faq
Here you will find the answers to questions I get asked often enough to write a FAQ page! If you don't see the answer to your question here, feel free to reach out via my contact form here.
Where can I buy Hybrid: Irinsbane Part I
The e-book and softcover versions of Hybrid are available for purchase at Amazon. The book is also available on Kindle Unlimited. The hardcover is available for purchase only through Lulu.com. Click here for links.
Where can I buy the Moonlight & Shadow Tarot deck
I was never able to come up with the funds to get my deck printed in large quantities. I had a Kickstarter campaign end at 63% funded simply because I had almost no visibility on Kickstarter's website and very little social media presence, despite my efforts. As of the end of 2025, I have no plans to mass produce the deck until I somehow obtain the funds to do so. I am also very focused on working on my writing projects. Unfortunately, my deck has to remain in the backseat for a while longer.
How long did it take you to write and publish Hybrid?
If we count from the time of conception, 25 years. But if we count from the time I began writing the version that it is now, the whole process started in July of 2021. The COVID restrictions were lifting, and my workload had gone down significantly at work, so I had the time and the mental space to allow the story to materialize. Once I had a direction, I started to write! During that time, I had also taken a break to design my Moonlight & Shadow Tarot deck, run a Kickstarter campaign for it, and take a bit of a break before diving back into the writing world. But once I did, I got the first draft completed in 2022. While I had beta readers providing me with feedback, I worked on the developmental edit, which resulted in the 2nd draft.
That draft was finished by September of 2023. It went through so many more rounds of edits until it was finally finished by April of 2024. The book was then published on five popular book and e-book websites on May 17, 2024. Throughout 2024, I made small adjustments fixing errors and some clunky sentence structures that I had missed during the line edit. As a way to draw in readers, I wrote the bonus chapter from Uly's POV after it was published and eventually added it in to the updated version of Hybrid. It was released as a special edition on January 17, 2025. I now only sell the special edition. The first edition is only available in digital. See the pen name question for more info.
Why go the self-published route instead of traditional?
Rather than attempt to get an agent, to then attempt to get published by a traditional publisher, thereby losing all creative freedom, I opted to maintain my authority as the sole creative owner of my intellectual property. In other words: I'm a control freak. lol
Can I find your book at any book stores?
At this time, no, you can't. To be in bookstores, I would have to have the capital and popularity to be on the shelves in Barnes & Noble, Target, or Wal-Mart. I don't have enough of a following to warrant a national retailer to stock my book. Am I bummed out about that? Sure! But it's not the end of the world. Me and my books may be completely invisible to the masses now, but it won't be that way forever. I just have to be patient and have faith in myself and in the universe.
How many books are in the Irinsbane Saga?
When I first wrote Hybrid, I had zero intention of making this into a series of books, let alone a double trilogy with a seventh final book tying the entire arch together in a neat little bow. So, yeah. 7 books. I know, right? I'm a bit of an overachiever. lol
How do you pronounce Irinsbane?
Ear-inns-bane. The bane of an Irin. What is an Irin? Read the book! :-P
Who created your book cover?
I did! The only aspect I did not create manually was the illustration of my main characters, Gabriel and Rowen. It all started with Photoshop and a dream. You can see how I did it from conception to final product here.
Have you tried to get traditionally published?
Nope! Do I want to try going down that rabbit hole? Absolutely not. I have seen the madness that comes out of trying to get traditionally published and I want no part in it. Would I turn down a publishing deal? Maybe. It depends on what they're offering and how much creative freedom I am getting. It's a lot of work to be self-published. I've literally done EVERYTHING myself, but I have the satisfaction of knowing I put out an amazing book, with a unique plot, and I created the cover, and even this website. These are all expressions of who I am. I do not want my authenticity being watered down by others, no matter who they are.
Will you be doing any book tours?
I hope some day to have the cash flow to bring my books to local bookstores around the country, and hopefully in Canada as well. But until then, I will remain in Vermont, working on every installment of the Irinsbane Saga and all the marketing.
Who edited and proofread your book?
Well, I did, silly! I literally did EVERYTHING. From conception to print.
Funny you should ask. Yes, I did change my pen name. It was a very personal decision I made. Unfortunately, it has caused some confusion, namely on Goodreads because Amazon will not allow me to change the author name on the original publication of Hybrid: Irinsbane Part I. This is something I hope Amazon will fix in the future so I can remove the old pen name of J.L. Buckley. Until then, there will be two authors showing for the first edition, and all of my existing reviews are tied to that edition, not the newest one.
