Don’t read my books. 

Gah! I can’t believe I just wrote that. Actually, yes. Yes I can. This totally sounds like me. This sounds like something I would say, especially when I’m in an argumentative mood—like I am right now. 

You’ve all been warned. *Cue evil laugh*

But I suppose I’m jumping the gun. I need to add a teensy caveat to my original statement, one that will make all the difference. The opening line should actually say: Don’t read my books if you’re looking for a flawless hero. 

Because you’re not gonna get it. 

I simply don’t believe in it. It doesn’t sit well with me, and I can’t make my art reflect something that doesn’t feel right. 

In my world, we could all use a little love. 

Because we’re all broken. 

We’ve all made mistakes. 

Every one of us has regrets.

Every one of us is trying to feel our way through life. 

So it’s only fair for my characters to have the same experiences. And, yes, that includes my hero. 

It’s true what they say, authors put pieces of themselves in their books. I’m no different. My characters all reflect me in a way, and sometimes I draw on moments from long ago. How I reacted. How I felt. 

And not all of it was good—or even right. 

Especially in my teenage years. Back then, I was a walking, talking struggle. I didn’t know who I was, and I let the voices of others drown out my own internal dialog. I was immature. I was impulsive. I was young. I was quick with my heart—both on giving it away and taking it back. I was incredibly human. 

So when I write, when I build a character, I draw off who I once was. I draw off experiences. On the things I saw, felt, feared. 

And at times, it can be terribly abrasive. 

And I understand how that can rub people the wrong way. We pick up books to escape. To dive into a world that’s not only different, but gives us something—or someone—to root for. A cause. A reason. But when that someone isn’t the best person, when their thoughts are flawed and perspective inherently wrong, there’s a desire to toss the story. Pretend we never met. Tell that character to grow up, get a life, and not to waste our time. 

I get it. I really do. 

But it’s not that simple. Even though it’s fiction, and these characters are a creation of my imagination, through time and writing, they begin to develop a very real edge to them. 

I swear they start to breathe. 

They start to talk. To think. To be.

I want my readers to see their transformation, the metamorphosis that takes them from dull to shine, and there’s only one way to do that: give them their shortcomings. Let them be selfish. Let them stumble. To be vain and preoccupied with image. And sometimes, when faced with tough decisions, let them make the wrong choice. And if they’re young—the learning curve only deepens, because it often takes time to gather wisdom. 

And if you’re the right reader for my stories, you’ll stick around for the journey—even the ugly parts 

And if you’re not, that’s okay too. 

We’re all in this together. 

Let’s find our happy place. Let’s find our hearts. Let’s find our way to joy, wherever that may be. 

Happy reading, my friends. 



Sincerely, 

J.M. Muller

Author of The Colors of Immortality Series 

©J.M. Muller