Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome J.J.N. Whitley, author of The Orichalcum Crown, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

J.J.N. Whitley

J. J. N. Whitley is a licensed attorney and proud cat-dad. His time in Okinawa sparked a love for anime and JRPGs, and living in Australia did the same for sports.

You can find author Whitley here:
Instagram | Youtube | Patreon | X

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Could you provide our readers with a personal introduction beyond your official Author Bio?

Sure. I’m JJNW (Juh-jin-wuh). I introduced myself as that one year in drama class, and the name stuck. One year for Halloween I told a friend I was JJNW’s ghost, and that stuck too.

I’m naturally fidgety and always itching to work on the next project, whether it’s something I’m writing, playing or watching. So when I was diagnosed with ADHD last year I thought it explained a lot.

Beyond the blurb, can you share a unique aspect or background detail about your book’s setting or characters?

One major detail is the prevalence of gods. The oft aloof All-Mother is the literal mother of Athena and one of her sisters. The original emperor runs a brothel just down the mountain. Even when they’re not directly involved in the plot, their shadows loom large.

Every book begins with an idea. What was the initial inspiration that led you to write this particular story?

Funny enough, it came from a lack of inspiration. I realized that while I’d been working on existing projects for several years, I hadn’t come up with anything new in a long time. I started with the central idea of exploring the relationships of a royal family with an aging emperor on the decline and let it flow from there.  

Fantasy often tackles profound themes. What central message or theme do you hope readers will take away from your book?

The initial theme was about the weight of leadership. Heavy is the head that wears the crown and all. But, despite the best intentions, that head is still human and prone to err. As the story evolved, it also tackled the theme of feeling like an outcast even in places where you’re supposed to be loved.

Of all the characters in your book, is there one you feel particularly close to? Why?

As much as I love Athena, I’d have to say Makoto. At her core, Makoto is someone who believes love must be earned and is almost always at risk of being lost. She wants nothing more than to be loved without needing to perform but is terrified of her authentic self being rejected.

There are elements of that I relate to. My favorite line in the book comes from her conversation with Ephraim in the garden and came right from my own heart.

How do you approach character development in a fantasy setting to ensure they are relatable to readers?

By grounding key character traits and relationships in reality. A handful of examples.

Athena being a protective older sister comes from her strained relationships with her parents. Dad is busy running the empire, and Mom is too busy being a god to care. So, she takes it on herself to make sure the little scamps are cared for.

Olive’s love of art stems from Athena’s encouragement. Now it helps her feel connected to a sister that’s no longer around.

Makoto and Ephraim are so close, because they met at a time when they each needed friendship. She needed a friend to make her feel safe in a new environment, and he needed a friend to deal with the grief of losing his parents.

When the character’s core feels grounded, their development comes naturally. Even in the face of fantastical elements.

What served as the primary inspiration for your characters? Were they from existing myths, personal experiences, dreams, or something else entirely?

Once I decided on the initial premise of a royal family, I had to start filling out the ranks. While some characters, like Ephraim and Klaus, are unique to this story, several others are from other ideas that never went anywhere. This includes major players; such as Athena, Makoto and Reina. It’s why I often refer to this story as my Island of Misfit Toys.

How long did the process of writing this book take from inception to completion?

About six years off and on. I had several drafts that started and ended in different places. I’d take breaks from writing or to work on other projects before coming back to tinker with it some more. The first idea started around February, 2020 when I was walking the track at the gym.

Are there other stories or fantasy worlds you’re currently developing?

Absolutely. One of them is a story of people trapped in a video game, so it’s a hybrid science fiction story as well. Another takes place in a world my friend made. And another is small town Indiana but with a little dash of magic. 

What attracts you to the fantasy genre specifically? Do you explore other genres as well?

I usually stick with fantasy but include other genres as part of the work. I love that fantasy has no limits and can encompass other genres. You can still write romance, horror, comedy and drama within a fantasy setting.

When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer? Was the journey straightforward, or did you face challenges along the way?

My fourth grade teacher, Mr. Kolp, had a mandatory journal writing period. I would write stories based on shows I was watching; like Dragon Ball or Pokémon. Had so much fun that I kept doing it. There’ve been a lot of challenges. Self-doubt, low sales and all that. But, here we are still doing it because I love it. 

Can you describe your typical writing routine?

It usually goes one of two ways. I’ll either have a flash of inspiration and starting writing a scene on my phone until the scene ends or I get stuck.

Alternatively, I’ll sit at my computer and re-read the last few paragraphs to get back into the scene. I’ll see it play out in my head and transcribe it as best I can. If I get stuck, I’ll go for a walk and think through it and hopefully get unstuck.

Editing is a crucial part of the writing process. How do you approach revisions and self-editing in the context of a fantasy narrative?

I try to note what’s missing or inconsistent in a draft when I’m reviewing it. If a character mentions something that’s from a previous draft then it needs to be cut or reworked. Likewise, if someone acts in a way they normally wouldn’t there needs to be a good reason for it or else it’s gone.

In addition, if there are elements of the plot or characterization that are lacking or not featured at all then I note where they should be inserted and rework those moments.

With the growing popularity of audiobooks and multimedia adaptations, have you considered these formats for your work?

I haven’t looked into audiobooks at this time, but I’d love one. I think it would be really cool.

I’d be ecstatic if someone wanted to adapt Orichalcum into a show, movie or game but I’m not holding my breath yet.

If you had to describe your writing style in three words, what would they be?

Talkative but violent.

What tools or methods do you prefer for writing—computer, typewriter, voice recording, or traditional pen and paper?

My go to is the notes app on my phone. That way I can write in just about any situation. But when I need to grind out some pages or editing, then I have to sit at my computer. Every now and then I do enjoy hand writing a few pages.

Could you share five books or authors that have influenced your writing, especially within the fantasy genre?

The Harry Potter series is a big one. I know I read a lot as a kid, but it’s the first time I remember being sucked into another world and not wanting to leave.

Lord of the Rings and Warriors as series with their own mythologies and large casts of characters.

I read Mistborn a few years ago, which helped a lot in developing the magic system of another story.

While not a book series, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the Trails series for its world building and character writing.

How do you tackle Writer’s Block when working within the expansive boundaries of fantasy?

A couple different ways. If a particular sentence is giving me trouble I’ll write a very basic to the point sentence, put it in brackets and move on with the paragraph.

If it’s the start of a scene or story, I’ll try hand writing and just seeing what happens. I did that with one story and a character I hadn’t previously imagined showed up and changed the whole ding dang thing.

If it’s a big picture element, I’ll play around with different versions of it and discuss it with people who know the story.

What piece of advice would you offer to budding writers, especially those looking to venture into fantasy?

Number one is to write. It’s the cliche answer, but your idea will always be just that until you write it down. 

Number two is be flexible and willing to adapt. Sometimes plot threads and characters don’t go where you initially imagined, and that’s okay. 

Last is to have a “why guy”. Someone who knows the story about as well as you do who you can bounce ideas off of. Regardless if they like the new idea or not, their job is to ask why a new direction is a good thing. The process of explaining it will generally show if it’s a passing fancy or something with deeper roots. Then you can have a good faith discussion about it.

Thank you, author Whitley, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

The Orichalcum Crown

Makoto lost her mother to a battle she can’t remember before being adopted into the Kauneus Empire’s royal family. Upon her eighteenth birthday, she receives her mother’s necklace from the emperor. Makoto’s memories slowly return, haunting her with visions of her lost sister and her mother’s murder.
She is torn between the family and answers awaiting her across the sea and the relationships with her family, best friend, and his handsome brother. Makoto fears returning home will cast doubt upon her loyalty to the emperor and sever her from the family. After all, Kauneus has no need for a disloyal princess.
Makoto’s eldest adoptive sister, Athena, remains banished from Zenith Palace for uncovering the emperor’s secret bastard. She is visited by her former dragon uncle, who shares a rumor that the emperor will be assassinated during the annual ball. Athena has no choice but to break her exile to save her father. Returning home risks death, but she’ll pay any price for her family’s safety.
As night falls upon the ball, lurking shadows and hidden agendas threaten the empire’s fragile peace. Makoto and Athena must navigate the delicate lines between loyalty and betrayal and learn what they are willing to sacrifice for freedom, truth, and family.

You can find The Orichalcum Crown here:
Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Books2Read

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com

Welcome to TRB Lounge. Today, I’d like to welcome Alison Bellringer, author of Whisper: Book One, for an author interview with The Reading Bud.

About The Author

Alison Bellringer

Alison has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others through the art of publishing.
Alison loves spending time with her pet dog, a Labrador x Huntaway called Smoky, teaching her tricks and taking her for walks. She lives in a small town in New Zealand near many beautiful parks and beaches.
Alison has been playing trombone since about 2010, euphonium from mid-2019, and always likes getting together with a few friends to ‘make a joyful noise’ sharing music. She also enjoys a bit of freelance photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.One of her books, The Bronson Escapades, is a Silver Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards® honorary seal of excellence, and The Wolf Cub is a 2^nd Place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the ‘Education’ and ‘Coffee Table & Gift Books’ categories, in addition to obtaining Honorary Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children’s Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets (a complete list of results can be found on the Story Monsters Book Awards website). More recently, The Wolf Cub received the Bronze Medal for the ‘EBook Pre-Teen Fiction’ category in the 2025 Moonbeam Book Awards. Alison’s 2024 trilogy titled Whisper, Lucas, and Escape have also been presented with the NAPPA Award winning seal. 

You can find author Bellringer here:
Author Website | Facebook

Interview

Welcome to TRB! Could you give our readers a personal introduction beyond what’s mentioned in your Author Bio?

Everyone in my immediate family have been avid readers for a long time and my three older siblings and I were all homeschooled using a very literacy-based program, which means there were always plenty of books lying around the house whenever we wanted to read something. The style of each author that we had literature from was quite varied, so the range of material available to us covered quite a number of different topics or genres, including early-readers to more in-depth novels for older children or young adults.

As a result of this widespread exposure to books from such an early age, it would be reasonable to assume that my initial interest in reading naturally contributed toward my notable passion for creative writing. This pursuit has only grown stronger ever since penning my first little story and I have now been writing children’s fiction for at least twenty years, with several later ones actually being professionally published, including Whisper (Book One) and the rest of the trilogy.

Children’s books often come with vibrant illustrations and settings. Can you share some background or details about the world or characters of your book that might not be immediately obvious?

At this point, none of my children’s books contain illustrations, other than what may be on the front cover. I absolutely love leaving the visual aspect up to each individual reader to interpret as they wish because they would all have a slightly different idea about exactly how each character looks, and what distinctive impression or feeling various settings invoke for them in particular. My writing style is usually quite descriptive and several independent reviewers have commented about things like how they’ve been drawn right into the book’s plot, could easily identify with the main character or topic being touched upon, or vividly able to picture different scenes in their mind’s eye and feel as if they were there in person.

Every children’s book carries a spark. What was the moment or idea that inspired this story for you?

Unfortunately, more and more children are facing similar problems in the real world to what my fictional character endures at the tender age of five. Initially, this little girl is a victim of domestic abuse, and I wanted other children to be able to relate to her story and have hope that even extremely difficult circumstances can be overcome if the right support is in place to help them get through it.

In actual fact, a friend of mine read this first manuscript and suggested that the story could easily be turned into a series, with the central focus switching between some of the other main characters and filling out more details about their own lives, making each one even more relatable and compelling overall. I readily agreed with this idea and after a bit of thought and time to consider, fitted together parts two and three, with certain scenes overlapping some of those already covered in Whisper, only pictured from a different character’s point of view.

Children’s literature often imparts valuable lessons. Is there a particular message or theme in your book that you hope resonates with young readers?

I hope readers are able to learn valuable life skills as a result of picking up one of my books and that my writing will encourage more in-depth discussions about different subjects, both within and out of the classroom. As a simple example, because a lot of my titles include some form of basic animal care as a key part of the story, I would love to hear directly from children who have gained new insight or a deeper understanding of how they could look after their own pets with a greater amount of awareness or sensitivity. Another example would be for readers to show more empathy toward others, especially when superficial differences occur, and being more mindful when they don’t know what personal struggles or battles someone else may be facing beneath the surface.

Among the characters in your book, is there one that holds a special place in your heart? Why?

My favorite character is Lucas; the titular character of the second book in the trilogy. Without giving too much away, he is one of the two kind-hearted people who took the vulnerable Britney in after she flees from an abusive home (which takes place in Whisper). I really enjoyed being able to delve more deeply into Lucas’ backstory as a young orphan and further developing this character’s journey as he makes the distinct transition from being a runaway himself and then later becoming the main guardian and protector of a similarly traumatized little girl.

Crafting characters that resonate with young readers can be a unique challenge. How do you approach character development to ensure they’re both engaging and relatable?

Apparently this aspect of writing develops very naturally for me, as I hardly ever have to intentionally think about this sort of thing beforehand, or even as the story progresses. It is often only once I’ve finished the primary draft that I am able to take a figurative step back in order to see the bigger picture and can then pinpoint the fundamental core values or foremost attributes of each character, making slight adjustments if anything needs improving or could be expanded upon.

One thing authors could do to assess whether or not a particular character is sufficiently engaging or relatable is to ask themselves a series of questions about how the character has been portrayed. For example, do they experience a believable combination of real human emotions? Does the character have an interesting backstory or achieve something of notable worth over the course of the narrative? What is something new that the character has learned about themselves or someone else by the end of the book? Have they changed their opinion or view of something that was previously misunderstood? What would you have done in the character’s situation? While readers may not have to like every character personally, it is still important that they are able to connect with them in some way and can at least have a general understanding of who they are or what it is about the character that makes them convincing enough to include as a meaningful part of the story.

Was there a specific event, memory from your own childhood, or something else that served as the cornerstone for this book?

Not that I’m aware of. My books are not generally based on real people or specific true-to-life scenarios, but on a foundational aspect, they are depicted quite strongly with a sense of realism rather than being overly steeped in fantasy or make-believe. For Whisper, I wanted the main topic, or topics, to be something a little more challenging or thought-provoking than any themes I had attempted before with my earlier works. While the precise language being used has been deliberately chosen to remain suitable for a middle-grade audience, it does still deal with different elements regarding domestic abuse, survival, overcoming childhood trauma, and navigating complex family relationships.

How long did it take you to bring this story from concept to the final published book?

As I’ve just mentioned in answer to an earlier question, there was a bit of a gap between finishing off Whisper as book one and until the time I really started on the rest of the trilogy, but once I’m ready to get going, the physical writing of each manuscript never takes very long to complete. I generally like to get each draft to a level I’m pretty satisfied with before setting it aside, however many read throughs that requires, but I would generally revisit the story and give it a final polish prior to submitting any new material to my publisher.

Are there other tales or characters you’re currently working on for young readers?

I am working on a new series with my publisher at the moment which will likely consist of several consecutive stories each featuring the same central characters. The Horses of Saddlers Ranch is my take on the classic ‘horse-loving, pony-mad teenager concept’ and the bonds that they form with these majestic, four-legged animals. Each subsequent book is titled after a different horse, and centers around the lives of Coral Johnson and her two best friends as they have various adventures on her family’s ranch and discover the unique personalities of each new animal. Cloud kick-starts the series and came out during mid-2025, and the second book, Golden Haze, was released in early October. Book Three currently has a release date set for January 2026 and I am extremely hopeful that there will be a few more instalments yet to come even after that.

This series is also aimed for a similar middle-grade audience, or 9-12 age group, as last years’ trilogy, with underlying themes of treasuring close friendships (regardless of any starkly contrasting attributes), behaving responsibly and accepting the often-unexpected consequences of different actions, problem-solving, and overcoming various other challenges in the characters’ daily lives. It is proving to be a fantastic new series, suitable for horse or animal lovers alike, with the chief focus of each book based on offering a more convincing portrayal of how difficult ranch work can be in the real world.

What draws you to writing for children specifically? Do you ever dabble in other genres or age groups?

My main focus as an author is to create engaging chapter books for children who are able to read simple plotlines on their own, continuing to help them grow in confidence and learn about real-life issues, even within fictional settings. Similarly, a long-term goal for my writing is to present younger readers with a wider range of material which illustrate high moral standards and assist those children to personally embrace these traits in their own day-to-day lives. It has never been about the number of sales made, but rather, how many people I can reach in a positive way who will then come away from their reading experience feeling encouraged or more inspired by the underlying messages of hope found in most of my books.

Children’s middle-grade fiction is still one of my favorite genres to read, even though I’m no longer in that age group, and my stories are likely a tangible reflection of that. I especially enjoy the ones about animals, so it seemed perfectly natural for me to adopt a similar sort of approach with my own writing. I do, however, have plenty of ideas for some adult novels that I would be keen to try my hand at in the not-too-distant future, but I am uncertain exactly when that will happen or how long it might be before I’d be ready to share them with anyone else…

Can you recall the moment you decided to write for children? Was it a straightforward path or were there twists along the way?

I don’t think this was ever really a conscious decision so much as a natural leaning toward writing in the genres that I have always enjoyed reading anyway. Crafting new stories for children has long been the direction that has inevitably drawn me in, and it seems the most fitting option considering my more long-term goals and some of the driving factors behind why I keep coming up with fresh material for this age group in particular.

Could you share a bit about your writing routine, especially as it pertains to crafting stories for children?

I have no regular time set aside specifically for writing, as it usually just depends on whenever the appropriate incentive strikes. I also like to mix it up with my other hobby of photography so that I’m not always doing the same thing every week.

What most often seems to happen is a potential new title will pop into my mind first and then I’ll gradually fill out more of the corresponding plotline or additional details as I write, sometimes with slightly unexpected results. I generally prefer to just go with the flow and see where it takes me rather than risk hindering my creativity too much by having any predetermined criteria, such as its exact length when finished or deciding how many chapters the story is going to have in advance instead of allowing it to fit together more naturally. I do have quite a long list of ideas though, which is where I will note down any sudden bursts of inspiration for safekeeping until I am ready to select the next most pressing title that is clamoring for attention and actually begin the process of writing out the entire original draft so that it’ll be ready for any future touch-ups to be incorporated as needed.

Editing stories for young readers has its own set of considerations. How do you approach the revision process to ensure the narrative is both engaging and age-appropriate?

There are a number of issues I keep an eye out for during the final editing stage. One key aspect of this process is to make sure that the vocabulary is challenging enough to test and grow readers’ skills, but not so difficult that it is no longer manageable or would detract from their overall enjoyment of the story as a whole. I generally go through each manuscript multiple times after the initial draft, and one reason for that is to help minimize the potential for readers to trip over unusual words or phrases if all it takes is a simple reordering of words, or some other quick fix, that would make it flow off the tongue just that much easier. Another purpose for doing this is to avoid having too much repetition throughout the book (i.e. using the same word multiple times to describe something when I could easily just swap it out for another, which would keep the story sounding fresh while retaining more avid interest from the reader).

It has always come quite naturally for me to craft memorable scenes or characters that would be appealing to lots of middle-graders. Most of my books are best suited to children aged 8-14 who are confident enough to handle reading them on their own, but adapting read-alouds to slightly younger kids would also suit my style of writing quite well, and the short chapters make it far more practical to just read small sections at a time if they cannot cope with any longer sessions given all at once.

Given the increasing multimedia engagement for children, have you considered other formats like audiobooks or interactive apps for your stories?

Not really at this stage. I realize these formats are becoming more and more popular in this day and age, but to put it simply, the more editions or formats an author decides to use for their books the more expensive it can get to first have the initial production done, and then maintain effective marketing plans or promotional leads for every additional aspect relating to each title. I have not put much research into pursuing any of these options as of yet, so I may very well be mistaken, however even having just paperback and ebook editions available are great options to start with and seemed perfectly adequate to me when I first accepted the publisher’s contract.

In just three words, how would you describe your style of storytelling for children?

Immersive. Uplifting. Wholesome.

Do you have a preferred method or tool for writing – whether it’s a computer, typewriter, voice recording, or good old-fashioned pen and paper?

I have always preferred writing my stories by hand – hence the general inclusion of the ‘putting pen to paper’ reference in my author bio – but I’ve now come to the point where doing this and then having to type it all up afterward is simply too time-consuming and becoming no longer practical, largely because of this needless doubling up of tasks (especially as my manuscripts have been gaining in length and complexity as the years go by). I love copy-typing really, and used to just freeze up if there was nothing already there for me to work off, but more experience and consistent practice in constructing various plotlines and developing a range of different characters has made this much less of a problem area for me.

Are there children’s authors or specific books that have been influential in shaping your writing journey?

Nothing specific comes to mind. I have read a great many middle-grade books in my lifetime, as well as an array of adult novels, so it would be reasonable to assume that a lot of my writing is simply a general reflection of some kind of ‘storehouse’ of information that has been unconsciously accumulated over a significant period of time, especially as new titles or authors are discovered whose work is then enjoyed over and over again.

Writer’s Block can strike anyone. How do you navigate it, especially when crafting stories for a younger audience?

I believe this can be an issue for some writers, although I’ve always found it to be more of a problem depending on the mindset of the author concerned rather than anything else. For me, I occasionally get the misguided notion stuck in my head that the next scene or some upcoming dialogue is going to be more difficult to keep the story moving forward, so I end up just putting it off despite knowing from previous experience that whenever I decide to just sit down and get on with it the words usually just flow into place automatically, often without conscious thought. I also have quite a long list of potential titles or topics to include in future stories, so coming up with new material to write about has never been much of a challenge for me either.

For those aspiring to write for children, what advice would you share based on your experiences?

Just keep trying! It can be a rough road, full of potholes and bumps along the way, but I think it’s extremely important for authors to be able to write about topics that inspire them, or things that they’re passionate about, and can really let that shine through by staying true to themselves. Write what you know, but keep challenging yourselves in new ways to get better at your craft, so always set achievable goals to aim for. My last piece of advice would be to not let anyone push you around – pursue the vision which you have for your own book and then tirelessly search for those who will help you get there, rather than limiting your creative freedom by sticking it in a box or restricting yourself only to certain areas by attaching labels that you can’t break out of if your skillsets change when you continue to mature as a writer.

Thank you, author Bellringer, for taking the time to answer our questions and for all your insightful answers!

About the Book

Whisper: Book One

Britney is a young, extremely malnourished child, who comes from a poor family with an abusive father. Her mother does everything she can to protect her daughter from her husband, receiving the brunt of the aggressive beatings herself. The girl barely speaks, afraid of being overheard by the wrong person, and the only words she knows are the few repeated words her mother uses to calm her after a fight. A total of three words in all, namely – Whisper, Britney, and Ma. There is a very private, sheltered spot in the nearby forest which Britney uses as a place to hide away if ever her mother has to spend the day walking into the nearest town to purchase supplies or to trade goods. They have discreet, non-verbal signals which they use to keep the area hidden and make sure that Britney is secure (far away from Pa’s prying eyes). On one such day, Britney hears unusual sounds and is terrified that her father has found out about their system, but the surprise turns out to be just a lonesome little puppy. The girl quickly becomes friends with the stray, instantly joining forces in their solitude, only ever meeting in the secret place where they share such a deeply silent, unspoken bond. This continues until Ma helps her only child run away for good, tearfully leaving Britney to fend for herself in the best way she knows how. The adoring puppy (promptly being referred to as Whisper) unexpectedly follows the girl, and together they set off on a journey that will forever change their lives…

You can find Whisper here:
Austin Macauley

If you are an author and wish to be featured as our guest or if you are a publicist and want to get your author featured on TRB, then please get in touch directly by e-mail at thereadingbud@gmail.com