Interview with J.J. Singleton, Author of Chronicles of a Spell Caster: Orientation

What can you tell us about your new release, Chronicles of a Spell Caster: Orientation?

If you like Harry Potter or anything Marvel you will love Chronicles of a Spell Caster: Orientation. It is an action-packed urban fantasy that follows Jet’s journey navigating his freshman year of college. But in this world, which is parallel to our own, everyone on the planet has abilities. During his time at Welwerth University, Jet will find out who his real friends and enemies are, all the while having to fight his way through different and complicated situations.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

What pushed me to become an author and take the leap in creating and publishing this book was my dyslexia. I have struggled with reading and writing my whole life, and I was not to fond of reading, writing and books because they all brought me frustration. But I always had an active imagination, and one day I decided to take the things I imagined as a child and make a story out of them. And slowly becoming an author was something I wanted to be. But more importantly, I wanted to face and overcome the obstacles that challenged and frustrated me. And to me to do this, was creating and writing a book. Also, with publishing this book, I wanted to show others that have a learning difference, that if you have a goal or a dream you want to achieve, go for it, and don’t let anything hold you back.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

1. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
2. Nefertiti by Michelle Morgan
3. The Medici: Power, Money, and Ambition in the Italian Renaissance by Paul Strathern
4. A lesson before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
5. Their eyes are watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

I am a huge ancient history nerd, so I would want my first guest to be my favorite queen Nefertiti of ancient Egypt. The story of her life always and will forever intrigue me. I would probably ask her what it was like living back then and what stories and tales were popular in her time?

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

My favorite thing about writing is getting lost in creativity. When writing, you become the master of the world you are creating, the character, the setting. With writing, I find that your mind achieves freedom that allows you to escape reality for a while, which I find very peaceful.

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for me is waking early, walking my greyhound, feeding him, and then getting ready for work. In a non-Covid era, I would make my way to the train station to wait for the train to take me into the city and then walk to my job while listening to music. After work, I would come home, greeted at the door by my dog, we would go for a walk. After our walk it would be dinner time. Later in the evening after dinner, I usually sit down for a little and write down all the creative thoughts that came to mind throughout the day. The evening part of my day would have to be my favorite because I can create and outline new stories or continue a story I am already working on.

What scene from Chronicles of a Spell Caster: Orientation was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene to write was in Entry 10. Fun fact, entry 10 was the first part of the book written, then everything else followed afterward. There are two reasons this entry is my favorite. One is because it has my favorite fight scene in it, between Jet and a character by the name of Sesiro. Through this scene, you see what magic can do in this universe, and you see Jet push himself, and in doing so, he learns new things about his abilities. The second reason, I loved creating Sesiro and his story and how his appearance and the encounter with Jet will shape Jet in the future.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Never give up on yourself and your goals and dreams!

J.J. Singleton is the author of the new book Chronicles of a Spell Caster: Orientation

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