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Northern Utah author LJ Andrews has never seen her books on the shelves of a Barnes and Noble — even though she has a dozen published over the last decade. That’s all about to change with her new release, “ Broken Souls and Bones ” — Andrews’ first traditionally published novel that published on April 29. The romantasy author behind the popular “ The Broken Kingdom ” and “ The Ever Seas ” series indie-published her previous books.
Her works capture all types of fantasy creatures: from fae to vikings to pirates. The magic system in Andrews’ new release stems from the Norse myths of berserkers, fierce warriors known for their intense battle style. It branches out into bone melding and soul absorption making for her “most immersive” magic system yet.
“That’s what this book is about ...
accepting that we all have a little bit of darkness inside of us, but how you use it is what distinguishes you from the real villains,” Andrews said. The Salt Lake Tribune sat down with Andrews for a Q&A about her new book . Andrews will have a free event hosted by The King’s English Bookshop on May 3 to discuss her new book at First Baptist Church.
Visitors must register for tickets beforehand. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. I started writing seriously about 12 years ago.
I was just looking for a way to kind of escape postpartum depression. It took about three years and I wrote a mishmash book that didn’t really have [a] genre ..
. I did a lot of research on the way I wanted to publish, and I did it myself. [Eventually] I rewrote an old series into what is my “Broken Kingdoms” series now.
There is a big difference that you don’t really need to wait anymore. If you want to do something, you can do it, because social media is so powerful in that aspect. I found my agent after “The Broken Kingdoms” kind of gained some steam, and with the help of social media and Facebook ads and BookTok .
.. I got audio book offers.
I didn’t have to query them. I got to actually kind of flip the tables, as opposed to just the traditional way where you query an agent and try and you go through the trenches ..
. I had agents coming to me being like, ‘Oh, I’ll represent you,’ and then I got to pick who represented me. Lyra is a Viking servant who has been hiding the melding power from the beginning, because everyone’s told her it’s basically very dangerous.
It’s very coveted. They kind of start wars to try to get her. Every King kind of wants her for themself and to use her power.
Roark was my hardest and my most challenging male main character I’ve ever written, because he uses sign language, so he’s a non-speaking male main character. That was fun and interesting to talk to medical professionals. I have a brother-in-law who’s an audiologist, so he helped me a lot with developing .
.. It’s my own sign language that we created.
I found as an author, I’ve come to really trust my gut after I’ve developed characters, because they do start to speak to you a little bit once you have this person created. The mountains, for sure. I wrote so much in the mountains here .
.. I live up north, so that area by the ski resorts and stuff — they are where people are walking in the mountains in my head.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) LJ Andrews with her book "Broken Souls and Bones" on Monday, April 28, 2025. Music is huge in my writing. I listen to music constantly.
It kind of plays like a movie in my head as I do it ...
I go for a lot of walks and kind of get in the vibe, in the zone, and then I sit down and think about it, and then build out that way. But definitely, if I hear a song or a lyric, sometimes it just gives me a whole scene. (Andrews has made a Spotify playlist for “Broken Souls and Bones.
“Drums of Drakkar” by Amoebacrew inspired a specific scene in the book.) I had created the whole scene of when Lyra actually goes into this stone gate royal fortress. I imagine these gates opening, it’s super intimidating, and they’re beating their drums.
It was just from that sound that created that entire scene. The smell [of a world is] actually where I start. I close my eyes and meditate a little bit.
It’s mist and moss and damp soil. I hope people come away after feeling like they’ve been on an adventure, first of all, but also like to embrace who you are..
