Who was the first author that you remember reading?

Terry Brooks. I know there were other books and authors, but the Shannara Chronicles really pushed me toward fantasy. The Elfstones of Shannara was the first book that really shook me because of the Changeling.

Who was the first indie author that you discovered?

M.L. Wang, Rob J. Hayes, and Will Wight were the first indie authors relatively on my radar. I still haven’t read any of Rob’s work, but I have a strong feeling it is exactly up my alley.

Which authors have most contributed to or influenced your indie experience?

There are too many to name. I was fortunate enough to find not one, but two groups of authors who support, encourage, and offer feedback. Bella Dunn, Lorraine Douglas, Alex Schuemerman, Bill Adams, Mike Roberti, Dave Lawson, Tom Bookbeard, Z.B. Steele, and so many more.

Where do you write and how often?

I most often write on my lunch break at work, so I’ll eat and then spend 30-45 minutes writing. If I’m crunching to finish something, I’ll write after work at home. My soft goal is approximately 1,000 words a day, and I tend to hit that consistently.

If you had to write a book about your writing experience, what would it be called?

Stationary Momentum, lol. The phrase/pun has stuck with me for a long time. Writing for so long, putting so much energy and effort into it, to feel like you still haven’t really gotten anywhere. But it’s just a matter of time.

What’s the best interaction you’ve ever had with a reader?

I was at a convention during the summer, selling books. A young teen and I chatted about magic, characters, and what he might want to eventually write for about 30 mins. His mother was going to surprise him with a copy of Bloodwoven for his birthday, and he didn’t know. Long story short, after our talk, he hounded her to buy it for him then and there. He left, and came back 10 minutes later to tell me how GOOD the opening was. It was such a cool experience helping to “cultivate” a potential young writer, and then to see his reaction to my book in real time.

Do you have any furry/scaly/feathered writing companions?

My corgi, Reese, often sits by my feet when I write from home. He’s the best writing buddy.

What should people expect from your books?

Deep character work, some emotional impact, and brutal magic that always has a price.

What have you got coming up or what are you working on?

My next release is a first-person, Shinto-inspired Dark Fantasy titled He Who Ate the Wild. Early reception has been super positive, and I’m beyond excited about it. The book recently funded on Kickstarter, and is available for pre-order on Amazon ahead of the official launch on 24th July! You can pick up a copy in the US here and in the UK here.

Thanks so much for answering our questions, GJ! If you want to find out more about him and his writing, you can find all the details over on GJ’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gjterral

This is a shortened version of GJ Terral’s interview. The full interview is available to our Patreon members. You can find out more about our Patreon and additional content here.