Interview with J.J Hebert, Author of The Breaking of Time

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth?

The idea had been living in the back of my mind for a long time before I ever put words on the page. I’d always been fascinated by the notion of a father who carries an enormous secret—someone outwardly ordinary but privately powerful—and what it would take to force that secret into the open. There’s something inherently compelling about a man who has spent his life hiding who he really is, not out of fear, but out of love and protection.

Once I became a father myself, that idea took on real weight. The question shifted from Would he reveal the truth? to What would leave him no other choice? For me, the answer was simple and terrifying: saving a family member. From there, the story became less about magic and more about consequence. Power always changes things, especially once the people you’re trying to protect begin to see you differently.

The fantasy elements gave me the scale I needed, but the heart of the book is emotional. It’s about sacrifice, identity, and the moment when doing the right thing costs you the very life you were trying to preserve. That tension—between love, secrecy, and inevitability—is what ultimately shaped the story.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth, what would they be?

This one’s fun. I tend to write cinematically, so music is always in the background. For the main character, I’d choose something brooding and driving—music that feels like momentum barely being held in check. For the opposing forces, it would be colder, more restrained, almost mechanical. I like it when the music mirrors the emotional tension rather than spelling it out.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read widely—fantasy, thrillers, science fiction, even nonfiction—but fantasy has always been my home base. That said, what I love most is genre-blending. I enjoy stories that don’t sit comfortably in one box, and that’s reflected in my writing. So yes, what I read definitely influences what I write, but I try not to limit myself to one lane.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Right now, it includes The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne, which I’ve been meaning to dive into for its brutal worldbuilding and character-driven stakes. I also have The Dresden Files on my list—not just to reread selectively, but to study how long-running urban fantasy balances escalation without losing its emotional core. On the darker side, The Blade Itself is sitting there waiting, largely because I admire how Abercrombie handles morally complex characters without romanticizing them. I’ve also got American Gods queued up again, because it’s one of those books that reminds me how myth, modernity, and intimacy can coexist in the same story. Mixed in with all of that are a couple of craft-focused reads—books I dip into rather than read straight through—because no matter how long you’ve been writing, there’s always something new to learn about pacing, tension, and character truth.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There’s a scene where everything slows down—emotionally and literally—and the characters are forced to sit with the consequences of earlier choices. No explosions, no spectacle. Just truth. Those scenes are the hardest to write, but they’re also the most rewarding because that’s where the story earns its weight.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I tend to write in bursts. When I’m in it, I’m really in it—long sessions, lots of coffee, pacing around the room thinking through dialogue. I also do a surprising amount of problem-solving away from the keyboard. Some of the best scenes get written in my head before they ever hit the page.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Progress beats perfection. Every time. Showing up consistently matters more than waiting for the “perfect” moment.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That power always has a cost—and that love, especially the kind rooted in family, can be both a strength and a dangerous thing. If readers close the book still thinking about the characters and the choices they made, then I’ve done my job.

J.J Hebert is the author of the new book The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth

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