Meet J.R. Traas | Author of The Aelfraver Trilogy” & Tutor”

We had the good fortune of connecting with J.R. Traas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J.R., why did you pursue a creative career?
At 11 years old, I decided to become a writer. As it’s been over two decades since then, my exact starting motivations are fairly hazy, but I recall craving the same thing many little kids do — ascension to godhood. Fantasy provided a natural-feeling playground for my deific desires. I already loved books like “A Wizard of Earthsea” and “The Golden Compass,” and my irrepressible impulse, “I want to do that too!”, quickly had me inserting cardboard versions of friends and family into one-dimensional one-act narratives. Tales in which I, of course, played the roles of Alpha and Omega.

Knocking out those first couple chapters in my original, budding fantasy world, I enjoyed the sense of control inherent in telling fictional characters what to do and say. With the stroke of a pen or the clack of a keyboard key, I could raise up and bring down entire civilizations. That is, if I’m honest, where it all began.

However, as I grew older, and I began to learn more about writing theory and technique, I came to experience what others have described as “character independence.” The idea that the characters will “tell” the author what they will or won’t do, transforming the writing process into a hostage negotiation, with the cold-sweat-soaked protagonist holding a wicked knife to the plot’s jugular. It’s not literally true, of course, of course, but… While we aren’t completely beholden to our characters in the end, authors aren’t gods. If anything, we are Prime Movers. We set up the dominos. Where they’ll fall, however, even we couldn’t say with certainty.

These days, even in my own worlds, I’m at most a lesser imp—a trickster. I outline the characters, world, and plot, and knock over the first domino; afterward, occasionally, I’ll throw a wrench in the works. Generally, though, after I turn the machine on, it starts running on its own, and I simply monitor the progress.

What I’m trying to say is that I didn’t have a choice, ultimately, in becoming a writer; my circumstances shaped me. A desire to understand my own thoughts from a young age set me on this path. Now, why I decided to make a career out of it… That question requires a three-part answer:

Firstly, at some point I thought, “Well, if I’m going to spend tens of thousands of hours doing this, maybe I should try to make a little money off it.” Access to food and shelter is nice.

Secondly, I’ve come to accept and appreciate that I’m not one hundred percent in control of my stories—not on a conscious level anyway. This means I get to be my own first alpha reader, and events can take fascinating turns. Part of the reason I keep world-building is that I enjoy surprising myself and am invested in seeing how each ride ends.

Finally, and most importantly, I’ve had a dream for a long time now—at least ten years. I want to publish a series that people, even a small group of people, will point to as their favorite fandom. Nothing would make me happier than to have a someone who, like me, survived a harder childhood, come up to my convention booth one of these years and say something to the effect of “Your book made me happy.” Maybe my latest series, beginning with “The Rave” and which I am expanding even now, will give someone that “safe space” or “escape” they are seeking. That’s my hope.

I am an artist because I want to belong. I want to belong because I want to understand myself and others. Art is how we connect beyond the literal. You may think you’re reading my story, but what you’re actually glimpsing is a sliver of my soul.

Designating writing and publishing as my career is just my concession to the requirements of our reality; I write because it’s the best way I know how to be real.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My most recent trilogy, the first two installments of which are out now on Amazon.com, is a great example of my developing brand. “The Aelfraver Trilogy” is an “arcanepunk cyberfantasy” — a niche in the sci-fi fantasy genre — which basically is shorthand for “body horror meets shape-shifting meets cyberpunk meets anime fights meets dark magic meets hover cars meets wizard duels meets dystopian military meets dream quests.” What sets me apart is the way I blend these disparate genres and tropes into character-focused narratives. I anchor you with direct, specific details so that, when the super soldier fights the mechanical dragon drone, you are all the way onboard. If you care about the characters, if they feel real, then you can truly lose yourself in the bizarre and fantastical worlds I’ve built for you.

As for how I got to this stage of my career, it absolutely wasn’t easy, and there still is a long, long way to climb. I’ve already mentioned some of the many people I owe for getting me to where I am. In addition to their input, though, I have also had to get tougher. I’ve faced many, many rejections over the years. Competitions, literary agents, publishing houses, small presses, take your pick—I’ve got my punch card ready, and I’ve nearly got BINGO by this point. Whether receiving the cold shoulder or a polite “it’s not for us at this time,” I have had to learn to not take rejection personally, even though to me writing is incredibly personal. What helps me stay grounded is remembering that I’m not alone in this struggle. So, I get involved in writer’s workshops, and I talk about books and writing with YouTubers, Instagram creators, and fellow authors and readers on Discord. By staying connected, I remember that what’s most important is to have fun, and sharing challenges and joys with others is a great way to hold onto that lesson.

Thankfully, I have a day job I’m also passionate about: tutoring (reading and writing, SAT/ACT, study skills, and so on). Working with my students lets me keep the lights on so that I can continue to plug away at my publishing enterprise, but it’s also how I stay sharp. To be able to effectively teach something, you must become an expert in that area, and I’ve been teaching writing 7 days per week most weeks — for sixteen years and counting.

Collaboration and mutual support, that’s the way I’ve stayed (relatively) sane. Expressing myself creatively is part of what has saved me over the years. So, the fact that some of my students have actually read and enjoyed my books is fantastically energizing for me. However, no matter what, harder days will naturally and inevitably come. I know what it’s like to suffer in silence, and that’s why I don’t believe in sitting idly by while someone else is hurting. When my students are going through tough times, I try to help them weather their storms by discussing some of the relevant hardships I’ve gone through, the hurdles I’ve had to jump, both professionally and personally. I am— pun most certainly intended — an open book. There is no distinction between my work and my self in one sense at least: both exist to be as useful as possible to others in this world. This is where, for me, tutoring and writing intersect; each is meant to make the intended audience’s life a little easier, brighter, better.

Tutoring hundreds of young people has opened my eyes and narrowed my focus when it comes to my writing ambitions and my art. Over twenty or more years, I have experimented with a lot of different genres, styles, and tones, but thinking about my students has finally allowed me to settle on one clear avenue of exploration: I write YA+ books now with my students, and other young people like them, in mind; I want each of them to have the same fun and easy access into the world of reading that I had when I was a kid. Reading can be such a beautifully useful skill and enriching pastime in so many ways. Therefore, if my work can encourage even a few to get into (or back into) it, I will have made one humble but meaningful contribution to the betterment of the human experiment. My goal is to help more people (of all ages!) find an entertaining entry point into the fantasy sci-fi genre and reading as the whole.

Loving to read taught me to love learning, and that one personality trait—maybe more than any other—changed my life forever. I can only hope to add my voice, to be one more source of inspiration for the next generation.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are, of course, too many excellent places to name. But, off the top of my head…

Personally, I’m not the first one to suggest touristy attractions, which Atlanta has in spades. If my friend were wanting to go that route, though, I’d recommend the Georgia Aquarium. Great way to learn about ocean biodiversity in an impressively interactive setting.

Also, lots of people enjoy running the gamut of the CNN Center, World of Coca-Cola, and so on. Definitely all fun to see at least once. On several occasions, I’ve enjoyed going to the High Museum of Art, so we’d certainly make a day of that.

Now, more my particular speed would be, say, The Shakespeare Tavern — a wonderful dinner-and-show experience; I’ve been on three or four occasions and have always had a great time.

For handmade, delicious food, it’s hard to beat places like Kinship Butcher Shop on Virginia Avenue. A fabulous, friendly, peaceful environment with amazingly tasty treats (especially their breakfast sandwiches). It’s a local, family owned establishment that hosts community events, wine tastings, and more. Run by great people, too.

If my friend’s hypothetical trip happened to coincide with Labor Day weekend, well… We’d absolutely have to at least grab day-passes to Dragon Con. (Yes, I’ll be going this year, if only for one day.) Games, parades, panels, shopping—you name it, you’ll find it there. Considering all my closest friends and I make up a veritable kaleidoscope of nerds, taking any one of them to the Con seems generally a safe bet.

Hard to go wrong, though. That’s one of the coolest things about Atlanta: this town has something for everyone.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many I should name, and I’m going to fail to remember all who deserve credit. So, I’ll have to run through the highlight reel and retroactively beg forgiveness for any oversights.

Without a doubt, I would not be here without the contributions and encouragement of dozens—hundreds of individuals. From mentors and educators to my wife to friends, I owe how far I’ve come to their support.

Thinking back to May 2020, like many others did, I felt anxiety and grappled with depressive impulses. I was sitting on a third or fourth draft of “The Rave,” and completely lacked motivation to do anything further with it—even though I’d already published 18 or 19 books by that point. During a conversation with a pair of close friends, I talked about the project and—long story short—by the following week, they were reading my early chapters and brainstorming marketing ideas. They really gave me the kick I needed to move ahead with finalizing the edits and sending the project out into the world. Without them, I wouldn’t have rewritten the beginning—transforming it into a far more cinematic experience—and I certainly wouldn’t have reached out to so many YouTube, Instagram, and other content creators upon publication. My modest success is owed in great measure to their support. In the few years since, they’ve accompanied me to conventions, spread the word about the series, and generally talked me up and given me the pep to keep going.

My wife, of course, has been the wind in my sails through many a dangerous becalmed sea. Our mutual goals—our drives to better our own and each other’s lives—pushes us forward every day. I’m eternally grateful for her. It helps that she likes the books, too. That validation has seen me some quite dark patches.

Going farther back, there are simply too many writing teachers and other authors to name here. So, I’ll focus on the ones who have made the greatest impact and to whom I am grateful on a daily basis.

In college, I had the tremendously good fortune of taking a creative writing class under Judith Ortiz Cofer—an incredible storyteller and even more incredible human, may she rest in peace. Not only did I want to be more like her professionally and creatively, I was driven to emulate her way of being. I’ll never forget that she once told me “Julian, you have what it takes to live a life of the mind.” Even if I make it to my five hundredth birthday, that moment will still summon a smile to my face.

Now, the most stalwart and longest-term ally I’ve had in the authorial world is, without a doubt, Silas Jackson—a prolific author and true friend. Over thirteen years, we’ve written many books together (I’m sorry and/or you’re welcome, world). In addition to being an excellent author, he’s wise and inspirational, and our regular conversations always bolster my confidence in both myself and what I do.

It’ll never be enough but these people, and more, have dibs on all my thanks, forever.

Website: blankbooklibrary.com

Instagram: instagram.com/j.r.traas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulianRTraas/

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me or by family/friends.