J. Leigh Bralick — Awesome ninja. Whimsical and slightly twisted

[J.]

Hi everyone! I'm J. Leigh Bralick...new to the group, but I know the awesome sauce that is Christina McMullen and have even had the privilege of ComicConning with her last year.

Let's see. What can I say about myself? I'm a nursing student, which means I haven't had jack for time this last year to write. Which is a horrible and deadly thing. But I will overcome...and one day, my characters may even forgive me for abandoning them for so long. I have previous degrees in history and politics, which were mostly useless—except that being trained to think about history and politics in a particular way gave me a whole new perspective on world-building in my writing. I love chickens and pretty much anything that has feathers, and I'm owned by a drama queen of a Doberman. I train in Krav Maga and ballet, and used to be a competitive fencer. I love talking about almost any topic (so let's talk!). And...I also like photography and doing art for my books.

Speaking of those books... I've written a handful.

Lost Road Chronicles

My first series, this is YA fantasy. It's a portal story, so it starts off with a quirky 16-year-old from modern-day nowhere Texas, and then sweeps her off to another world that is a wee bit of a tribute, in the vaguest possible way, to C.S. Lewis's Malacandra, which the author discovered at a rather young age. The plot line also involves a tip of the hat to Tolkien's Silmarillion. The first book is more of a classic adventure, but the later books are more political, with more subterfuge and conspiracy and spies and rebellion. It also deals with questions of immortality and power. But at its core the series is a story of family, history, myth, and forgiveness.

The Madness Method

This is my current series-in-progress. It's basically....epic dark coming-of-age steampunk fantasy. It's all wrapped up in politics and espionage, magic and science, trust and betrayal, war and sedition, leadership and despotism. It's about a prince who loses his identity and finds it again in the streets, a street rat with a crow alter-ego, and the motley collection of mages, thieves, spies, criminals, scientists and aristocrats who surround them.

I'm currently working on A Sea Like Glass, Book #3 in the Madness Method, as well as a YA fantasy called Perilous. And about a bajillion other WIPs.

And...yeah. I can't think of anything else to say...so, that's basically moi. Excited to be here and looking forward to getting to know y'all!

[Jane]

Welcome to the pleasure dome

[J.]

Thank you kindly! :D

[Christina]

Hey there, J Leigh!!! I noticed on Twitter it's your spring break, so I assume we'll see you for about a week and then you'll vanish 'til summer. ;)

To everyone else, I highly recommend checking out her books. I adored the Lost Road books and just recently took a crack at the behemoth that is The Madness Project and it's really in a class of its own.

[Dwayne, That's Dr. Cannibal To You]

Hi J. Leigh.

[Denae]

Nursing student. I wish you well, and more time to write in the busyness!

Your books do look fascinating. Is there any chance they'll come out in audiobook format someday? (Most of my reading these days is audiobook listening.)