Author Interview: Royden Lepp (JURASSIC JEFF)

We love a good series over here at the Mixed Up Files, and author/illustrator Royden Lepp is keeping

‘em coming with his new book, Jurassic Jeff: Phone Home (Jurassic Jeff Book 3). Royden has written and published a variety of children’s books and other comics, and his first series RUST was called “one of the best all-ages stories to be crafted in the past decade”. Jurassic Jeff is Royden’s first comedy series, and I got a chance to ask him a few questions about the latest installment:

Chris: The Jurassic Jeff books are so fun (and definitely a big hit with my kids!). Did you know this was going to be a series when you got started with the first story?

Royden: I did! I pitched a series initially and was always planning to tell multiple stories around these fun characters. It was my first attempt at episodic storytelling, so it was a bit of a challenge.

Chris: And episodic storytelling definitely provides more opportunity for character development. Like in this book, where we learn a little more about Jeff’s home planet and history. You manage to avoid the dreaded “info dump”, but was that hard to do?

Royden: Somehow it wasn’t. Sometimes I don’t think I’m very good at world-building. I’ve always been really afraid of the world-building hole that writers can fall into, so I avoid it like the plague. Unfortunately that often leaves me not knowing a lot about the world I’m writing about so I have to stop and consider the context.

Chris: That makes sense. And speaking of context,  I enjoyed all the vintage sci-fi movie references in this one. Do you make these books with grown-ups in mind, too?

Royden: First and foremost, I’m always writing for myself. It has to make me laugh first, and then I consider my audience. So for some of the deep sci-fi references I consulted my son, who was 11 at the time that I wrote this volume. He knew a couple of the references but not all of them, and he thought the scenes were funny in their own context, so I just went for it.

Chris: Nice! And your books always have a lot of physical action, too. Is there a different approach to writing and illustrating when you want scenes to have a lot of movement?

Royden: There is! The writing involves thumbnailing the whole book more than it does writing all the

text. Every page has to flow into the next, and the jokes have to keep popping. I don’t want Jurassic Jeff to just be talking heads—I want it to have a lot of energy.

Chris: You poke some fun at AI in your book, and the last time we talked, I asked you about the role of AI in writing and illustrating. Has your opinion evolved at all in the last year or so?

Royden: Oh, it’s evolving daily, I think. I’ve done a lot of experimentation with AI in my art this year, and I’ll admit that a lot of it has been really fun. It creates amazing new ways to look at your creation. HOWEVER, I have yet to use AI in my books or writing. It simply doesn’t apply yet. I use it AROUND my characters and IP, but I don’t use it to make anything yet. I bet that will change in a year, but who knows? Story is the goal. Whatever tool helps me tell the stories I want to tell, I will use it.

Chris: That makes sense and sounds like a grounded approach. In your author bio, you mention doing video calls with art classes, which sounds really cool! Have you had opportunities to engage with the middle-grade audience as a result of the Jurassic Jeff series?

Royden: Oh yes, I’ve had many visits with schools and students over the last few years. It’s been a blast, and I hope there are more to come this year. (There are! I already know!)

Chris: Very cool! Okay, Royden, since you’re a repeat guest on the blog, you get the super bonus lightning round questions:

Music or silence while working?

R: Music. A thousand times over.

Best late-night snack?

R: Life cereal

Favorite location to visit?

R: Ucluelet, BC on Vancouver Island

Hardest part of a book to write?

R: That first blank page. Standing at the bottom of a mountain you intend to climb. That first step of so many.

Best writing advice you’ve ever gotten?

R: Don’t copy anyone. You have your own unique voice—use it.

Thanks again to Royden for taking some time to chat with us! You can find Jurassic Jeff: Phone Home everywhere on April 21, 2026.

See you soon, friends!

Chris Low

Chris Low is a children's writer and elementary school teacher outside of Philadelphia, PA. He draws inspiration from the organized chaos of his special education classroom and the perpetually surprising wit of his own students. In addition to his middle grade book projects, Chris has published several award-winning short stories with Highlights for Children and Cricket magazine. Chris is married with two young boys and a dog who will eat literally anything. He spends most of his free time running, hiking, and negotiating with preschoolers.