Meet our New Author: JJ Larkey

We are delighted to introduce you to our new author JJ Larkey, who is based in the US. She has written a brilliant new series filled with humour, sass, and magical mischief which we have the joy of publishing in Winter 2025.

Here's a little bit more about our newest author...

1) Hi JJ, can you tell us 3 fun facts about yourself and how you became a writer?

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. I was the kid that always had a paperback and a spiral notebook in my backpack.

My three fun facts are:

1. I went to all three Lilith Fairs in the '90s

2. I grew up down the road and around the corner from Dolly Parton’s Nashville residence.

3. I started school when I was four.

2) What was the spark that inspired your upcoming story?

I started this story the year I turned forty because I wanted a fun escape where middle aged women got to have the cool fantasy life. It got stuck and shelved, but the characters wouldn’t stop yapping so I pulled it back out… one character decided not to cooperate with my original plan for him and the rest is history and a WHOLE lot of shenanigans.

3) This series is centred around characters who live in 'the Crossroads'. Can you give us a flavour of the personalities we will meet? What is this place like and are there real-world inspirations behind it?

The Crossroads is an urban neighborhood in the South, and anyone who’s ever been to the South knows that there are all kinds of interesting characters around here. Some of the Founding Families are Squirrels (and yes, they’re both snobby and squeaky), the local construction company is run by an Orc, the entire place is walkable because some DemiTerrans can’t fit in a car, and the local park has plenty of room for Pixlings to fly. The Hearth at the local gas station makes biscuit sandwiches that you’d brawl over and both the Appalachian mountain witch at the local coffee shop and the shifter bartender at the neighborhood’s one bar get your order right every time. It’s a cool place to live.

In my mind, the Crossroads is very like if East Nashville (a cool local neighborhood) met a metaphysical festival in the Shire.

4) What are your favourite cosy fantasy titles? What other genres do you enjoy?

I read just about anything that looks interesting! I like romance, mysteries, horror that’s not pointlessly disgusting, sci fi, humor, nonfiction (biographies, memoirs, and history for the win)…I guess you could say I’m an adventurous reader.

The last cozy I loved was K. Starling’s Talismans, Teacups, and Trysts. Lately I’m trying to focus on reading mostly indies when I’m not reading my own stuff!

5) If you could describe your book in three words, what would they be, and why?

Modern-ish Fantasy Sitcom

6) Finally, what’s one thing you’re most excited for readers to experience when they dive into your story?

Joy, laughter, and the knowledge that sometimes life gets weird, but you’re just the person for the job… even when you don’t have it all together.

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