☆ Author Interview ☆

Tell us a little about yourself and your writing goals.

I was a fine artist until I got something called trigeminal neuralgia about 14 years ago. It caused my hands to be shaky and all of a sudden, the precise brushwork I was used to wasn’t happening and I was dropping my brush more than painting. I could have said no to my creative side and walked away from it, but I realized I couldn’t, it was too much a part of me to ever walk away. I put away my brushes and started to write. It helps steady my hands and I think in time it might help me paint again.

Congratulations on your new release. Please tell us a little bit about it. What’s your favorite aspect or part of the story? Do you have a favorite character? Who/Why?

The story is starting to become engrossed in all the questions I wanted to lay out to the reader. I wanted it to be a space opera full of clan and family, each with their own personalities.  Although you might not see a character for a couple of books, you know they are there. I had a reviewer who actually put it best, it is like a wolf pack with alphas and betas.

I was really looking forward to this part of the story because the Trend character becomes whole. He’s a major character not only to Darius/Paden but also to me. I had a dear friend of the family that seemed like a brother to me that was fashioned after him. He was the first one to show me how to put on makeup and he was the first one to protect me when one of my father’s patients put out a threat. (My father was a psychologist by the way.) He went to school with me every day. I lost him a couple years ago and I miss him every day.

I’d have to say my favorite character is Trend. He’s seen a lot and still he is there to support the clan with love and knowledge.

Are you a planner or a pantser? How much do you know about your story before you start writing? How often does your plan change? Why does this work best for you?

Pantser. I sit at the computer and become so involved in the process and the world that I let it take me. The characters almost scream out to have their own voice. If I’m having a bad day, usually poor Darius takes the brunt of my pain. It was a way to deal with it some days. Because he also creates, it’s a way to bring that love to you. Sometimes I write several chapters and realize I need to get up and move. Then comes the second step, oh the second step it’s the one before I give it to the editor that takes longer. I usually know my stories by heart I’ve gone over them so much because I type so fast that I might forget a word or two and have to fix them before the editor sees them. It’s something I’m working on.

Do you schedule a certain amount of time for writing each day/week, or do you just work it in when you can? Would you like to change this, or does your current method work well for you?

I write every day, what I need to schedule is housework. I’ll tell my two cats I’m not coming into the room with the computer until I get the housework done. Unfortunately, the large windows with the sun are in the same room with the computer and my cat loves me to pet him early in the morning with the sun shining on his fur. By the time I’m done with that I have several ideas and already at the computer. Sometimes it’s all day sometimes I make myself get up and out into the sun and somedays I just don’t go near the computer until I’ve worked around the house. Working on the house is a treat for me.

What was the most difficult part of writing this book? Why?

Lol well my editor would say making smaller books. I’m going to work on that. I think writing ghost sex that was a new one for me. It took a while to come up with how to tell Trend that his mate was on the planet since he couldn’t see Grendolin.

How do you develop a story idea? Do you always use the same method? Specifically, which do you develop first in your story building, the characters or the plot?

I sit, type, and let it happen. I know that is not much of an answer, but how I write is called stream of consciousness.

What are your favorite genres when it comes to your own pleasure reading? Do you prefer to read e-books or print?

I don’t think I have a favorite I love both although e-books are easier for me to read now because they have a back light.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

It energizes me. I become part of my own little world that I can see in my head down to the last detail.

What is your writing Kryptonite?

I have two my cat laying were the keyboard goes or in my face, you have to take time out and love your pets and if I get stuck in the story. Usually I listen to music that day to try to find a line that brings me inspiration.

What is the best money you ever spent as an author?

Several self-help books. The Dialogue Thesaurus by Dahlia Evans, Rayne Hall’s series, and the series by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.

What is your favorite underappreciated novel?

I really enjoyed reading Outcast Mine by Jamie Craig.

What did you edit out of this book?  

I had three chapters on the character of Nix pulling a little joke on Darius and how wrong it went. He turned into a rat when Darius was asleep and ran across his face. Anyone whose read my books, knows how terrified Darius is of rats.  I didn’t think it went, by now Nix should have known too. It didn’t picture Nix in a good light and poor Darius had enough to deal with.

How do you select the names of your characters?

Sometimes they are star names, sometimes they come from asteroids, and sometimes they just come to me.

What were your goals for this book? Did you achieve them?

I had two goals one to get Darius looking better, where he was happy with himself and two, to get Trend back as one of the elders of the clan and a support system.

I believe I achieved both. I actually had to get Trend back to get the first half of my goal, he had to get the spell off of him to really let Darius see what he truly looked like.

What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?

I think I need to get my mind on the road because, I was in the world of Eiveria, either thinking up a good line or plot between one of my characters. Sometimes I wish I was there, I’d love a big family and other times I think it would be nice just to have people around me that loved me and not everyone else who are always in a hurry to get somewhere.

What are the three best things about you?

Overly kind, sensitive of others, and creative.

What was your favorite toy growing up?

I had, well I still have actually, a funny looking stuffed dog that my dad gave me on Valentine’s Day while I was in third grade.

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Rum raisin or Peach, it’s a toss-up.

Buy Links

Available on KU

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