1.
What was your inspiration to write "Reign of the
Fallen?"
The
idea for Reign of the Fallen was inspired by my grandmother’s stay in the
hospital; thankfully, she’s fine now, but the situation got me thinking: how
far would someone be willing to go to bring a loved one back from the dead?
What sort of sacrifices would someone make in order to bring an important
person back into their lives, and what consequences might that decision have?
Those questions led me to the Greek mythical hero Orpheus, who attempts to
rescue his wife from the underworld and is told by Hades that he can take her
back to the living world as long as he doesn’t look at her until they’re both
out of his realm.
Spoiler
alert: he takes a peek and loses her forever. Drawing from that mythology and
others, as well as researching various rituals surrounding death from all over
the world, helped me to start building the world of Reign of the Fallen,
where the Dead must wear shrouds in the living world or else become monsters;
where change of even the smallest sort is outlawed because the Dead fear it;
where entering the spirit world demands a painful sacrifice of any living
person who dares to go there.
2. What was
your influence for the characters in the book?
I tried not to let any real people influence the characters
in Reign! However, I did draw from
some of my own life experience and others’ to fill in certain details: one
example of this is that at one point, Odessa recalls some injuries that her
boyfriend Evander got from being a daredevil, like running down a hill with a
sign that read “Danger: Do Not Run.”
That was inspired by my husband doing exactly that- running down a steep sand
dune with a “don’t run” sign and breaking his arm.
3. What
should readers expect from you and the book?
From me? Well, if they follow me on social media, they
should expect kindness, emojis, and lots of animal photos (I have many pets!).
I don’t tolerate meanness.
From the book, they should expect that the shiny pink cover
does *not* match the dark contents within; Reign
is a dark story of grief and addiction and loss. It doesn’t shy away from
any topic. It has many uncomfortable moments, because it’s a book that deals
with gray areas; within people, and within situations. You’ll find yourself
perhaps agreeing with the villain’s motives at some point, even. But, while it
isn’t a happy story, Reign’s message
is ultimately one of hope. Readers can also expect some fun things within its
pages, like found family, silliness, parties, and a kickass grizzly bear!
4. What
influenced you to be a writer?
My husband. I’d been writing for fun (especially on Elendor,
a Lord of the Rings written roleplaying game in real time) since I was a kid,
but it was my husband who gave me the push to pursue publication, who really
believed in me, and who wouldn’t let me give up (and there were plenty of times
when that sounded appealing, trust me!). I’m lucky to have someone by my side
who sees my dreams and who firmly believes I can make them a reality.
5. How do
you feel knowing a lot of readers will be reading your book shortly?
Nervous, but also grateful. I’m excited that the story’s
concept or cover will appeal to readers, and nervous to hear the inevitable mix
of reactions—however, it’s all worth it in the end to reach even a few people
with this story, and (as you’ll see in question #9!), I’ve been so fortunate in
having already heard from some readers who connected with Odessa and her
friends in Reign.
6. Can we
expect a sequel to the book? Also, what are you hoping to include in it?
There is a sequel, and it has a title, although I can’t
share that quite yet! It’s so hard to say much without spoilers, but here’s a
little bit about it: You’ll see more of the world beyond Karthia; old faces
along with new; struggles created from some of the choices and actions in book
one; Kasmira using her power; more character growth from Odessa.
7. What
authors or writers have influence you, your writing and your book? I tried not to let anyone else’s work influence Reign of the Fallen, but one of my
favorite authors is Garth Nix, who writes some really amazing books about
necromancy; therefore, I took extra care to make sure my system and mythology for
raising the dead were very different from his.
I also grew up reading a lot of Patricia McKillip’s work, so
I’ve no doubt she’s had an influence on my writing style; if you haven’t read
her yet, I recommend starting with The
Forgotten Beasts of Eld or Winter
Rose to get a feel for the magic that is her writing.
8. If you
had the opportunity to collaborate with another author, who would it be and
why?
I’d say Kerri Maniscalco, author of Stalking Jack the Ripper, because she also writes things that tend
toward the dark and dangerous. Plus, she’s a friend. I think we’d have a blast
writing something spooky together.
9. What has
been the best experience you've had as an author so far?
Hearing from readers who have connected with my books,
definitely! Especially Reign of the
Fallen, which is so close to my heart. I knew when I wrote it that there
would be strong reactions- a love or hate type of situation- and I’m really pleased
that some people have enjoyed the story + reached out to let me know that!
10. What is your usual writing
process?
I tend to
carry an idea around in my head for several months before developing it- just
letting it stew, thinking about it from different angles, and that sort of
thing. Then I write a query to make sure I have a basic, solid plot structure
in place, and after that, I start my world building and outlining- the length of
that process can vary, but I won’t actually start drafting until I know the
beginning and ending of a story, plus a few major plot points from the middle.
Reign of the Fallen will be released on Jan 23, be sure to grab a copy!
