Interview With Coming-of-Age Saga Author J Leonard Costner

  

1. What inspired you to write this book?  

The book came to me in a dream. I'm sure that's been said before, but in my case, it likely helped me heal. I was on bed rest for a while after having a major surgery. It was during this time that my identity had been abruptly stripped away from me and I was left to question everything I thought I had known. All I had worked and sacrificed for was tied to someone who no longer existed. Then, one night while I was sleeping, I had a vivid dream, and I continued to have the same dream every night for a month. I took the opportunity to write down this elaborate experience, it was as if I was remembering or viewing another life. I realized I had a completed manuscript when I finished writing everything I had witnessed.

 

2. What exactly is it about — and who is it written for? 

Legacy is the coming-of-age saga of Luke Hart. A young man who discovers he is the modern reincarnation of Spartacus as he is thrust into a clandestine institution that has continued the gladiator spectacle since antiquity. The institution known only to those of privilege and wealth is called Legacy. A hub of secrets and influence, the quarterly events of Legacy are where money is exchanged and the world shaped. Luke's introduction is anything but welcoming as he finds out that he is the target of an ancient blood feud, and is hunted by the Roman descendant tasked with killing Luke's Origin. 

Legacy is written for everyone. There is a diverse range of readers who enjoy Legacy for many reasons. Perhaps it's my writing style or how the historical timeline seamlessly weaves into a believable saga. Maybe it's the protagonist's love story. I am usually surprised to hear the reception, as the tale is derived from my catharsis. Everyone who is gracious enough to read it is special to me. 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? 

I hope they can find a home in the universe or a character they identified with. Legacy is a celebration of world cultures, devoid of any reasonable scenario to question race, religion or sexuality. It's the only universe where the heroes are created in the reader's image, and the tangible superheroes are the descendants of ancient warriors just like we are.

 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

Luckily, the title had always been there since I began having the dream. The word Legacy itself has many different meanings for and in the story. On the other hand, the cover design took some time and several rebrands before I could produce an image that captured the emotion the story represented—each cover after has maintained a similar theme and unique identifier to the series.

 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

Just do it! No, I'm not trying to quote Nike that would be very cliche coming from me. The message though, is simple. If writing is within you, if there is a story that you feel you must tell, then please do it. There is someone who wants to read it.

 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?

It seems as if the book world is becoming more accessible to storytellers. Over a decade ago, when I began this journey, I was told and realized that the publishing industry was an exclusive club that only accepted its members through fame or knowing. Services created by companies like Amazon and social media make storytelling possible for people tired of being rejected in query letters. At this point, it seems the only thing truly preventing aspiring writers from forging their own path is the will to bet on themselves.

 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?

There were many. The surgery that I had mentioned earlier. I was raised in Europe; most of my childhood was spent in Italy and Greece. My writing style is unique and authentic to my natural ability as an artist. We often hear the adage "don't try to be anyone else, " but in practice it's true. I am not and can not write like some of the readers' favorite authors. I've tried, and their styles don't work for me. It took time and practice to find the rhythm of my style, and now that I have found it, I have been called a "favorite author".

 

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?

I've been told and agree that my writing style is uniquely my own. As an artist, writing is a different medium for me to use. There are a few elements at play that are best described as untraditional. Like my first novel, when the idea comes to me to continue the story, I see it in a dream as a film, sometimes complete, other times sporadically, and then in my waking moments I am constantly recalling the experience of the dream. I write my stories exactly as I've experienced them and I don't plot anything out. As I write, I let the story come to me and often don't know what will happen next. Lastly, I see the words as colors and brush strokes on a canvas. As I'm writing, each word and sentence is a different component used to create a final piece that I'll step back from when I feel it's finished and gaze at hoping to feel relieved of the emotion I had been trying to purge.

 

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

I had never written anything to the length of Legacy before I had completed the work. It was challenging, but approaching it from a familiar position made grasping the process easier. Mentally, it was difficult because at the time, the only thing that I was really cognizant of was the sport I played. I had achieved a level and was on a trajectory much greater, and to continue to excel meant my focus had to remain singularly on the end objective. I did other things, don't get me wrong, but outside of sport, it was like I existed in a dissociated form.

Writing lifted the veil and introduced another person to the world, while the other one faded further and further away. The challenge is being comfortable with having a voice that was silenced and now attracts ears. It's difficult to go from someone who was disconnected and silent, to the polar opposite. That was my reality for so long, and developing this new person, I'll welcome the day I can feel truly comfortable. And, if I don't, there will be plenty more art for me to create and share with the world.

 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

I invite people to read Legacy because it's a unique story, with many installments to dive into that are full of world building. There are no vampires, werewolves, dragons, or elves. I apologize if that is disappointing upfront. There are, however, the descendants of history's greatest warriors who battle for the honor and glory of their ancestry, and the banners of the Houses they fight for. And, if that's not enough to pique readers' interest. I enjoy connecting with people who have a genuine passion for the story. I'd love to connect and chat anytime if anyone wants to talk about the stories and talk theory or anything else. Time is valuable, and taking it to read Legacy won't disappoint.3

About The Author: J Leonard Costner is an artist by degree, and a former athlete. After pursuing a career in professional sport. J began a career in corporate America while expanding the universe created by his debut novel Legacy. Since its initial publication in 2012, J has completed four additional novels in the Legacy saga, is currently working on his sixth and seventh novels, and is in pre-production on a film adaptation of Legacy. For more information, please see: www.legacyuniverse.io

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum