What is the title of your latest release?
COLD IRON TASK
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A government-sanctioned witch must go on a very unsanctioned heist into the Elsewhere, a magical otherworld.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
As witches are a major feature of my books, Salem, and by extension Boston, seemed to be the natural choice for a big city to set the story in.
Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Sure! He seems like a good kid that means well.
What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Idealist. Underdog. Intractable.
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Not to bite off more than you can chew. The original version of this book was twenty-five-thousand words longer than the final version, and cutting words is much harder than adding them.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I tend to edit in stages. On the completion of a suitable batch of chapters, sometimes an arc or sometimes a whole act, I’ll pause writing new scenes and go back to organize things. Sort of like shuffling up a pile of pages so that they stack nice and neat.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I recently discovered mochi donuts. This has been a dangerous revelation.
Describe your writing space/office!
I tend to write all around my house, as most of my initial draft is done on my phone. I then tend to edit in bed or on the couch using my laptop.
Who is an author you admire?
Brandon Sanderson is a fantastic writer and a shockingly good teacher. These two traits combined are both admirable and helpful for any aspiring writer—and I include myself among them.
Is there a book that changed your life?
The Eragon series was the first that really captured my attention as a kid. Ever since, I’ve had a soft spot for the “boy and his dragon” story archetype.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
It took a little while for the reality of it to sink in. It wasn’t until I actually had a virtual meeting with my editor and agent that I realized things might actually be happening.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I’ve been taking a recent interest in westerns and western-adjacent books.
What’s your favorite movie?
That’s a tough pick. I want to say the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I’ve probably watched Hot Fuzz more times.
What is your favorite season?
Autumn.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
Quietly, with good friends and some board games.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Ted Lasso, Ted Lasso, Ted Lasso.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
It’s hard to argue with good sushi.
What do you do when you have free time?
Anything obscenely nerdy. Lately, my free time has gone to painting miniatures for Warhammer 40k.
What can readers expect from you next?
I’m currently working on book four and am about halfway done. Hopefully that will wrap up smoothly and leave some time open for something else I’ve been thinking on for some time.
Grimsby, a junior Auditor in the magical Department of Unorthodox Affairs, finds himself on the other side of the law in this spellbinding urban fantasy.
Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby may have one case under his belt, but he’s still a novice Auditor in Boston’s Department of Unorthodox Affairs. And he’s already made mistakes.
Desperate to repair his fraying friendships, he doesn’t ask too many questions when a mysterious patron offers him the chance to join a heist of an otherworldly vault—and in the process find answers that could make things right.
Complications arise when Grimsby learns that his partner, Mayflower, is keeping secrets about his past. Between facing new demons, old horrors, and monsters—both Usual and Unorthodox—Grimsby soon realizes nothing is how it appears and that not asking enough questions just might be his downfall.
Fiction Adventure | Action | Fantasy Urban [Ace, On Sale: March 4, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book , ISBN: 9780593440452 / eISBN: 9780593440469]
JAMES J. BUTCHER spends most of his time in places that don’t exist, some of which he even made himself. What little time he has left is usually spent writing or exercising. He is the son of #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher, who introduced him to books, movies, and games. James lives in Denver and is working on his next novel.
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