Tell us a bit about your latest work.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw is a time-travel adventure about a hard-rocking singer and a time-traveling cowboy, who end up running from the law no matter what “when” they land in. He’s from 1887, she’s from 2025 and they are in for the time-traveling ride of their lives. The story was inspired by the music of The Pretty Reckless and the book includes a full chapter-by-chapter playlist of their music, which heads off each of Amaryllis’ chapters, and the songs by other artists, which head off LeRoy’s chapters.
What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?
Most of my works feature strong female protagonists, so that’s a common thread, but I write in multiple genres, so all of my works are very different. The books in my Women in the West series each have strong female protagonists and feature fictionalized versions of true historic old West characters. The Rock Star & The Outlaw has a strong female protagonist, but it has a strong male protagonist to balance it out.
What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer?
What inspires you to write?
Inspiration comes from everywhere around me. I’ve written poems about rocks, birds, flowers, and other elements of the natural world. I might be inspired by a conversation overheard in line at the grocery store, or an interaction between my dog and cat, a television episode or a movie scene. Really, it could be anything.
The Rock Star & The Outlaw story idea came to me while listening to the songs by The Pretty Reckless and each chapter title for Amaryllis comes from one of their songs. LeRoy’s chapter titles are song titles by various other artists and music genres.
The idea for Book 1 of The Women in the West series, Delilah, came from a graduate school assignment meant to get me to write outside of my comfort zone, in the Western genre, and turned into my first full-length novel. As it turns out, I am quite comfortable writing westerns and I’m preparing for the launch of my second western novel, Book 2 of the Women in the West adventure series, Sarah. In addition, I have written several short stories in the Western genre, and The Rock Star & The Outlaw has Western elements combined with a science fiction, time-travel storyline.
What would be your dream project?
I lost my son to teen suicide at the age of 19. My dream project would be to write his true story through my eyes, without the worry of legalities, which is what has stopped me from writing it so far. It would be a memorial to him, but I hope it would be a book other parents could benefit from and lives might be saved just by knowing some of the warning signs that I didn’t catch. Maybe someday.
If you have any former project to do over to make it better, which one would it be, and what would you do?
I did this already with Delilah, which I originally found a publisher for as a stand-alone novel. When the five-year contract was up and the book hadn’t done as well as I had hoped, I chose not to renew the contract, revised the book to better reflect my original vision for it, and republished it through my own small, independent publishing house, WordCrafter Press, as Book 1 in the Women in the West adventure series, and I have to say sales are much improved.
What inspires you to write?
Writing is my passion, so I guess maybe you’d say I have an unquenchable need to express myself and be understood.
What writers have influenced your style and technique?
I don’t know about that. I have my own style and technique. It’s harder to imitate a style than it is to write like I write.
I can tell you my favorite authors are Stephen King and Anne Rice. Their knack for vivid description is amazing, and if I was going to emulate any writer, it would be those two. Also, for writing Western, I read a lot of Louis L’Amore.
Where would you rank writing on the "Is it an art or it is a science continuum?"
Why? Writing is a creative endeavor, so it is an art form, with infinite possibilities. There is no set formula, no right or wrong way to test out, so it can’t possibly be a science.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Juggling.
Since I do the whole process myself, from conceptualizing, to writing, to designing book covers, writing back cover copy and promotional materials, to publishing the book and getting it out there. There are a lot of different tasks to juggle, especially when you are working on two and three different projects in various stages at a time.
Up until recently, the only part I outsourced was having another set of editorial eyes to go over the first draft. But lately, I’ve come to the realization that I cannot do everything. There is not enough time in a day, so I’ve begun outsourcing my book covers and trailers, because although I enjoy creating with images, it takes time away from what I really love, and that is writing.
How do your writer friends help you become a better writer? Or do they not?
The thing I love most about author communities is the collaborative opportunities that can be found. I work with other authors and publish at least one anthology a year, sometimes more. And when I wanted to create a virtual writing conference after COVID hit, I found plenty of authors willing to donate their time to the effort, resulting in a fabulous lineup of panels and workshops.
And I learn from every author that I work with. I grab ideas of ways to run my author business, or a new crafting method from books that I review. I was fortunate to be able to study under the International Bestselling author, Kevin J. Anderson, and I can’t tell you how much I learned from him about just putting yourself out there with your words, and about the publishing industry in general.
What does literary success look like to you?
For me, I get tickled every time I come across someone who has read one of my books and liked it. Positive reviews are good for the soul and wonderful motivators. And that’s what makes me feel successful.
Any other upcoming projects you would like to plug?
Right now, I’m excited about Sarah, Book 2 of the Women in the West adventure series. Each book in the series features strong female protagonists and true historical characters. The 21-day Kickstarter campaign started January 22, with early digital copies and signed print copies available, as well as special illustrated editions of books 1 & 2, all of which are available nowhere else. Then, in March I’ll be doing a separate launch and the books will become available through distributors in March.
