Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been writing books since elementary school, though most of the books weren’t worth reading. I live in Wisconsin with my husband and kids, and when I’m not writing books I’m reading them. Ordinary is my debut novel, though I do have a KU steampunk novella available, and the conclusion to the Ordinary series, Unique, will be available in June. Even though I’ve finished the series, I haven’t stopped writing. Currently, I’m working on a historical fiction series.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Ordinary was inspired by a “what-if” game. In this case, “what if there was a boy who lived in a city where everyone had superpowers but him, and the only job he could get was delivering flowers?” It took me a couple of years to realize there was a really compelling story in that humorous scenario. I started writing Ordinary as a project during undergrad, but Ugene’s story had to be shared, so I worked hard at doing it justice.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I wait until everyone is gone to school or work, then I turn on Pandora and let music stream in the background while I sit on the couch with my laptop and write. Often, I lose track of time and forget to eat completely for hours as the story pours through me. I DO have a habit of getting too emotionally invested, and it can be dangerous ground to walk when my characters fall into despair.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’m a HUGE fan of fantasy, and Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series was a major influence in my early 20’s. His writing inspired me, and his characters were so rich that I wanted to write like him. I don’t think I’m anywhere close to his writing — I don’t think anyone is or ever will be — but hopefully I do some justice to his inspirational style. I also find a lot of inspiration in Brandon Sanderson’s books, as well as Marissa Meyer.
What are you working on now?
Now that the Ordinary series is complete, I’ve thrown myself headfirst into a historical fiction series, Jade Realm. It takes place in late 15th century Mongolia, and is based somewhat loosely on the little-told story of Queen Mandukhai the Wise — a strong and wise young woman who united a broken nation.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ll admit I’m still pretty new to this, since Ordinary is my first novel. There are so many great sites out there that will help authors spread the word. I schedule book tours with tour organizers, send out early review copies to reviewers and bloggers, and I have a long list of promotional sites that help authors reach a wider audience. I also do a lot of work on my social media pages sharing quotes from the books, reviews of other books, and more.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write the first draft without caring about how perfect it is. The first step to writing a great story is just writing it. Revisions come later. Then, find a critique group of beta readers in your genre to help you find plot or character development problems. I consider myself lucky, having found an outstanding critique group who really helped me shape Ordinary into the story it needed to be.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write first, edit later. I crippled myself at first with this book trying to get everything right the first time so much so that the story itself became confusing by the ending. Write first, edit later. It saves so much headache.
What are you reading now?
I’m finishing up Laura Sebastian’s Ash Princess series, which is a great YA fantasy about war and political intrigue. Next in line is the Conqueror series by Conn Iggulden, based on the rise and fall of Genghis Khan.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To write more! Some people like scrapbooking. Some people like sports. I enjoy writing. Next for me is the Jade Realm series, then I’ll probably dip my toes into writing some fantasy.
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?
Oh goodness. Only three? Probably the last three books in the Wheel of Time series. Or the Renegades trilogy and just the last Wheel of Time book.
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