Jersey-born and Miami-raised in spirit, writer James Voorhees crafts epic fantasy forged in the crucible of real-world crisis. In 2020, while working as a physical therapist in a high-stress Miami hospital, the compounding weight of the pandemic triggered relentless insomnia. Rather than fight the sleeplessness, Voorhees used the quiet hours to mine his deepest inspirations: global travel, music, and high fashion. What began as a late-night escape evolved into a sprawling fantasy landscape—a mythos that examines the volatile, eternal friction between love and absolute destruction.
James’s journey to becoming an author is anything but conventional. At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was a physical therapist on the front lines in a Miami hospital. Operating under immense stress, his sleepless nights turned into a creative refuge. Armed with a laptop and a glass of wine on his rooftop, unconnected thoughts began to weave together into a sprawling epic fantasy.
Grab a glass of wine—maybe head up to the rooftop if you have one—and let’s dive into the chronicles!
Interview with James Voorhees
The Frontlines and the Spark of Fantasy
Willy: Let’s dive right into the good stuff. You were a frontline physical therapist during the COVID-19 pandemic, and you’ve mentioned that The Ambassador Chronicles started on a rooftop with a laptop and a glass of wine to cope with those sleepless nights. How did that stress and those late-night sparks translate into such a sprawling epic fantasy?
James: The days on the frontline were long, hot, and exhausting. The stress was immense, heightened by a fear that I refused to acknowledge. My father, a firefighter for 50 years, was my role model, instilling in me an understanding that we exist as part of something much bigger than ourselves. Working alongside two of the most amazing, brave women—Katrina and Julia—we operated as a team, prioritizing each other’s safety while battling the crisis head-on. At the time, I didn’t fully acknowledge the level of stress I was under; I was too focused on the work to stop and worry.
Writing became my essential way of processing that intensity. The resilience I witnessed in my colleagues, combined with the ‘greater good’ mindset my father modeled, naturally bled into my characters. Those late-night hours on the rooftop weren’t just for coping; they became the birthplace of a world where, even in the darkest times, individuals find the strength to fight back against overwhelming forces.
The Power of Face-to-Face Connections
Willy: I actually met you on a beautiful, sunny day at the Chicago Printers Row Lit Fest last year, and my daughter Maria was hooked on your stories immediately. How do live events and interacting face-to-face with readers influence your energy and your writing process?
James: It was such a pleasure meeting you and Maria at Printer’s Row! That was my first event of that kind, and it remains a highlight for me. I am very excited to be returning to Chicago for this year’s festival. While I’ve done various book release events and readings where I get to share fun backstories and spoiler-free insights, nothing quite replaces that face-to-face connection.
Initially, I used this story simply as an escape—a way to dive into a world of fantasy and magic. But through these interactions, that goal has become secondary. I’ve realized it is vital to tell a story where ‘every one of us can be the hero.’ I believe it is incredibly empowering to read a book and find yourself identifying with a character’s arc. Seeing that spark of recognition in a reader’s eyes is profoundly validating; it reminds me that while I write to process the world, I am also building a bridge to the reader. Now, when I’m drafting, I find myself thinking of readers like Maria, writing with the hope that they will find that same sense of empowerment in the stories and characters I’m creating.
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Mapping Character Arcs and Building Worlds
Willy: As a reader, I was so impressed by how flawlessly the story flows from one character to another, like Monk, Seer, and the Queen of Witches. What is your process for mapping out these character arcs to ensure they transition so smoothly and sequentially?
James: It’s funny—the short stories in The Ambassador Chronicles actually came about as an exercise after The Dragon Constellation was already written and the rest of the trilogy was in development. I was challenged to craft a backstory for each character that pinpointed a pivotal moment in their evolution. Having the advantage of knowing exactly who they would become allowed me to create some really fun, interconnected instances—like the lifetime friendship between Monk and Seer, or exploring shared experiences from the unique, personal perspectives of Princess and AZ. It was also a great opportunity to introduce side players like Mavi, Baltaan, and Cadet within the stories of Ghost, Queen of Witches, and Vampire.
Telling Seer’s story was particularly pivotal. Honestly, when I first created him, I didn’t like anything about the character; I leaned into his physical attractiveness just to have a reason to keep him in the narrative. However, writing his backstory forced me to confront his pained and tortured past. That process gave his character arc a strong story line that both creates tension and helps to bond the other characters. Ultimately, knowing the ‘end destination’ for each character allowed me to plant deliberate seeds and weave foreshadowing throughout these prequel stories. Having that roadmap is what makes the transitions between their arcs feel natural and completely earned for the reader.
Willy: From the City of Witches to the cursed red sands of the Desert of Xedu, your world-building is incredibly immersive. Do you build the entire world before you start writing, or does the world-building unfold organically as your characters navigate it?
James: For me, the story always begins with a conversation—in this case, one between Vampire and Monk. From that single interaction, the scene develops, and from that scene, a larger landscape emerges, eventually growing into the world itself.
I draw heavily on my own travels, reflecting on places I’ve visited and imagining how they might translate into this story. I ask myself: What would remain the same, and what would change? What effect would the passage of time have on these places I’ve come to love? When I travel, I’m constantly making mental notes. Whether I’m wandering through a city or simply sitting at a café or bar overlooking a street, I find myself capturing architectural details, specific views, and fleeting moments. That is where my world-building truly comes from. I believe this approach helps my readers ‘see’ the world more clearly because it is fundamentally rooted in the real, sensory details I’ve personally experienced.
Collaboration, Community, and Finding the Music
Willy: We’ve been sharing ideas for almost nine months now, and you’ve also mentioned how much you value your collaborative partnership with Bonfire Books. How important is community and peer feedback in shaping the course of your stories compared to your original outlines?
James: I am truly honored when other writers trust me to review their work, as I place immense value on those peer connections. When it comes to my own projects, I have an incredible team at Bonfire Books who are essential to my process.
My partner, Jose Ramery, reads my drafts and provides invaluable feedback; since he is also my cover artist and art director, this deep immersion into the story allows him to create truly stunning, resonant covers. Then there is my official editor, Orriane Tairum, who always returns my manuscript ‘bloodied’ in red marks—accompanied by an apology! It honestly makes me laugh because I’m usually so confident that I’ve sent off a perfect draft. But it’s a necessary, humbling process; I have to set my ego aside to engage with those edits because, in all truth, they always make the story better than it was before.
Willy: You draw a ton of inspiration from music, art, and travel. When you’re out mingling with readers on a sunny day at events, how do those face-to-face connections fuel your creative fire?
James: Writing is deeply personal; there is a piece of every author in the stories they create. To keep a story relatable, it must be anchored in the human experience—something we all share, understand, and use to inspire ourselves to be better. For me, that process starts with characters and their quiet, intimate moments.
I love the excitement that comes across a reader’s face when I explain the story and they realize, ‘Oh, this is so for me!’ While this project began during quarantine—when we were all isolated—by listening to music, looking at travel photos, and exploring art and fashion, it truly began with a conversation. In fact, the very first scene I wrote was a tender moment between Monk and Vampire, where Vampire reveals their shared history over eight prior lifetimes. Interestingly, I wrote that scene—and the final battle scene for the third book of my trilogy, which releases this October—while listening to different parts of James Bay’s ‘Stand Up’ on repeat. Once those two pieces were out in the world, there was no stopping me. I simply looked at myself and thought, ‘What do I have to lose?’.
What’s Next: The Epic Conclusion and Zombie Apocalypses
Willy: What’s cooking in your writerly brain for the future? As we get deeper into The Ambassador Chronicles trilogy, what themes or new territories are you most excited to explore?
James: Beyond the physical quest for weapons, I’m deeply invested in exploring how these characters reconcile their past sins with the hope of a future—and whether they can even afford that luxury while fighting to save time and space.
The Dragon Constellation begins the trilogy with a high-stakes mission: Vampire, once sent to destroy humanity, finds something he cannot exist without—love. His ego initially blinded him to the consequences, but The Enlightenment proved him wrong. As punishment, The Enlightenment released the Jeweled Dragon, threatening not just mankind, but all of existence, ensuring Vampire’s love could never return to him. The story follows Vampire’s quest to gather magical weapons and fulfill a prophecy to stop the dragon, all while trying to convince his love—someone he has known across eight lifetimes—to join him. It’s a journey packed with witty banter, morally grey characters, and ‘found family’ dynamics.
The second book, The Nine Circles, picks up in the immediate aftermath of a significant loss for the Ambassadors. With no time to waste, they must learn from their mistakes and unlock hidden magic not only to combat the Jeweled Dragon but to confront the darkness within themselves. I am incredibly excited for the final book, which releases this October. I’ve made it a point to bring the quest and the characters full circle, staying true to their growth into the heroes they have become.
Looking ahead, I have a few projects in the works—some within this established world, and others completely new. One, in particular, is a post-apocalyptic love triangle about two characters racing against time on the eve of a zombie apocalypse to find the third and reach a safety bunker before their phone battery dies. Like my other work, it’s filled with action and wit, all while grounded in the complex, morally grey motivations of the human experience.
Willy: James, thank you so much for stepping off the rooftop and sharing your universe with us! Readers, be sure to grab The Ambassador Chronicles and keep an eye out for the thrilling conclusion to the trilogy coming this October. See you next time on Authors & Allies, where the ideas keep sparking!
Thank you for visiting with us. For more Reviews or Literature related content, visit our blog at The Ritual. Copyright Mind on Fire Books.
If you’re ready to be seen, heard, and celebrated—this is your moment for an author spotlight.
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