Where did you grow up? What kind of child would you say you were?
I grew up in Toronto, Ontario, in a nice community, close to school and friends my own age, with a park literally right around the corner. I was an outgoing child, regularly getting little remarks on my report card indicating that, perhaps I was a little too chatty in class. I loved riding my bike, climbing trees and time spent at the cottage!
Overall, I was a good kid, but I consistently found my share of trouble. I had no fear back then.
Do you remember what your first piece of creative writing was?
My education was in the biological sciences; creative writing wasn’t required nor was it where I was headed at that time. I was more adept at research-type essays than fiction. I didn’t start writing creatively until about 10 years ago, and now I love it.
When and how did the idea for a book strike you?
About 10 years ago, several things happened at about the same time:
i) The kids were a little bigger, I found I had a little more time, and I started to read grown- up books again, using my imagination in a way I hadn’t in some time.
ii) I learned of a friend of my parents who enjoys writing. He’s written several futuristic-fiction books (a series, which I enjoyed very much), but made the choice to print copies to give his loved ones/friends only. His joy comes simply from sharing his story. That got me thinking about the kind of passion one feels, when they have a story to tell.
iii) A story idea about a girl deliberately going back in time, struck me—I’ve always loved the idea of time-travel and its consequences. It quickly grew from an idea, to a story, to a series!
As soon as that happened, I found myself asking questions. Why does she want to go? How will she get there? What knowledge will she go with? Then came the research. Now I was reading for knowledge, learning about Wicca, herbs, stones and moon phases. I’m happy to say that I learned things that have become a part of who I am.
What challenges did you face while publishing your debut novel Sky-Watcher: A Shadow in Time?
As a reader, I tend to favour series’. I read books that are standalones, of course, but I have found that I like a story that takes me through the different adventures and stages, in someone’s life. I love to read on, about the stuff that happens after the story ends. So, in that respect, the story I am writing, is an epic one. Herein lies my biggest challenge—the length of the story. For the genre, this story is longer than agents/publishers will consider for a newbie. There were several that told me if I could break it down into 2 stories, they’d be happy to consider it. I didn’t feel that I could do that, I still don’t. This story is complete as it is, and is the first installment of Sky Watcher’s Story. Call me stubborn.
In the end, I published with Friesen Press, who advised me and helped me put out my best book.
Why did you choose the historical romance genre?
I didn’t actually choose a genre. I wrote a book that I would enjoy reading . . . that’s it. I like a good story, interesting characters, and I like a love story, but it doesn’t have to be a romance novel.
How much did you research to create Charlotte's nineteenth-century world?
I researched a lot! To write about a different time you need to recreate architecture, foods, lingo, transportation, population diversity, etc. As well, creating an MC who is a Wiccan, which I am not, meant I had to learn a different belief system, accompanying rituals, and in Charlotte’s case, I had to learn about the power within stones. That’s a lot of reading!
How do you think combining your knowledge in health sciences and biology, with your interest in herbs, stones, and the skies helped you to write your first book?
I think that combining my knowledge and interests, has given me a nice variety of topics to blend together in creating Charlotte’s world. From her understanding of physiology to her enjoyment of gardening and working knowledge of herbs; from her deep-felt beliefs in her stones, to her work using the moon’s energy in it’s different phases. All of these topics came together perfectly.
What do you enjoy about writing?
As a new writer, my feelings are fresh and new. I feel happy to conceive of an idea and then find the words to describe it, just so. I enjoy the process of story writing from the very beginning: a rough vision of the story begins to take form; as the story develops, the characters are created; each character comes into focus as they become their own person, with their own quirks and speaking style; they live and act out, in surroundings entirely created by me. It’s a good feeling to capture what you visualize in your mind, and put it into words for others to see. When a reviewer said, “I felt like I was walking right along with the characters down the dirt road,” it absolutely made my month!
Do you ever leave book reviews on other author's books? What do reviews mean to you?
I do leave reviews. Now that I am an author myself, I appreciate what a review does for authors. It gives a book exposure, it allows readers to see what previous readers thought of a story and hopefully, encourages them to buy and read the book. However, if I chose to read a story with a topic that was out of my norm or I couldn’t get into, and I didn’t enjoy it, then I probably shouldn’t have picked it, so I wouldn’t leave a rating. Everyone has their own likes, their own point of view and tastes; just because I didn’t enjoy it, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a well-written book that someone else might love. My reviews serve to encourage readers AND writers.
When did you screw everything up, but no one ever found out it was you?
Like I’m gonna give that away! In actuality, it is the story of my life—I ALWAYS get caught.
What are some of your future projects that you've started on? May we know when we can expect a new book?
At the moment I’m finishing the editing of book 2, so that I can proceed with that. I expect to query it for a while, it would be nice if it got picked up. If not though, I will self publish again, hopefully within the next year. In the mean time, I’m more than half-way through writing book 3.
What has your experience with AllAuthor been like, to date?
I have found AllAuthor to be a very helpful source for marketing. They answer questions promptly and care about their members. Thank you, AllAuthor!
