1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a writer?

 

Starting in sixth grade, I writing became my number one pastime, and I began writing a novel.  I carried a notebook dedicated to my novel to school every day, and I wrote in it if I finished my in-class work early. I did this all the way through middle school, high school, and college. In fact, in ninth grade, my English teacher gave me a certificate on the last day of class that rewarded me for keeping an A average while writing “a billion words on a novel.” She was using hyperbole, of course, but she was genuinely impressed. It bolstered my passion for writing.

 

I also discovered fan fiction in college.  It was fun, and I built a readership right away. It motivated me to write without worrying so much about being perfect, and I got instant feedback on my writing, some of which was genuinely helpful. Plus, by writing so much fan fiction, I gained the ability to write up to 2,000 words an hour.

 

For almost a decade during and after graduate school, I wrote next to no original fiction, and I worried that my dream of publishing my original fiction would die. However, I wrote a new novel in 2014 and began querying in 2015. Sadly,  a significant life upheaval and tragedy derailed me in 2017-2018. My life partner, Keith, almost died due to a previously undiagnosed immune system disorder.  By the time I got back on my feet, Covid-19 hit, and I contracted it twice. Despite this, Keith recovered, and so did I. I continued writing new novels and decided to query publishers directly instead of the agents, who kept telling me they loved my ideas but didn’t know who to sell them to. Wicked Ink loved The Truth of a Kaleidoscope Mind, so I  got a happy ending.

 

2. What inspired you to start writing, and how did you discover your passion for storytelling?

 

When I was in elementary school, my mom started writing a novel. I was under the impression that only famous, ritzy people did that—I think I was six years old—so I was really impressed. I decided if she could write a novel, then I could, too. One genre I read as a child was detective fiction, so at age eight, I decided to write my first book: a detective novel. I think I wrote it in thirty minutes, so it was actually a short story.

 

Years later, in sixth grade, was when the true passion hit. I began a novel in August and finished it in May, and I wrote it all by hand. However, twice during the process, I reread my work and realized I’d grown so much as a writer that the early chapters weren’t up to my current level. Of my own volition, I tore them out of my notebook and started over, making my novel stronger. Then, once I finished, I began a sequel and plotted a trilogy that I worked on during seventh grade.

 

From August of sixth grade until now, I’ve never once looked back. My one life goal became, and remained, to become a published novelist.

 

3. Could you share some insights into your creative process? Do you have any rituals or habits that help you write?

 

Fun fact: I chew an obscene amount of gum while I write.

 

I pick a band to listen to, one whose albums match the mood of what I’m writing, and I play them while I work. I write a lot of horror, and I listen to Birthday Massacre for that. For high fantasy, I’ve listened to Enya, Within Temptation, and Nightwish.

 

Most of my prewriting is usually rough drafting. Outlines choke me. Too much “writing advice” paralyzes me. I just select my genre, identify the external problem my characters will face, and set up my main character and my villain. Then I jump in and write, write, write. My life partner reads each chapter after I finish it, and then we discuss it and where my novel is headed. If I see a problem, I course-correct it. Otherwise, I hammer out a rough draft without stopping to revise or second-guess myself into oblivion.

 

4. What themes or messages do you often explore in your writing, and why are they important to you?

 

Found family, recovering from trauma, and being your authentic self are probably my top three themes, and that’s entirely the result of my own experiences in life. There’s always a personal component to what I write, even when it’s paranormal horror and high fantasy. If I can’t identify with some part of the main character’s struggle, then I can’t write the story.

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To read the rest of the interview, visit Wicked Ink here.