Hello! Today with us we have the amazing FJ Roberts! *Applause*
Angelina: If you’re comfortable, stable your disability and explain to the audience what it is:
FJ Roberts: I have Stage 4 COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It’s a restriction of airflow causing breathing issues. This common lung disease is often called emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people with COPD, the lungs can get damaged or clogged with phlegm. There is no cure (well, a lung transplant) , but with proper exercise, medication, and strength of will, the disease progression can be slowed by relieving symptoms and keeping yourself healthy.
Angelina: Please state your author name, the genres you write in and how long you’ve been published.
FJ Roberts : FJ Roberts at your service and it is a pleasure to meet everyone. My writing journey began in 2018 and hasn’t stopped as of yet…Well, I do have to save somethings for later in the interview. And as you can tell, I write mystery/suspense romance.
Angelina: Can you share how your disability influences or informs your writing process or the themes you explore in your work?
FJ Roberts: I normally allow my characters to write their stories. LOL. Honestly, I start with a single idea and go from there. The names come as the character is formed. The challenges materialize as the problems progress. LOL.. and usually someone dies along the way.
Angelina: How has your personal journey with your disability impacted the stories you tell or the characters you create in your writing?
FJ Roberts: I noticed when I was diagnosed in 2021, my writing took a dark turn and not in a good way. If I had smoked, drank, and didn’t take of myself I could’ve understood. But I had surgery and a year and half later was told I would need to be on oxygen to live. I can’t tell you how many times I wrote, deleted, rewrote, and deleted again, because the words were…I couldn’t believe what I had become. It was scary.
Angelina: What challenges, if any, have you faced as an author with a disability, and how have you navigated or overcome them in your writing career?
FJ Roberts: The challenge is to come to terms with your diagnosis. Hmm…I acted as though I was dying and what I did was put too much pressure on myself to finalize my life. It wasn’t until I awoke one morning and suddenly realized I wasn’t dead. I still had alot of life in me. Yes, I have good days. And yes, I have bad days. It is on those days, I turn to other things – puzzles, word games, coloring, RPGs. Anything that will distract me.
Angelina: In what ways do you think literature and storytelling can help raise awareness or promote understanding of disabilities in society?
FJ Roberts: Oh, there’s books out there, but most of them have big fancy words which you need a dictionary to decipher. LOL. Would be nice to find one that is straightforward and to the point. This is what you got. This is how you handle it. And remember to smile and live life.
Angelina: Have your experiences with your disability shaped your writing style or the way you communicate ideas and emotions in your work?
FJ Roberts: Before my diagnosis, I was in beginning the last of the de’ la Marsh series. I can honestly say, it’s still waiting to be finished. I open it up, glance over it, and close it. Not sure where to go with it.
Angelina: Can you discuss any specific strategies or adaptations you’ve implemented to accommodate your disability while pursuing your passion for writing?
FJ Roberts: Still trying to find my niche.
Angelina: What advice would you offer to aspiring authors with disabilities who might face similar challenges in pursuing a career in writing?
FJ Roberts: Hmmm…open two blank pages. Label them good and bad. What every emotion you’re having for the day, write on that one and don’t hold back. Let every emotion go. You may surprise yourself.
Angelina: Have you encountered any misconceptions or stereotypes related to your disability within the literary world, and how do you address or challenge them through your writing?
FJ Roberts: LOL…seriously…ohhh…I started writing at fifty-three. Have books published. If you would told this back…well you get the general jest. Anyone, any age, disablility or not, can write. You just have to pick up a pen or let your fingers walk across a keyboard.
Angelina: Can you share an instance or a character from your writing where your disability served as a source of empowerment or inspiration?
FJ Roberts: I have a character that I have been mulling over. We’ll see.
Angelina: How do you believe literature can contribute to a more inclusive society that embraces diversity, including individuals with disabilities?
FJ Roberts: Characters are individual based. Nothing wrong with having a diverse character as the lead or as a strong secondary. And it happens in books. Everyone one of my characters in de’ la Marsh have some sort of disability. Interesting.
Angelina: Have you found a community or network of support among other authors with disabilities, and how has this influenced your writing journey?
FJ Roberts: Unfortunately, there isn’t a support group for COPD. Although, I do have the support of an amazing friend. She is my rock.
Angelina: Did you have your disability when you began writing, or did you acquire it afterward? How has this experience affected your writing journey and your approach to storytelling?
FJ Roberts: December 2019 had shoulder surgery. Before you go in, they give you a bunch of papers to look over. Sign here. Initial there. Op, you forgot one. Two days after surgery, I was admitted to the hospital and found I had aspirated. Umm…let’s just say that I went in healthy and came out different. Seven months later I was seeing a pulmonologist, testing for a year, and then had the bomb dropped in my lap. I didn’t want to look at a blank page.
Angelina: Can you describe your typical writing routine or session? Have there been any changes in your approach over the years? In what ways do you think your writing process might differ from that of an author without a disability?
FJ Roberts: LOL. Ohh…lot’s of tea or lemaonade. open a page and start hitting keys. LOL. Okay, so it may not be the normal. Some plot. Some research. Some do whatever it is. I…just type. It can be for a couple of hours or a couple of days. Depends on the characters.
Angelina: Could you share with the readers what your favorite work is among those you’ve written? What makes it special, and why would you recommend readers to pick it up?
FJ Roberts: Hasn’t been published yet.
Angelina: Where can readers connect with you online? Which social media platform do you frequent the most for engaging with your audience?
FJ Roberts: Korky Thibodeaux or FJ Roberts on Facebook. They can also drop me a line with questions or comments at fjroberts@gmail.com
Angelina: What key messages or insights do you hope readers and fellow writers will gain after reading this interview?
FJ Roberts: It’s taken me some time to come to termswith my life, where it’s headed, and the outcome. There is no expiration date on the bottom of my foot. I can’t stop time or reverse it, but I can fight like hell. Keep your will strong. Believe your faith will guide you. And love unconditionally, remembering to respect the past, the present, and the future. Don’t be scared to let your emotions, because life is what you make it. Live every moment without regret.
Angelina: Thank you for being here. The next guest author will be here next Monday.
kernerangelina.live 
Great interview, intriguing questions. It took a lot of courage for FJ to bare his soul and I applaud his courage.
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