J.A. Louvel has been writing for over three decades, but finally got serious about her work in 2017 and published New Eden, book one in The Joining Trilogy. A dystopian sci-fi laced with metaphysical fantasy. She followed it up in 2019 with the second book, Progeny, a darker blend of sci-fi fantasy.
Since then, she’s been working on book 3, which has grown into a rather lengthy novel as J.A. wrapped up all the storylines that were left dangling in books 1 & 2. She found it to be quite an undertaking, as the finale was a far more complex venture than the two earlier books. She was forced to take a step back a few times to gain some perspective. Eventually book three, The Joiners, was published in July 2026, bringing another hefty dose of the metaphysical along with intrigue and adventure. The book is divided into 3 Parts & an Epilogue, each with its different flavour.
During her time away from the trilogy, J.A. began a new scifi novel and a series of shorts, as well as the novella The Awakening of Charlie Burdock, a contemporary fantasy also published in 2026. A dramatic change in from her trilogy, the novella is lighthearted and humorous, yet rich in the metaphysical elements one expects from Louvel.
Louvel has resided on the West Coast of Canada for most of her life, interspersed with time spent in Northern Alberta, England, and the Caribou Region in BC where she lived in an old prospectors’ cabin with three cats and played host to a friendly skunk and an occasional bear. Later, she exchanged the cats for a baby girl and eventually two other cats..
Currently she no longer lives with cats or kids, or receives wildlife visitors. But she does share a home with a slightly wolfie looking man whom she loves immensely, and also happens to be one of her biggest supporters ―and her invaluable tech guy.
Life outside the novel:
When not writing, Louvel likes to read both hard and soft sci-fi, often a mix of dystopian and metaphysical fantasy, but is open to a variety of genres. When it comes to movies and series her number one choice is, of course, science fiction, although she’ll watch most genres―but definitely no slashers or zombies!
Louvel loves going for walks in the woods to clear her head and allow inspiration. She also enjoys cooking (and eating) different types of cuisines from around the world, searching out excellent coffee roasters, and sampling craft beer breweries. But best of all, spending time with loved ones.
A big Christmas enthusiast when it comes to decorating, baking, and family, Louvel customarily takes a few weeks off from work around the Holidays, as well as a couple weeks off in the summer to recharge her creative batteries―although this has been known to involve ‘writing for fun.’
Writing influences:
Louvel feels that she’s been influenced by every book she’s ever read, at least on some level, even if it was simply to recognize what she didn’t want to write. But her most powerful influences within the sci-fi realm were Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Doris Lessing, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula Le Guin, Douglas Adams & Walter M. Miller Jr (A canticle for Leibowitz).
From these writers Louvel learned what was possible when developing a storyline, in the sense of time and space: “Essentially, it’s pretty much unlimited!” She also felt that they legitimized, for her, the use of metaphysical/fantastical powers within dramatic adult fiction. These writers taught her about pacing, how to write an action scene, and that it’s okay to create an ensemble cast of characters ─and how to juggle them!
Her most notable influences from the non-scifi world were: Jane Austen, James Clavell, Len Deighton, George Elliott, John Irving, John Le Carré, James A. Michener, Edgar Allan Poe, William Styron, Leon Uris, and Oscar Wilde.
These writers taught Louvel about character development, scene development, and the different ways to allow a story to unfold. They also taught her how to write dialogue and how to develop relationships between the characters.
“I am speaking as if I knew that all these books would one day influence my writing when, in fact, I’d no idea that I would ever write a book ―except in daydreams.” Louvel simply read whatever she enjoyed, and recognized what she didn’t, while, she believes, her subconscious writer, waiting in the wings, was taking note of every key element that would one day serve her. It was only after she began writing her own novel, and was faced with making decisions every day, that she gradually realized what was influencing her choices, and understood how much knowledge she had gained simply by being a voracious reader.
Works in Progress:
– The Zennian Art of Resisting Evolution: (an intergalactic scifi adventure novel)
– Mort Shorts (a dozen deadly twists)