We recently connected with T.J. London and have shared our conversation below.

T.J. , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I always wrote, even as a child. My first published work was actually when I was in first grade. I wrote a Christmas poem and submitted it to a children’s poetry contest, and it was subsequently published in a magazine. After that, I wrote story ideas in a binder from when I was 16 all the way until I was in my twenties, but I never did anything with them. When I was in my thirties, two catastrophic events happened in my life simultaneously, one in my professional career, and the other, my father was in a serious accident that led to him having health issues. At the time, I found myself both in the middle of a professional legal battle and having to deal with my father’s illness and how that affected my family. I started seeing a counselor, and she recommended I journal to further work through the feelings I was struggling with and to deal with stress. Well, I wasn’t one for journaling; it only highlighted my problems. So, I opted to write fiction. I happened to be a history enthusiast, particularly of the American Revolutionary War. I used that as the backdrop to write creatively. Inadvertently, I ended up writing a metaphor for what was happening to me in the story. My decision to get published stemmed from the same place. As I was then forced to leave my job, I left behind my research and my publications. I missed publishing in my new profession, so my counselor suggested that I try publishing the writing that I was doing in counseling. I still write from my counseling. All of my books are metaphors for my mental health journey which I explore through counseling.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I write an ongoing Historical Fiction with Romantic Elements Saga about the Carlisle and McKesson families during the American Revolutionary War called: The Rebels and Redcoats Saga.
The prequel is called: Man of War
The Saga order:
Book 1# The Tory
Book 2# The Traitor
Book 3# The Turncoat
Book 4# The Rebel
I also produce/have produced all of the following in audio in partnership with Elysian Nightfalls Studios and my very good friend and sound engineer Daniele Lanzarotta.
I am most proud of my books and the audio productions. Also, that I survived the horrific situation I lived through and used it to create a creative outlet for myself. And to get healthy, both physically and emotionally. I continue to use the writing medium to work on my mental health issues.
Also, the voice actors and production team I work with have been nominated for 15 Society of Voice Arts and Sciences Awards, and have been honored with winning 7. Such a huge accomplishment for the entire team and we are so grateful to the SOVAS judges and administrators for honoring The Rebels and Redcoats Saga Audio Productions.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The chance to share my work with readers and fans, to learn from their feedback, and to hear what they think of the story, both good and bad. And to find out what they see in my characters. What experience do the stories take them on. I LOVE to chat about my books with people. And to share my mental health journey through writing. Additionally, I love the fact that I get to work with voice actors and have my vision brought to life through their artistic expression. One of my least favorite characters was performed by the most talented and amazing actor in the world, Adam Gold. He gave the character such depth and vulnerability with his incredible voice and his zeal for the story that he changed my mind about the character. I went from hating this character to falling in love with him. I was given a valuable lesson in my own work simply by hearing the character interpreted through someone else’s voice. Adam took me on a journey of self-discovery IN MY OWN WRITING. How exciting is that, right? The rest of my cast have given me just as brilliant performances. I love that we get to be creative together and share in the process. It’s been an honor to have them perform my work and to have them give such love and care to the stories.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

To be an author/writer is a lesson in resilience. And, to some degree, conviction. You must believe in yourself above all things and the story you’re telling. Everyone will have opinions of your work, and they won’t hesitate to tell you what they think of it. I sent The Tory manuscript out to at least 40 people in the business, and I live-pitched it to a mix of agents, editors, and publishers. I was told many times that there was no platform for my work, historical fiction with romantic elements that is gritty, sexy, and a saga! And the American Revolutionary War! (Where stories go to die!) It was too big of a risk for anyone to pick up. Everyone kept telling me to write something more “mainstream.” To write contemporary, write PNR. That will get your foot in the door. But I DIDN’T want to. My passion is history. And THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. My inspiration comes from that time period, and so does my muse. AND my mental health work, which is ongoing. Then I met a friend at Romantic Times, who is now my best friend, Layla Omorose, also an author, and she suggested I go indie. And I’ve never looked back. And guess what? There is a platform for my work. Now, I do have to work harder to find it. But the readers out there who are just looking for something new and different.

Contact Info:

• Website: www. revolutionaryauthor.com
• Instagram: @tjlondonauthor
• Facebook: TJ London-Author
• Other: https://linktr.ee/tjlondonauthor

Image Credits

Society of Voice Arts and Sciences Awards
Readers Take Denver Conference 2024