A Q&A with Author, J.C. Murphey

 A Q&A with Author, J.C. Murphey

Please Introduce yourself to the English students and faculty.

Howdy! My name is Jaycee Arai, or as my pen name J.C. Murphey, and I am an alumni from the Fightin’ Texas Aggies Class of 2013. I am a born and raised Texan who found my way back to Aggieland with my husband and daughter from South Texas.

Can you tell us a bit about your book? 

My debut dark fantasy is called “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” and it follows a college student named Victor Rexford who, through the deaths of his twin brother and best friend, develops a sensitivity to supernatural beings that serve as grim reapers. After a series of bad life choices he gets involved with a cult who botches a summoning and essentially starts a centuries-long apocalypse that puts him in the middle of a never-ending battle between good and evil. It actually launched today (12/11/23) which is also my birthday! It’s yet to be determined if that was a good idea or not. It can be found on most major book sales platforms online, including but not limited to Amazon and Barns and Noble. I also have it for sale on my author site at www.authorjcmurphey.com.

What inspired you to write a book?

I began writing this book in the wake of my maternal grandfather’s death, who I honor with my pen name J.C. Murphey. Death is a hard concept to deal with, and I chose to cope with it by creating a story with a message that death is not necessarily the end of your existence. Your influence and legacy live on in the people you interacted with, and I hope this is conveyed in my book.

Is this the first book that you have written?

This is the first book I have finished and published, but I have several other projects in various stages of completion.

What was the writing process like?

I’m a very easily distracted person, so my word count from day to day is by no means consistent or astronomical. That makes me feel even more proud of myself for actually finishing this book because it took more focus and dedication than I think I’ve ever given to anything in my life. I start with a vague outline/timeline of how I want the story to play out and try to flesh those major scenes out first, then I pick my way through the filler in between and piece everything together. My favorite part of my writing process is letting the story build on itself naturally. In general I focus on the bigger picture and play the details by ear, and while that usually results in several rewrites I think it really adds to an organic flow of the story.

What has the self-publishing process been like for you?

Overall the world of self-publishing has a very steep learning curve. There are so many moving parts I didn’t even consider, particularly with marketing the story, that I had no idea about until I dove in. I think my favorite part of the self-publishing process was being in control of the cover design and formatting. I chose the art used for the cover (which was actually marketed for a heavy metal cover album) and learned the ins and outs of formatting a book all on my own, which makes me feel like I have an even stronger connection to this book.

What is one piece of information that you wish you knew before this journey?

I wish I knew how to make more effective ads for social media platforms, and how to utilize TikTok as someone who was never in that community before publishing this book. Social media is the most effective way for indie authors to get their works out and build a community that extends far beyond just finding people to buy your book.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Most of my free time I read, when I’m procrastinating writing or cleaning my house. I also enjoy doing nails designs on my own nails and listening to true crime podcasts.

Do you have a favorite book and/or book series?

My favorite books are the Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa. I also like the Divergent series by Veronica Roth and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins… now that I’m listing all these I guess my preferred genres are romance or dystopian. Or both.

Have any particular authors, professors, teachers, family members, etc aided in initiating your passion for writing?

My parents always supported my love of writing, but they were also upfront with me when I first began writing to have a stable career and steady income before leaning hard into publishing my stories. That was the best advice they’d ever given me.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in writing and publishing a book?

Going on the previous question, I think my best advice is to write because you enjoy writing, not because you need a paycheck from it. Art in general is a highly creative and passionate subject, but when you feel forced to do it that project feels more strained and forced. Sure, it’s awesome to be able to live off the work you create, but don’t lose yourself in the profits and forget your passion.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

I dedicated my first published book to the authors who struggle like I did, who thought they weren’t good enough to put their story out into the world for other people to see. It’s scary, and it’s a grueling process to get to the finish line, but in the end I think it’s worth it. For anyone who sees this and thinks that something they made isn’t good enough for the world, I assure you it is. You just need to find your tribe.