggled with that! Mostly when my setting didn’t match the classic fantasy tropes and through my readers out of the story every time something didn’t fit. It means I need to do more world-building up front to prevent those assumptions from seeping in.
Shameless Self-Promotion time!
The Kingdom War (1-4)
When prominent citizens vanish, Guardsman Keelan Rea is charged with bringing the victims home. His gift of Truthreading made him the nation’s top investigator, but this search will test even his limits. The hunt gets personal when the woman he loves is taken.
A thousand miles away, the Crown Princess struggles between duty and love. When her mother forces unwelcome marriage, the Princess flees the capital with her secret boyfriend, only to be pursued by terrifying masked men who threaten more than just her freedom.
Time is running out for Keelan to save those missing, and for the Princess to save herself.
P.S. (Book 4 comes out July 11th, 2023)
P.P.S. Peter Kenny, the voice of The Witcher audiobooks, is performing this series. He’s world-class, and I’m excited to have him bring my stories to life.
The Rising Son (Isles of Jade and Fire #1)
The realm hurtles toward disaster, as the aging Emperor clings to power. His ancient dragon is the only thing standing between the land and utter chaos. If the dragon fails, the world will tumble into darkness and despair.
Amidst the looming threat of war and the scheming of rival houses, a young girl’s life is turned upside down when ruthless pirates raid her peaceful coastal village, taking her captive and tearing her from her homeland. Alone and scared, she must navigate a treacherous world of unknown dangers and unpredictable foes, struggling to survive and find her way back home.
With the help of a childhood friend who vows to bring her home, the girl braves treacherous seas and unknown dangers, determined to reclaim her freedom and save her people from a fate worse than death. As she embarks on her journey, she discovers unexpected allies and confronts formidable foes, each with their own agenda and hidden secrets.
As the girl’s journey of self-discovery and heroism intersects with the fate of the empire itself, the newly crowned prince struggles to find his place and prove his worth. With the forces of darkness closing in and time running out, the girl and the prince must find the strength within themselves to rise up and fight for what’s right, even if it means facing impossible odds and making the ultimate sacrifice.
Will the girl and the prince be able to save the empire from certain doom, or will the forces of darkness prevail? Join us on a journey of adventure, discovery, and self-discovery, as one girl fights to find her place in a world of magic and wonder, and discovers that sometimes, the greatest heroism comes from the most unexpected places.
Check out J.D. Ruffin across the web!
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WRITING TIPS & WRITERLY MUSINGS 
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