Which all places did you travel because of your husband’s job? Which is your favorite?
As an Air Force wife of 20 years, we moved around to several different cities; Phoenix, AZ, Las Vegas, NV, Sumter, SC, & Ft. Walton Beach, FL to name a few. By far, my favorite destination was Phoenix, AZ. We lived there for six years, and even though the summers were brutal, I loved everything about the desert.
Tell us about the best concert you have been to.
Hands down, Artifas! I am also very biased. The guys in the band are some of my closest friends, and I even tour with them from time to time. I engulf myself into the music scene for research and ideas for my rockstar romance novels.
Artifas performs at 200% every single time they step on the stage. Their chemistry and dedication to their music sets them way above any other band that I’ve seen live. At last count, I estimated I’ve seen them 32 times. (But who’s counting!)
You have managed a retail bookstore for almost three years. How did that job inspire you to become an author?
Working for Books A Million helped me learn the industry before I ever thought to publish my books. Not only that, but I paid attention to what was selling, what was hot, and the current trends.
How has your role as a mother of two children contributed to your writing?
My children are in their late teens. They are understanding of my career and even support me. They love that I write and are often helpful when I need the insight of the younger generation.
When did you first start writing? What was your first piece?
In 2008, my husband deployed to Iraq for 10 months. He was going to war, and I was trying to keep my mind busy. The last thing I wanted, or needed, was to watch the news.
My neighbor, and best friend, suggested I write a book to keep myself busy. I was already an avid reader, and she mentioned my amazing, and somewhat crazy, imagination. I laughed it off, but she was serious. That night, after the kids were in bed, I thought “why not?”
I sat down, opened a word document, and started writing a paranormal romance with all of my friends as characters. It took me about 4 months to complete, and when I was done, I was hooked. I never published that one. I continued to write every time he would deploy over the next five years. It wasn’t until he retired in 2013 that I decided to change my career and publish. I’ve been writing ever since.
Romance is your preferred genre to write. Why? Do you see yourself writing in any other genres in the future?
I don’t think I will ever write anything other than romance. My love of a happily ever after keeps me from creating anything different.
What else, apart from writing do you enjoy doing?
I attend a lot of concerts and love to travel.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Telekinesis…I would love to move things with my mind!
The female character in your book ‘The Huntress’ is extremely bold and powerful. How has the portrayal of women changed in books over time, according to you?
Strong female leads in books are becoming more common. The age of the helpless heroine is over. With females taking more powerful roles in society, it’s only fitting that the characters are evolving as well. Just because the woman is strong and independent doesn’t mean she cannot find love. It just means that she can take care of herself.
What was your inspiration behind the story of ‘The Huntress’ and its main character?
After talking to Holly S. Roberts and Teresa Gabelman at RT in 2017, we came up with the idea to turn the tables on the bad boys. My idea was to write about a bad girl who still fought for the good guys even if what she did wasn’t legal.
I teamed up with 12 other authors to write the Bad Girls of Romance books. The Bad Girls books are being released once a month from January 2018 – January 2019. Each month, a different author releases a book. All of them are centered around some very bad girls.
‘Rise of the Pride’ is a series of six books. When did you decide that this is going to be a series?
I knew from the very first book, Talon, this was going to expand into something huge. Each character created in the beginning was designed to have their own story told. At this point, I have plotted 17 books in the Rise of the Pride series.
Even in ‘Rise of the Pride’, your women are not submissive and damsels, but rather play an important role in the story. How important do you think it is to portray women as equals in books and cinema to realize the goal of feminism?
Every female character I’ve ever written is strong. Some were raised that way. Others were made that way by their life experiences.
Empowering women in books and cinema is more of the sign of the times. Women are taking stronger roles in society and are going after what they want. I love that.
How was the idea of ‘Rise of the Pride’ born?
I’d been wanting to write a paranormal romance about a pride of black panther shifters for several years. I’d written one many years ago, but it wasn’t to my liking. I finally sat down one day and built this world and the characters that reside within. I fell in love with the story, and now, I cannot stop writing about them.
Which is the next project you are working on? When will it be released?
Mating Season (Morgan Clan Bears, book 1) is a spin off of the Rise of the Pride series. Drake Morgan, a werebear, makes an appearance in the panther’s books. He’s finally getting his story told and will release 8/28/2018.
