Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in southwestern Ontario Canada in a small town, with my hubby two teenagers and an overweight cockapoo named Spike. I am a wee bit of a geek, my fandoms include anything by Joss Whedon, the princess bride, zombies, star wars, rocky horror picture show and more. I love reading, I gobble up on average four books a week. I read anything from romance to fantasy, hell I’ve even read text books when I didn’t have anything else to read.
I’ve always written, but never actually sent it anywhere feeling that I wasn’t good enough. I am ashamed to say it now but I threw out every story I wrote. Finally when I finished writing Supernaturally Yours, my hubby bugged me until I agreed to try to send it off. It’s a story about Anna, a zombie who is only looking to fit in and be herself. I sent it off and low and behold it was picked up for publication by the now defunct Musa Publishing. It was the boost in confidence I needed. Since then I published Becoming Kira, a novella about a woman in her late thirties who has to rediscover who she was meant to be after a divorce. My most recent novel, Liquid Fire was picked up for publication by Tirgearr Publishing and comes out on February 9th 2016.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Liquid Fire is my most recent novel. It comes out on February 9th 2016 from Tirgearr Publishing. It was inspired by many nights sitting around the campfire. Staring into the flames and thinking about creatures that might live in fire. After that my hubby and I were driving around and I used him as a sounding board, which eventually built the world that I wrote. For me it is all about the main character, once I knew Lee and who she was and her history the rest of the story fell into place.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to be a coffee shop writer. I sit in cafe’s for hours on end typing away on my laptop. The atmosphere allows for enough noise that I can keep writing without being detrimental. At home I am too easily distracted and find it hard to get in the zone. The funny part about writing in coffee shops for me is that I don’t like coffee.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Definitely Katie Macallister. I write in a very casual tone, the way I talk with my friends and prior to ‘Sex and the single vampire’ I had read no books with a similar tone. They were all ‘bodice ripping’ and formal language. I loved how she wrote. It was similar enough to my own style that I could finally see that it was possible for someone to be published who wrote casually, contemporarily.
Also I have to give a shout out to Mercedes Lackey. Her ‘Arrows of the Queen’ trilogy was the first fantasy I ever read. Before that I was strictly a in-this-world contemporary book reader. To me fantasy books were all science fiction and I didn’t distinguish between the two. Ms. Lackey opened my eyes and mind to so many different possibilities.
What are you working on now?
I am currently embroiled in a few projects. I just finished a novella for The Wiccan Haus Series, which has been sent off to the publisher and awaits their response. I am also part way through writing the sequel to Supernaturally Yours as well as the sequel to Liquid Fire.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am still new to the whole self promotion thing. I am slowly building up what hopefully will work as a platform. I’ve done plenty of promotion, but on a small scale, local shows and talks. Now I am trying to expand on that base and move into larger mediums, appearing on blogs and keeping up my facebook posts etc.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. And show your work. The best feedback I got was once I had enough courage to have beta readers. They can help you in ways you wouldn’t believe. Your beta readers will typically start with a group of friends, who will be honest but not mean. Once you get over the hurdle of sharing your soul aka your work with anyone, the rest is easy peasy.
What are you reading now?
I am reading the KGI series by Maya Banks. She knows how to write a tough guy like nobodies business.
I also am rereading Charlaine Harris, the true blood series. I love Sookie Stackhouse and her introduction into the supernatural world is amazeballs.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Just keep writing. I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo, if she was a author… instead of ‘just keep swimming’ she’s chanting ‘just keep writing, just keep writing, that’s how we get there.’
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?
hmm….that’s a hard one. I really want to bring my kobo. But alright if I can only have 3 or 4 books, I would bring ‘The name of the wind’ by Patrick Rothfuss. ‘Sex and the Single Vampire’ by Katie Macallister. ‘The Stand’ Stephen King. and ‘Clan of the Cave Bear’ Jean M. Auel
Author Websites and Profiles
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