Life Without Fantasies
by Jordin Lea
Andrews-Jones
Lola Baxter has built her
life around rules.
After being abandoned by her parents as a teenager, she creates a carefully
controlled existence defined by boundaries, routine, and emotional distance. If
she can control her surroundings, she believes she can protect herself from
ever being hurt again.
Then Nick arrives.
His presence challenges everything Lola believes about safety, attachment, and
freedom-and forces her to confront questions about her past that she has spent
years avoiding.
But Nick knows things about Lola that he shouldn’t.
As secrets begin to surface, Lola discovers that her carefully constructed life
may be connected to something much larger: The Saints, a world built on
loyalty, responsibility, legacy, and rules that were never meant to be broken.
What begins as a struggle between control and vulnerability becomes a deeper
journey into identity, survival, love, and the price of freedom.
Some rules keep you safe. Others keep you from living.
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Author Interview
What does your typical writing routine look like?
I don't really have a conventional writing routine. A lot of my stories begin in my head long before they ever reach the page. I can be going about my day and suddenly have a scene, a character, or an entire idea develop in my mind. Once the story starts taking shape, I tend to become completely absorbed in it and write whenever the ideas are flowing. For me, writing has always been much more about following the story than following a schedule.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
What I enjoy most is getting lost in the world I've created. I love taking an idea that initially exists only in my head and watching it become characters, scenes and eventually a complete story. I also love the freedom of writing because there are no limits to where a story can go. Sometimes even I don't know exactly where my characters are going to take me until I start writing.
Have you ever turned a personal experience into a fictional story?Yes. My writing is often influenced by real experiences and emotions, although I don't always write them literally. Letting Go is much closer to my personal experiences, while Life Without Fantasies allowed me to take themes, emotions and observations from real life and transform them into an entirely fictional story. I think there is something powerful about taking something real and reshaping it into something completely new.
How do you know when a story is “finished”?
That's actually a difficult question for me because I could probably rewrite a story forever. Eventually, I have to reach the point where I'm willing to let it go. I know it's finished when changing something no longer makes the story better—it just makes it different. At that point, I have to trust the story and let the reader have it.
If you could choose three people to invite for a dinner party, who would they be and why?
Sabrina Carpenter – I absolutely love her humour and personality. I think dinner with her would be hilarious, and I have a feeling there would never be a dull moment.
Enid Blyton – Her stories were read to me as a child, so inviting her would feel incredibly special. Her books were part of my childhood and played a small part in my love of stories and reading. I'd love the opportunity to ask her where some of those wonderful worlds and characters came from.
Steve Irwin – He seemed to have such an incredible enthusiasm for life, animals and people. I'd love to sit across the table from someone with that much passion and hear his stories. I imagine the dinner conversation would be completely unpredictable—in the best possible way.
City or country?
It really depends on the location. I love the idea of the country for the peace, space and slower pace, but put me in the right city with good food, interesting places to explore and plenty to do, and I'll happily choose the city. So I think I'm firmly in the “depends where you take me” camp. 😄
Go through a haunted house or attend a murder mystery dinner party?
Murder mystery dinner party. Absolutely. 😂 As someone who writes psychological thrillers, I'd much rather sit around a table trying to work out who did it than voluntarily walk through a haunted house. And I'd probably spend the entire dinner analysing everyone's behaviour instead of actually eating.
Where can readers find out more about you and your books?
Readers can find me on social media under JL Andrews-Jones, particularly on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. My books are also available internationally through online retailers and Goodreads.
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I am a South African
author known for writing across multiple genres, driven by a passion for
storytelling that explores the depth and complexity of the human experience. I
am committed to creating work that challenges, reflects, and resonates with
readers beyond a single genre boundary.
At 19, I became medically disabled following surgery, an experience that
reshaped my life and perspective. Writing became both a creative outlet and a
way for me to rebuild purpose.
I am the author of Letting Go, a reflective work on healing and resilience, and
Life Without Fantasies, a psychological thriller exploring identity, power, and
truth.
Across my work, my focus remains consistent: to craft meaningful stories that
stay with readers and encourage deeper reflection. Based in Gauteng, South
Africa, I continue to write, publish independently, and engage with readers
through various literary platforms.
