Author Interview
1.
First, tell me a little about your book and why
you wanted to write this particular story….
Revelations is a paranormal romance novel about
Dani, an impulsive burlesque dancer hiding superpowers and a dark secret, and
Michael, an optimistic child development therapist who learns people’s darkest
secrets with a touch. The two of them
have to work together in order to save Dani’s brothers and one of Michael’s
clients from a corporation collecting people with supernatural gifts.
This story came together for me in several
bursts. The first was a dream I had in
which a succubus was working as a burlesque dancer. When I woke up, the idea of the two being
linked together stayed with me. After
all, wouldn’t that be the perfect cover for a succubus? Then I began to think about what it would be
like to be a creature of maligned legend in the modern world and the problems
it would cause. What would it feel like
to have to hunt people over and over again?
That got me thinking about more superpowers in the modern world and the
universe of the lalassu began to unfold.
The second major inspiration for this novel was
a desire for a different kind of hero. I
grew up with the passive heroines and alpha heroes of traditional romance and
fell in love with many fictional lethal men.
Even as more and more strong heroines emerged, they often remained
single or were shadowed by even stronger men.
I wanted to have a hero who wasn’t as physically strong or capable as my
heroine but was still someone worthy of admiration and attraction. I wanted him to love my heroine because of
her strength, not in spite of it.
2. Do you recall
how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know?
I’ve been
telling stories to myself for as long as I can remember. My mother will tell you that I used to get
frustrated as a child because I would draw pictures of a scene but then the
story in my head would move past the image before I could finish it. I started writing stories in grade one or two
(which no one will ever see!). As I got
a little older, I started writing fan-fiction (again, which no one will ever
see!) based on the comics and books I loved (there is a particularly
embarrassing one featuring a combination of Zorro and A Little Princess from
when I was twelve).
About five
years ago, I came to the somewhat disturbing realization that I didn’t like my
job and that if I wanted to actually become an author rather than just talking
about how I’d like to write my own books “someday” then I was going to need to
get serious. I spent two years writing
an original manuscript and then I joined my local romance writers’ group. That’s when I learned just how far I still
had to go and started working hard on improving my writing.
3. What inspired
you to write your first book and what was it?
My first
serious original novel was a paranormal romance about a Sidhe (fairy) who falls
in love with a mortal girl and gives up his existence as an immortal energy
being in order to be with her. It’s
called Lord of Underhill and it’s one I would very much love to go back and
redo with all that I’ve learned since.
Someday, I hope to have it ready to share with everyone else.
4. Are
experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Sadly, I
don’t have too many experiences with superpowered individuals to base my
writing on, but I do have a lifelong geek membership to both Marvel and DC
Comics. I do use people around me (both
fictional and real) as inspiration, especially for the little quirks that make
a character come to life. My character,
Martha, was inspired by several moms raising special needs children and the
challenges they face. When Michael is
meeting the other burlesque dancers, I based his reaction on what my father
would do in a similar circumstance, namely start finding out the details of
their life and engaging them in conversation.
My dad has a unique ability to make friends with almost anyone in any
walk of life without judgment or reservation.
5.
Out of all the characters in your book, who is
your favorite to write? There’s always a fan favorite to read about but
sometimes it’s the side characters that are the most fun J
It would be toss up between Gwen and
Vincent for my favorite character to write.
Vincent is so delightfully irreverent and sarcastic. He says the witty comments I always think of about
twenty minutes after the moment has passed.
And Gwen is crazy, which let me play with language and imagery in a very
poetic way. Hiding kernels of truth
inside her dialogue and point of view was a lot of fun.
6.
How did you come up with the lead character(s)?
Dani emerged almost immediately as a
full-blown three-dimensional character full of quirks and hopes and
traumas. When I first begin a book, I
start with a few test scenes to learn about the characters. I imagine them sharing their history and it
comes together for me. Dani changed very
little from those first scenes to the final draft. Her mixture of confidence and defiant
get-them-before-they-get-me attitude to cover her vulnerability spoke very
clearly to me and didn’t need much refining.
Michael was more of a challenge. I have pages and pages of drafts where I
hadn’t fully connected with him. He
began his fictional existence as a youth counsellor with a love of comics and a
desire to be a real world hero. But it
never felt entirely right. One day at
the park, I saw a young woman with a clipboard trying to deal with a young
boy’s temper tantrum. The mother
explained that the woman was a therapist working with the boy, who had severe
autism. She then sighed and said she
wished she knew what was wrong. Her
child couldn’t speak and the tantrum could be from being too cold, too hungry,
sand irritation or something else entirely.
That’s when it hit me, Michael would have psychometry, the ability to
pick up psychic impressions through touch, and work with developmentally
challenged children. From there, his
earnest desire to help others became a defining part of his character.
7.
Is your book part of a series, and if so, how
many will there be?
Right now I have the first three books of
the Lalassu series mapped out in detail with another three more vaguely
outlined. I have a multi-book plot
outline in mind, laid out in trilogies.
I’m not sure if book six will be the end but I suspect I will definitely
take a pause at that point as I have some other universes I would like to
explore as well.
8.
What are you working on now?
I have two projects on the go right now,
the sequel to Revelations: Metamorphosis which features Corporal
Ron McBride coping with what happened to him in Revelations. I’m hoping to
have it released for February 2016.
I’m also working on the first of a series
of short stories about a medium working with a skeptic. In this first story, she is hired to
investigate a haunting at his parents’ home and he decides to hang around
because he’s sure she’s a fraud. Right
now it is titled Got Ghosts? but I’m
looking for a better one (I’m awful at coming up with good titles and usually
have to arrange a brainstorming session with my friends and fellow
writers). It will be released at the end
of September as a Hallowe’en treat to my readers.
9. How do you
chose when/which characters die in your books?
I have a
beta-reader who is convinced I choose her favorite characters to die in each
book. She will strongly connect with
someone and they invariably fail to survive.
In reality,
it’s hard for me to kill off my characters.
Even the ones who have only a brief appearance feel real to me since I
spend several hours coming up with backstories about how they arrived at this
particular moment. Each one is the hero
of his or her life and there is a part of me which hates to cut that off.
On the flip
side, I have the highest respect for those who choose to sacrifice themselves
to save others, both real and fictional.
When I choose to let a character die, then it is always for an important
purpose and to save them would diminish who they are and what they have become.
10. Who do you
look up to as a writer?
I have
several writers I look up to. Joss
Whedon and J. Michael Straczynski are always the first two on my list. Joss Whedon’s dynamic dialogue and ability to
mix comedy, horror and still be emotionally powerful always leaves me in awe. He plays with language in a way that no one
has really done since Shakespeare, creating unforgettable combinations. J. Michael Straczynski broke all the rules
for television with his series Babylon 5,
creating a plot which played out over 5 years, rather than stand-alone
episodes. More than that, he created
characters which were so well-fleshed out that it is almost impossible to
remember that they are fictional.
For romance
novels, my favorite writers are Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jeaniene Frost, Jenna Black
and Jessica Andersen. I love Kenyon’s
Dark Hunter series and how she can show you a character in one book and then
completely reverse your expectations and understanding in another. Frost’s Night Prince series has become the
definitive Dracula for me, well-researched and developed. Black’s Descendant series is a fascinating
world where immortality can be stolen through murder. And Anderson created a fascinating secret
society based on Mayan culture for her Nightkeeper series.
11. If you had to
do it all over again, would you change anything in your book?
Right now,
no, I wouldn’t change anything in my book.
Ask me again in a few years and I may have a different answer, but for
now I’m proud of the story as is.
12. Is there
anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
For me the
biggest challenge is finding time and not letting the ten-thousand other things
I have to do creep into my writing time.
I work full-time and have two kids so there is never a point when I don’t
have other things to do. I’ve had to
teach myself to write in small bursts and in odd situations (such as when my
kids are at lessons which has led to some very interesting conversations with
other moms). I’ve had to teach myself to
work from a written plot rather than just letting things flow (which usually
resulted in badly-organized and internally inconsistent stories).
13. Who designed
the cover? And do you help with them?
The cover was
designed by Glendon at Streetlight Graphics (http://www.streetlightgraphics.com/). I began by submitting a questionnaire that
went over my story, my characters and what sort of look I was looking for. Then Glendon and I had a long telephone
conversation about the book and I was told it would be a few months before he
could begin work on it. A few days
later, I got a call that he hadn’t been able to get my book out of his head and
he’d done a preliminary cover. It was
very close to what we have now. I asked
for a few tweaks (brightening Dani’s eyes and giving her a little bit more of a
smile) and got them back very promptly.
They were a pleasure to work with and I’d highly recommend them to
anyone looking for a great cover.
14. Did you learn
anything from writing your books and what was it?
I learned a
lot about the process of writing and which techniques work for me and which
didn’t. I learned about how important it
is to get outside opinions, from beta-readers and professional editors. I learned about the discipline of making
myself write every day, even when I wasn’t in the mood or was convinced I would
never reach publication.
That’s all a
bit dry and technical, but I also learned a lot in my research. I learned about ancient Babylon and the
temple priestesses. The culture is
almost alien compared to our own and yet everyone in it was human with the same
desires and loves that we have. I also
learned a lot about families with special needs children and their humbling
persistence in getting their kids the help they need. These families deal with situations no one
can imagine (like toilet training a teenager or having to lock up all their
cutlery to avoid injury during a manic episode) but the love and patience they
have for their children is awe-inspiring.
15. If you could
be one of your characters, who would you chose?
My
off-the-top-of-my-head answer is Dani because the ability to kick anyone’s ass
whenever I wanted sounds great. But I’d
also love to be able to pick up psychic impressions like Michael or see
patterns like Vapor. Virginia’s
clairvoyant talents could be handy, too.
16. Are there any
books you think some of us should read, just because?
I read
constantly, usually between four and six books a week. I read fiction and non-fiction in a wide
variety of genres. I could end up listing
books I love for pages on end but instead I’ll narrow it down to two general
recommendations:
I think
everyone should at least try the classics (Austen, Dracula and Frankenstein are
my favorites). There’s a reason those
stories have lasted so long and captured our imaginations for generations.
I also think
everyone should try to challenge themselves by reading something outside their
comfort zone. Pick up something at
random from your local library and give it a shot. I recently found myself enjoying a biography
of a UFC fighter, although I have zero experience with the sport. I never know when something will speak to me
and broaden my worldview, even just a little.
17. We all love
Supernatural, so which Winchester brother is for you?
Can’t I have
both? Okay, if I have to choose, I pick
Sam.
18. Do you have
anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
I want to say
thank you. I know that free time is
precious and the fact that you’ve chosen to spend some of it reading my book is
an honor. I’ve wanted to do this for a
long time and every person who reads my book is helping to make my dreams come
true. So thank you.
19. This
or that...
A. Coffee addict?
I
much prefer Coke to coffee.
B. What’s your favorite alcoholic
beverage
I’m
not much of a drinker, but I love my summer punch mix of Sprite and raspberry
juice.
C. Favorite Food?
I
love a good burger and fries.
D. If you had to chose Coffee or
Chocolate? –don’t laugh, I don’t like chocolate so it’s quite easy for me, but
a LOT of people NEED both LOL
Chocolate. Definitely chocolate.
E. Beach or mountains?
Beach. I love listening to the waves and I am a
creature of warmth.
F. Winter or summer?
Summer. Sunshine, heat and getting to be outside
without long underwear rocks!
G. vampires or werewolves?
Werewolves. Forget having a Doberman to scare off
intruders, a giant six foot tall wolf would be awesome. Plus, I’m betting they’re easier to housetrain.
H. Cold or hot?
Hot. The first thing on my wish-list is an in-home
sauna to counteract the Canadian winter.
I. Favorite color?
Emerald
green, the color of sun shining through a perfect summer leaf.
J. Night or day?
Night. Although my kids are both morning people, I
feel like my brain is just waking up around seven at night.
K. Moonlight or sunlight?
Moonlight
on water, constantly shifting patterns of light and shadow.
L. Bad boy or good guy next door?
Depends. Bad boy for the weekend. Good guy for life.
Ok, that’s enough! LOL thanks
so much for coming visit me, and thanks so much, for doing this with us! I
appreciate it and I look forward to the next time!
