Where do you live? If not here, where would you have wanted to live instead?
I’m originally from Seattle. Now I live in part time in South Lake Tahoe and the other part of the time I live in the western Sierra Foothills. After years in Seattle, I craved sunshine!
Did you ever dream of becoming an author? What were your dreams during childhood?
I always enjoyed writing. In high school I took every creative writing class that was offered. In college, I wrote short stories. My other dream was to travel.
When did you decide to start writing your book?
I always wanted to write a book, but my life got in the way. It was hard to sit down and write when I’m living my best life. Right before the pandemic we had moved to an old cabin on 40 acres in the Sierra Foothills. It was rustic. We heated it with an old Waterford stove. We were renovating it. It was one of the quietest times in my life. I thought, I finally have time to write. So, I stoked the wood fire and sat at the table close enough to stay warm and started writing in November 2019. Well, then you know what happened.
As a paramedic, what's something you saw you will never forget?
Well, the opening scene for the book involves emergency response for a police officer who was executed by a known criminal. I was on a call where that happened. The officer didn’t survive. It was very unsettling, because we like to think of ourselves as invincible but that brought home that we are not. In telling the story, the details were real. The ambush was drawn from events that have happened in other areas of our country.
What inspired you to write the book, Aftermath: Murder · Adventure · Revenge in Lake Tahoe?
Well, the book wrote itself. It was a combination of events; I had transitioned from my profession as a paramedic; I recognized the changing threats to safety for prehospital providers, and I discovered that living in Tahoe is well, complicated. Add in a difficult neighbor and it is a recipe for a murder mystery.
How do you write a satisfying end to a first book in a series?
I had a review that referred to the end of my book as a “cliff hanger”. I closed the chapter on Lake Tahoe and the next book takes off where my first book began and ended. I hope that it is unsatisfying and will compel readers to want to know what comes next!
What was your experience writing and publishing your first book?
It has been a huge learning curve. I didn’t know anything about writing a novel when I started. I’d written articles related to my conservation and activist work for newspapers, magazines, and blogs but I’d never attempted a novel before. Writing it was the easy part. The difficult part was deciding whether to submit to a publisher or self-publish. I decided to self-publish. Then I had to find verified resources like editors, beta readers, and software to format my book. It was a lot to learn. Now that I have a better understanding of the process, I think the next book will be easier to shepherd through the process.
Writing and finishing a book can take an immense amount of discipline. How do you keep yourself motivated and keep the dreaded writer's block from attacking?
When I wrote my first novel, I was very motivated because it was new and exciting. I’m working on my second book, and it has a lot more moving pieces that require research as well as writing. One way I motivate myself is to join online writing groups like Shut Up & Write. I’ve developed a community that I stay connected with and that motivates me.
On average, how many days a week do you write?
Depends on time of year. In the summer, 3-4 days a week. In the winter, I can write every day. I love the indoor time in the winter for writing.
Is it possible to be a photographer with just an iPhone?
It depends on what your goal is. For online promotions, IG posts, I think an iPhone is a great tool. If you want high end large-format prints and fine art photography I don’t think that the iPhone is quite there yet, however I’ve seen some amazing iPhone photos on IG.
Do world travelers ever get bored and find it meaningless?
Speaking for myself, sometimes I just get tired. I love traveling but the constant input and change can get exhausting. I need time to recharge, whether a stop on the road or a break at home. That time gives me a reset and then I can get enthusiast and energized for what’s next.
I think the biggest burn out is the commercialized aspect of travel. I feel like there are less and less authentic experiences. Everywhere seems to have been discovered.
Why do you think adventure is important in life?
Again, speaking for myself. Adventure for me is like breathing. I’ve always been adventurous. I also think that adventurous spirit has given me a lot to write about.
What are some good books to read for an aspiring nature conservationist?
I think it’s important to look at where we have come from. Read Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson, anything by Edward Abbey or John Muir. Early activists were raising the call for change, and they made huge progress on environmental issues, but at the same time human impacts grew exponentially. The next book in my reading list is Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future by Elizabeth Kolbert. For a more beautiful perspective on nature and why it's worth protecting, read “Where the Crawdads Sing”, by Delia Owens.
Are you working on anything right now?
I’m working on the second book in my Emergence Series. It starts where the previous book, Aftermath, leaves off. Maya heads back to her job as a paramedic where she and her coworkers face more deadly threats from evolving right wing extremism.
When did you sign up as a member on allauthor and what have been your favorite parts? Is there anything you dislike or think needs work?
I signed up June of this year. My favorite thing about it is the easy way to create book teasers and gif makers for reviews. The ease of creating visual images and words for posts cuts down on my design time.
I like the author profile page and the format.
The one thing I didn’t like was the book cover contest. I felt like it should be divided into categories because each genre has a certain look. I felt like it is dominated by romance novel covers.
