Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Hey! I’m a quirky girl who enjoys strange facts and putting love and magical fantastical things in all my fiction. In addition to being an author, I’m a wife and mother of two beautiful children, and I love helping others when I can.
I have several books:
Skye’s Lure: A tale of a mermaid who wants to see land, and the man she saves whose actions could put her entire race in danger.
Arctic Discovery (trying to get traditionally published) – A contemporary sci-fi with thriller and romance elements. A pair of historical linguists with opposing personalities have to work together to learn about an ancient tower in Antarctica, and then to protect the survivor it produces.
Call Her Forth (in revisions) – A romantic tale about a man who starts dreaming about the woman of his dreams, but struggles with the temptations of real life.
My Natural Birth Story, a personal memoir about what it took to birth my first child naturally and what I learned in the process.
5 Degrees of Separation (Writing) – A series of tales from the witnesses who directly affect the leader of a group of teens suddenly imbued with magic.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Skye’s Lure is the latest available book. I was inspired when I watched the Mermaid: The Body Found on the Discovery channel. I totally believed it was true for about a day, but my mind kept spinning ideas about how humans could have become mermaids, and so Skye’s Lure was born.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Well, since I have two small children, I tend to type one-handed a lot. And it’s usually with my left hand, and I’m right-handed! It’s not a habit, exactly, but it’s interesting – and it can create some interesting typos. 🙂
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read so many books as a youth, I don’t even know. The authors that stand out in my mind the most are C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and more recently Stephenie Myer and J.K. Rowling. I’ve also had the pleasure of connecting with some incredible authors – Olivia Folmar Ard, Laine Cunningham, and Rebecca Enzor, to name a few.
What are you working on now?
Always so much to work on. I’m writing short stories for contests, 5 Degrees of Separation, and revising my first full novel, Call Her Forth.
The 5 Degrees of separation story is my baby at the moment. I’m writing it from five different perspectives. They’re all influential people in the life of the ring leader of the boys who get magic. Unfortunately, the ring leader has good intentions for their newfound power, but it all goes horribly awry. He’s a bit angry as well, which doesn’t help the situation. It’s a really fun tale to tell, and I’m excited for the potential to get readers thinking about some deep themes – without being blatant or preachy, of course.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ll let you know when I find out. 🙂 I hope to create the perfect storm with Skye’s Lure. I’ve done a lot of research on how to format, position, and get the word out, so fingers crossed it makes some headway.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Love writing. It’s not an easy or feel-good career, especially when you’re standing in the corner of a crowded market trying to get traction. And it will probably take a while before you can even think about monetizing it, so don’t quite your day job. Be yourself, and love writing. If you’re doing what you love, you’ll put your heart into it, and you’ll keep trying, even when you fail – and failure is pretty much inevitable at some point.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep writing. The more you write and read, the better you’ll get, so keep on writing. Oh, and first drafts always suck. 🙂
What are you reading now?
I came across an author through a service I offer – G.B. Brulte – and he had a free promo on Coronado Dreaming. It looked interesting, so I snagged it. He writes stories that in the vein of my own train of thought, so it’s interesting to see how he spins things.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing, writing, and more writing. 🙂 Seriously, though. I have so many stories in my head – stories about magic and love and different worlds and dangerous artifacts. They keep swirling in my head, and as soon as I get one out, I get an idea for another.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
A journal (and pen, of course), so I could keep writing, the Bible, and the Mortal Instruments series (if it’s a box set, that can count as one book, right?) – I haven’t read that one yet, but after watching the movie I desperately want to. A desert island sounds kinda nice at the moment. Anyone have one? 😀
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