Interview with J.J. Gonzalez, Author of The Starstrike
15 Jun 2022
What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Starstrike?
I was recovering from some health issues at the time I started writing The Starstrike. Issues I wasn’t expected to face at my age. The idea of a strong heroine who rapidly ages began to manifest and I turned her tale into a new adult book in a sci-fi fantasy world.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Starstrike, what would they be?
Cold’s Remedy, comes to mind for my main character GG5. A lot of what she has to face in the world of humans revolves around her being different from them and struggling to adapt.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
My all time favorite genres are Fantasy and Science Fiction with Romance in them, but lately I’ve been reading more Romantic thrillers. I do feel the need to write in the genres I like to read so I’m exploring the idea of getting into thrillers in the future.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
So many books on my TBR! The top two are House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas and Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
I love the last fight scene. It was the one I was most eager to write and that I basically shaped all the events around. Ironically, I found myself most nervous to create it at the same time.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I’m usually one to sleep late—being more of a night owl—but when I’m in first draft mode I just wake up between three and five in the morning naturally and just get to writing before I eat or do anything. While it’s great to get the writing done early, it can be a pain when I stayed up late the night before!
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
I try to live and think from an empathetic perspective and correct my initial judgments with other possibilities. It helps me be a better person and write from interesting perspectives.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
I would want them to remember how much my main character grows and develops. It was tricky writing in first person from a character who was constantly evolving and learning things about the world.
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