Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to J Leonard Costner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

J Leonard, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The pressure, the stress, the anxiety that comes with sharing your most profound notions. It’s like a wall, barricading your true self in the prison you’ve sequestered it to. It is a solitary confinement, with only one guard on call every moment of every instance of your life, and the watchman is the creator. Art is a terrifying outlet; the purpose of it is expression and response, interpretation through opinion. Judgment on whether or not what has been imagined speaks to its audience in a manner concurring with the artist’s vision. As someone from a bravado-driven background where my voice had been silenced or risked being seen as unamenable, finding solitude in the confines of my mind made the muteness bearable.

In my previous life, I was a highly touted athlete. I describe it as a past existence because I have been blessed with such different experiences that each segment is literally unto itself, and what transpired in this section caused me to pivot. I was born into a life of sport; my father was a professional basketball player, and I was the echo of his achievements. I trained for a life without retirement, disregarding any form of identity other than the one I had sacrificed for because to reach the pinnacle, I couldn’t know anything else. Even when I could feel my body telling me I was pushing too hard, I ignored it, lest I be called lazy or soft. It didn’t matter that away from that life, my ability to create art was being positively received, impressing others and propelling me to college with earned credits before I stepped on campus because I scored well on my advanced placement finals.

Objectively, what I was told to produce had met the parameters set for submission, and I could get back to chasing my dream. I would push myself because that’s all I knew how to do until destiny stepped in and upended all I had worked for one day. I sustained an injury that, in actuality, had been a preexisting condition that I had willed my body through. The result was a reshaping and reattachment of my leg and a reconstruction of my pelvis. A diagnosis my surgeon cautioned would be improbable to return from.

He was right and wrong. I did fight my way back and achieve what I set out to do: earn the recognition from the logo I had been chasing all of my life as one of the elite players in the world. However, sustaining that level of physical labor while in what the majority of the world would experience as debilitating pain wasn’t a monetarily feasible undertaking.

Haunted by a life that abruptly ended, I eventually pushed through mourning to find an ally in art. It’s allowed me to purge emotions and communicate thoughts I would otherwise not release. The cost: forcing myself to face the vulnerability of seeing someone I’m meant to be. As a medium, writing has given me the ability to be released from my captivity and project my silenced voice. Having penned hundreds of thousands of words, it’s the longest and most in-depth anyone has heard me speak. Lucky for me, my words are being received well. Nonetheless, each word shared is another vulnerable step closer to forming a confident identity in a world centered around judgment and risk.

J Leonard, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A dream, reoccurring nightly for a month while recovering from surgery became the first installment of my novel series, Legacy. It’s a tale woven into the fabric of the modern world through a clandestine society known as Legacy. Following the journey of Luke Hart, a seemingly ordinary young man is thrust into a world where the bloodlines of legendary warriors live on within their descendants, known as the Bloodborn. Unbeknownst to him, he carries the formidable spirit of Spartacus, whose Legacy of rebellion and freedom pulses through his veins.

As Luke navigates the treacherous waters of ancient rivalries and contemporary battles, he discovers that Legacy is more than a hidden society—it’s a battlefield where history’s greatest warriors clash in secrecy. From the sands of the Colosseum reborn to the shadowy corners of power, Luke must harness the strength of his forebear and rally allies from the houses of unimaginable historical might.

The series unfolds over seven thrilling installments, each weaving Luke’s journey with high-stakes intrigue and the timeless quest for justice. In “Legacy: Echoes of Fate,” the stakes are raised as dark forces within the society threaten to rewrite history’s course. By “Legacy: Resurrection,” the lines between past and present blur, culminating in a war that could alter the fabric of reality itself.

Heroes rise, and empires fall in a saga where the past never truly dies, and yesterday’s battles can shape tomorrow’s victories. The “Legacy” series is a testament to the enduring power of Legacy itself. How it shapes us, defines our paths, and drives us to change the world.

It’s a global celebration of cultures that boasts female empowerment and is devoid of any relevant need for the crutches of race or sexuality. In an ever-expansive universe, Legacy is the most relatable superhero saga ever created because the audience is comprised of the descendants of its Origins.

Luke Hart stands out in the saturated world of superheroes for his extraordinary abilities and deeply human qualities that resonate with real-world challenges. Luke’s strength and appeal lie in his human emotions and vulnerabilities, unlike many traditional superheroes, who are often defined by an unattainable moral high ground or otherworldly powers. His journey is not just about battling external foes but also about overcoming personal doubts and fears. This relatability makes his victories feel more genuine and his setbacks more impactful. As the reincarnation of Spartacus, he inherits a legacy of rebellion and justice. Yet, he must navigate this legacy in a modern context, blending ancient bravery with contemporary conscience. This duality enriches his character, offering a multi-dimensional protagonist, both a warrior and a thinker, battling physical enemies and ethical dilemmas.

In the richly woven narrative of the Legacy series, the true antagonist is not a singular villain with a dark agenda but humanity itself—with all its complexities, conflicts, and moral ambiguities. This portrayal is reflected in the societal structures, the clashing ideologies, and the personal greed that often distort the ideals Luke strives to uphold. This ongoing struggle against the broader human condition pushes Luke beyond the traditional confines of a superhero, making his journey not just about defeating foes but about confronting the essence of human nature and societal corruption. As he navigates this treacherous landscape, his mission becomes a mirror reflecting our own world’s struggles with justice, power, and integrity.

Luke’s passion for life is sparked by his relationship with McKenna, transcending the typical romantic subplot to become the cornerstone of his moral and emotional compass. McKenna is not just a love interest; she embodies the hope and normalcy that Luke yearns for. Her presence and safety are his sanctuary, a personal haven that continually pulls him back from the brink of despair and relentless darkness. This relationship fuels his determination to create a safer world, not just for the abstract good of society but for the tangible future he wishes to share with her. Her influence keeps him grounded, reminding him of the world beyond battles and legacies—a world of simple, unadorned human connections and his most potent reason for fighting. Their bond encapsulates the series’ thematic heart: personal relationships and human connections can be a hero’s greatest strength, even in a narrative rich with epic battles and historical legends.

Reading the Legacy series is unlike any other novel because I am not a traditional writer. As an artist, by degree, writing is used as a creative medium to express myself. Authentically, I can only share the stories as I experience them visually. This means that while I may not follow typical methods, I can produce works likened to watching movies. Something that I truly love because it means that I am communicating effectively. The story will surprise you; it can easily be interpreted as an exercise in neo-expressionism that transcends genre preference and elicits emotional revelation.

As a Creator, I find myself in a position where I am influenced by my own imagination. There is no representation in this space that looks like me; there’s no mentor to follow, only my imagination and what I can achieve by seeing the worlds and universes created before this. The Marvels, DCs, Star Wars, and Harry Potter are wondrous works that have ushered in timeless environments and communities for people and fans to share in their enjoyment. Because of this, I know there is a place in the world for the universe I am creating. I want to inspire the next great creator to share their vision with the world and unite a global community under one recognizable name that speaks to us all.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In the early days, when I had completed my first manuscript, there was a period when I didn’t know what to do next. At the time, sharing any form of expression other than an image with others was very uncomfortable for me; I was facing the adversity of having a shattered self, and speaking was not the path out of the dark I wanted to follow. I had to decide whether or not I would see the story to the finish or leave it incomplete to have the thought of not finishing what I had started to fester and eat away at me.

I chose to be brave and then was advised by a literary acquaintance on how to proceed. It led me to a writer’s conversation at the local library, where I met a gentleman who said he was experienced in the industry. He offered to line-edit my work, to which I agreed, and I would pay him more than I was comfortable parting with. When he returned to me, things were worse than before hiring him, and he took the liberty of changing my story. I was livid, but I needed to persist despite this unfortunate setback.

After editing my story back to how I wanted it told, I began sending query letters out, hoping to find representation but was only met with rejection. Not knowing at the time, the process of becoming a writer was arduous and required some level of politics in the space I did not have. The timing was not right; I decided to self-publish the first edition of my debut novel, knowing that there would be a second edition and at least find finality at the time to meet the original goal and no longer feel incomplete.

Feeling embarrassed at what I had produced, the steps to get to that point were so riddled with challenges that I did not promote the story at all and found that still, through everything, my art spoke to people so much that I sold more copies than I could’ve ever imagined and requests for a continuation were being made. I wasn’t sure if I had anything left to say, but I eventually wrote a second and third installment, thinking the series would be a trilogy. Then, years passed, and books four and five sparked a fire in me.

Being much older and having a different voice, I reapproached the first books, having trained myself to become more than I was, which led me to share the first story and the entire series. I even had an opportunity with a traditional publisher, but the timing wasn’t right once again. However, this time, I was confident in myself and needed to reimagine what end I wanted this journey to meet. With a decade of professional experience, advancements in technology, and the internet, I decided to forge ahead under a banner of my creation, laying the groundwork for my own path to follow as others had before. It has led to opportunities I could’ve never dreamed of, support, and reception I didn’t know I hoped for.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.legacyuniverse.io
• Instagram: @thelegacyxii
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcostner/
• Youtube: @ Legacy Universe