What are the things that remind you of your childhood?
Swimming in Lake Michigan reminds me of my childhood. Mud pies and bike rides with my sisters were big parts of growing up.
Can you tell us about your journey into the world of writing and how you discovered your passion for storytelling?
I used to write plays for myself and my sisters to act out. When I was in sixth grade, my teacher told me my writing voice was clear, and inspired many short stories going forward. Towards my teens, I began to journal every day, and continued until the end of high school. I didn’t begin to write fiction, my true passion, until my mid-twenties.
Your bio mentions that you have pets. Can you tell us a bit about them and whether they play a role in your writing life?
Three writing buddies keep me company during my day to day. We have an older German Shepherd who is protective of the family and keeps the Labrador puppy from getting into too much mischief when I’m in the zone. Whenever I sit down to write, our inherited cat senses it and must join me for some scratches.
When you're not writing, you're often found curled up with a book or your MacBook. What are some of your favorite books or authors that have influenced your writing?
Tolkien’s The Hobbit opened the world of fantasy for me. It was shared by the aforementioned teacher in sixth grade. Lois Lowry’s The Giver gave me an appreciation for the unexpected. It wasn’t until my twenties that I discovered fantasy romance and appreciated the adult version of what I’d been reading for years.
"Swords and Scandals" is often described as a "romantasy" series. What inspired you to combine elements of romance and fantasy in your work?
I touched on this in my previous answer. After devouring most mainstream fantasy series at the time, friends recommended the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning. It combined adult themes more relevant to my life as well as the mystical and magical I enjoy.
Your debut series, Tried and True, has garnered a lot of praise. Can you share the inspiration behind the series and its main characters?
My Tried and True series was a project I’d been developing for a decade before I decided to publish. I built the world of Tidings detail by detail and Scarlett’s story blossomed in those details. It expanded beyond what I initially imagined until it felt like I place and people I once knew.
Readers have described your work as "dark, funny, and sexy." How do you balance these elements to create a compelling narrative?
Balancing elements in my writing has come easier than I expected. I write for those like me, and if it doesn’t flow or feel right, it gets taken out. Sometimes this takes shape in the form of the dreaded writer’s block and when I remove what wasn’t fitting, it flows again.
What drew you to write kick-butt heroines, and can you tell us about the heroines in your books?
Writing strong heroines is a must. I believe you can find strength in each woman I’ve written, and not only in the physical sense or mental fortitude. Strength looks different to every character and feeding that strength so a character can come into their own on page makes for, I believe, a compelling story.
How do your experiences as a member of the Chicago Writers Association and Chicago-North Romance Chapter influence your writing and creative process?
Having writing chapters to lean into has been a tremendous help. I attend local events and there’s always an author friend around. It makes fairs and conventions fun to have that bond. They also offer workshops to hone your craft. You can never know too much.
Many authors have rituals or routines that help them write. Can you describe your writing process or any specific rituals you follow when crafting your stories?
First and foremost, I create a mood board. I do this virtually now, but before apps that let you save boards of images, I would download everything I came across and save into folders on my Macbook. I will have those images in the background while writing and I have found it helps me keep the voice of the character.
Crafting is another interest of yours. Do you find any parallels or connections between crafting and writing?
My writing and crafting has overlapped a great deal. I enlisted my sisters to model masquerade garb, as featured in the series. I made masquerade masks and even designed gowns for specific characters. We participated in a book fashion show showcasing one of the gowns. I make my own bookmarks, and character scented candles for signings, too.
What challenges have you faced as a writer, and how have you overcome them in your journey to becoming a published author?
As with any artist selling their wares, doubt sometimes creeps in. You have to stop thinking why would they want what I’m writing and ask yourself why wouldn’t they.
The fantasy genre can encompass a wide range of subgenres. What specific subgenres within fantasy do you enjoy writing the most, and why?
This is a tricky question! I do love the romance subgenre of fantasy. It was a natural transition from YA fantasy for me as I grew older and is more relatable for me even as a writer. Sword and sorcery is a close second.
What can readers expect from your upcoming works, and do you have any new projects on the horizon that you can share with us?
My sixth book is releasing at the end of next month and we’re rapid releasing the final book at the end of December, completing the Tried and True series.
How has your experience of being associated with AllAuthor been?
AllAuthor has been a great resource for finding new authors and creating mock-ups and flat lays for my books.
