Frequently Asked author Questions

First, I will say that authenticity is key to memorable storytelling. No matter the genre, authenticity is the secret sauce that makes us feel something. Good writing is an incredibly vulnerable art. Also, know your "why" when you first sit down to craft your story. Why does this story or this character want to be heard? And most importantly, why did this bit of inspiration choose me to write it? I think once you have the answers to those two questions, "bleeding on the page" as Hemingway once said, becomes all the easier. Next learn everything you can about character arch and story structure. Unfortunately, one cannot write on vibes alone.  

Everyday magic is what inspires me the most. Nature, the imaginations of the children in my life, strangers in coffee shops, new recipes, etc. Then also books, movies and television, of course. I try to soak it all in and pay attention when something really makes me feel something. I sort of play with that spark in the back of my mind until I know how I would like to incorporate it into my own stories.   

I've been a storyteller as far back as I can remember. I can't recall a particular book that sparked my interest. It was more just a state of being for me. Before I could spell, I delighted in taking whoever would listen to the far edges of my imagination. After that, I'd sit beneath my mother's desk while she worked and write stories on folded pieces of paper. 

There were however books that fed my passions for writing as I grew older. Books like The Magic Treehouse Series, The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and The Illustrated Man, among many more.  

The routine is to grab caffeine, find my headphones and squeeze words in between chasing around (or being chased by) my three little wild children. As a creative and a mother, I've learned to forego most of the writing luxuries for the sake of getting more words on paper. Those things will return one day all too soon. 

The writing process always feels a lot like infatuation. I love how the page follows me around, whispering sweet nothings in my ear, begging me to come away for just a moment more. I experience wisps of inspiration throughout the day for the scene or plot I'm working on. Then I have to scribble them down as fast as I can before daily life chases them away. Call me "strange", but if you know, you know.

Being perceived. Ha! What can I say? I'm a recovering hermit. If it wasn't for my unyielding belief that books come into the world on assignment to find the readers who need them, I would hoard my creative treasures like the reclusive dragon that I am. For a time, I did consider using a pen name but, in the end, I decided that I'd rather have my family believe me when I finally told them that I'm an author.

Currently, I consider myself a Ravenclaw major with a Slytherin minor.