J. L. Spears has always had a passion for creative writing, particularly fantasy and steamy works. Nora Roberts and J. K. Rowling are two of her writing role models. The idea for The Starlet of Passion, her debut novel, was hatched in 2014, but was put on the back burner until the story formed more clearly in her head. Within that same time frame, she created a Word Press blog entitled Diary of a Married Blind Woman. In said blog, she shared her experiences in the areas of both blindness and marriage. In 2017, her blog became a youtube channel centered around blind parenting. At the end of 2017, she placed third in a Braille essay competition orchestrated by the National Federation of the Blind. By day, she teaches Braille to blind adults. By night and on weekends, she spends a majority of her time with her husband, son, and other immediate family in her area. Book two of The Starlet Series is already in the works. Singing is a separate hobby of hers.       

Interview:
1.    Will you tell us about your most recent published work?
My Debut novel is entitled The Starlet of Passion. It is book one of a trilogy on which I am steadily working to complete. It falls under the genres of fantasy, erotica, and romance. The trio of friends at the center of the series, two straight women and one gay man, are all age thirty, but are all looking for different things in their love lives. Melanie is simply seeking passion and adventure in her intimate life. Alana seeks a man who is marriage material. Greg seeks a man that can be found in a standard atmosphere. Prior to leaving for a summer vacation, Melanie is christened with magic that not only shows promise for passion, but will expose all of them to a world amongst the stars that delivers both beauty and pain.
2.    What personal challenges do you face as a writer?
Being that I am not fully sighted, describing rooms in an intricate fashion can be challenging. My solution? I tend to use my other senses to set scenes, but still provide a layout that will trigger one’s imagination.
3.    What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Sometimes getting in the mode to write for a long period is difficult. Seeing as I have a full-time job and have a toddler at home, when a few spare moments come along, the spark of motivation is not always there. When it is, I get a lot done.
4.    How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
During the editing process of my debut, I wanted to do as much independent work as possible. I spent hours bouncing back and forth between my computer and my closed circuit television (a magnifier for those with limited vision) checking indents and other visual errors. I wanted to pull my hair out. In the end, I handed the manuscript over to a couple of different people to look it over for errors. From here on out, I will spell check on my own, but leave the rest of the editing to a professional. 
5.    How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have? Will you tell us about them?
I am nearly done with book two of The Starlet Series. Aside from that, I’ve started other romance stories in the past but feared that the endings would be too corny. That said, I put them to rest.
6.    Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Being a seedling in the world of publishing novels, I have read my book reviews, but probably will not continue to do so should my books attract more readers as I publish more of them. Thus far, my debut has received one bad review. While a lot of what was said was a matter of opinion, I have that individual to thank for pointing out errors that have since then been corrected. While I was sad initially, I knew logically that not everyone will like my work. Good reviews are always a nice sprinkle on my day.  
7.    Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
I wouldn’t call them secrets, but items that may not seem relevant might just be in the next book of the series. 
8.    What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I am still working to become established in the world of writers. Twitter has been a pivotal source for advice and fun amongst the writing community. Even in the early stages, the level of support and honesty from those I’ve encountered has helped me to better myself as a writer and will continue to do so as I grow as a writer   
9.    If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
If you have an idea, don’t let it go. The Starlet of Passion started to hatch in 2014, but was put on hold partially because of different life events and partially due to uncertainty of where I wanted to take the story. It wasn’t until 2018 that I picked it back up. 
10.    What are common traps for aspiring writers?
If you are like me, you will want to be published sooner rather than later. This anxiety can cause important things to be overlooked. In my case, it was grammatical errors. 
11.    What’s the best way to market your books?
I am still trying to figure that out, truth be told. Marketing is difficult. Twitter once again has come into play here along with word of mouth.
12.    What is your favorite childhood book?
If I have to pick one, it would be The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Kushman. I wasn’t necessarily a child when I read it, but young enough. Had I been picking a series, I would say Harry Potter all the way.