What was the initial spark that led you to become a writer, and how did your journey to publication unfold?

When I was too young to write, my grandpa would read to me and encouraged me to tell my own stories. He'd transcribe for me and I'd illustrate, and the fun we had creating stories about Carlos the Cow and ducks and ferris wheels never left me. As soon as I was able to write on my own, I picked up a notebook and started penning my first story in 2nd grade, about a dalmation in a diamond club house. Writing has always been a part of who I am

Do you have any specific writing rituals or environments that help you get into a creative mindset?

My ideal writing situation is a block of uninterrupted hours, but I'm a mom of three little ones and that just doesn't happen often. I've found ways to maximize writing time throughout the day and have learned to "write in the margins." Ten minutes here, twenty minutes there...as long as I keep making an effort to get words in, eventually my story will be told. I always listen to background noise while I write, typically choosing rainycafe.comor gamma waves. When I'm feeling tired or uninspired, hopping on the walking pad for a writing session really helps get the words flowing again!

How do you handle writer's block, and what strategies have you found most effective for overcoming it?

Using the walking pad always helps if I'm having trouble getting the words flowing, but I've also found that when I'm really struggling with a scene, it's usually my gut telling me that something is wrong with it. Sometimes I need to just reconsider the scene, start it over, or add a little drama. 

Who are your biggest literary influences, and how have they shaped your writing style?

My staples of childhood were Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter. As an adult, I fell in love with romantasy books. I loved ACOTAR and still loved reading high fantasy authors like G.R.R. Martin. I read constantly, making sure to read a healthy balance of trad and indie authors. My favorite indie author is Teshelle Combs. When I started writing The Timeless Trials, I knew I wanted to merge the vibes of some of my old favorites with the fantasy romance genre. 

When developing characters, do you base them on real people, or are they entirely fictional creations?

My characters develop in a few different ways. Sometimes elements of their personality, quirks, or sayings are inspired by people I know. Sometimes I try to develop the ideal character to tell a story that will resonate with the readers who need it. For example, Zara from Sky Stitcher is very insecure and uncertain about herself at the beginning of the book, but her character arc is about finding her own power and self-worth. I created her for people like me who need to hear a story about finding your own worth and accepting who you are. 

How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life?

It's really hard to be an author and keep up with everyday life, because my kids are young and often need their mom. Because of that, I get creative. I practice writing in the margin, which means frequent, short writing sessions every day between the chaos of normal life. When I have deadlines or writing goals, I'll also wake up early and stay up late to get it done.

The concept of time as currency in Timeless Trials and sky stitching magic in Sky Stitcher are both unique magic systems. What inspired these particular concepts, and how did you develop their mechanics?

Time as currency was actually a writing prompt I saw over a decade ago on a writer's forum and the idea lived rent free in my head until I was ready to do something with it. I decided it would pair wonderfully with a dystopian society and deadly trials, and had a great time working out all of the time-themed trials to include in the book. The idea for Sky Stitcher evolved from a manuscript I'd started a long time ago but threw into the manuscript graveyard after the first few chapters. I reread it, falling in love with a scene where the main character ripped open the sky and pulled out a monster, controlling it and using it to protect her people. That manuscript was a dystopian novel, but I challenged myself to turn it into a fantasy romance, asking myself what would happen if she accidently bound herself to that monster and fell in love with him.

Both Rae and Zara subvert expectations - Rae as the first female competitor and Zara as an unlikely chosen one. What drew you to write protagonists who challenge traditional roles?

I like to write about women who are strong enough to go against the current, who are brave enough to be themselves and fight for what they believe in. I know a lot of strong women who I admire, and I try to write characters that embody those characteristics.

In both series, you explore complex relationships - Rae's connection to two brothers and Zara's forbidden bond with Rue. How do you approach writing these intricate emotional dynamics?

I love exploring the dynamics of how people fall in love. I love how sometimes it happens when we don't expect it, or against how we believe it should happen. Sometimes situations cause romance to develop quickly, like the shared trauma that brings Rydar and Rae together, or over time as hearts and minds try to resolve being at odds with one another. I especially love the idea of fated mates, and the devotion and loyalty that come with that. When I sit down to write a story, I usually know which romance trope I'd expect from my characters, but aside from that, I just enjoy watching their romance unfold throughout the plot. 

Both protagonists face conflicts between duty and personal desire. How do you develop this internal struggle while maintaining external plot tension?

I think the conflict between duty and personal desire is a dilemma I intimately understand in my own life, and whether I mean to or not, some of my own struggles work their way into my stories. I always try to keep in mind what the character is feeling as the plot develops, because the story is as much about their journey as the plot.

Both series blend multiple genres - romance, fantasy, and high-stakes action. How do you maintain this balance without letting one element overshadow the others?

I try to write stories I'd enjoy reading, and pull elements of genres and tropes that I love, blending them to create something new, but also familiar. The general concept for The Timeless Trials started as a deadly competition in a world where time was currency, but with all the beauty of a fantasy romance. That was it...everything evolved from wanting to craftthatstory. Sometimes I break rules when I merge ideas together, and sometimes that upsets people, like having some steampunk influenced technology in The Timeless Trials, which is otherwise a fantasy setting. But I write the world as I see it because it's the world I crafted...it doesn't have to follow any rules but my own, and part of the fun is getting to figure outwhythe world is that way and then write the rules for it.

What are the unique challenges you faced in writing each series, and how did they differ from each other?

The Timeless Trials was my debut novel, so it was very much an exercise of stubborn relentlessness until I finished it. I didn't know if I could do it, but I knew I had to try. I'd never made it past the "saggy middle" of a manuscript before and I made a promise to myself that I'd finally figure it out. Writing that manuscript often felt like climbing a mountain to me, wearing a 100 pound backpack, under torrential rain. It was hard. I wanted to give up a lot. There was a lot going on in my life that made finding writing time a challenge. But I had some of my first readers following the story on Kindle Vella as I wrote, and knowing that people wanted the next chapter helped me push through the hard days. It took me eight months to write and four to edit. Sky Stitcher was a lot easier. I wrote it in three months, with the majority written in the last month because I had a deadline to be included in the Of Dusk and Dawn Collection. With my second book, I went into it with a better mindset, already knowing I was capable. I had my tricks and tips in place for finding writing time and getting words down. I started that book by writing the climax, because I was so inspired and emotional when I realized what would happen. That was freeing for me after having to write The Timeless Trials in chronological order to publish on Kindle Vella. 

How do you approach pacing in stories with such high stakes while still allowing room for character development and emotional moments?

I'm a plotter and have studied various story structures until I figured out what works for me. Before I sit down to start official writing, I always complete a draft zero, which is essentially a draft written in stream of consciousness to tell myself the story. It's often pretty funny, and maps out the major moments of the story so I can see if I have a solid structure and pace. If I feel like something is missing, like a moment for character development, an important detail or hint, a romantic moment, or just a scene I had in mind, I look at the draft zero and figure out how I can work it in at the right time.