How did you find yourself writing a book? What’s the story behind your career?

I’ve been a reading enthusiast ever since my mom read Tolkien’s books to me and my older brother when we were kids. Creating worlds and making up what happens in them has always fascinated me. I think my first story I ever wrote was in second grade, handwritten on wide-lined paper. In junior high and in high school, I ran away from my passion for writing because it wasn’t cool, but I still managed to enter a local short story in a contest and win top honors. In college, my love of books switched to teaching literature, and I graduated with an English degree. It took me a few years to earn my teaching certificate, but I taught high school for almost a decade before moving on to college instruction with my master’s degree. On the side, I started editing for the burgeoning indie author movement. At some point, I decided I’d rather write the stories than edit them. I haven’t looked back since and have immersed myself in the life.

What makes your subject interesting?

I’ve attempted to write in several different genres, including fantasy, young adult fantasy, contemporary romance, and paranormal romance. But when I found paranormal cozy mysteries, I found my passion. Cozy mysteries have contained settings and focus on the characters solving the murder or crime. I find writing them a constant challenge with great rewards. It also doesn’t hurt that my job includes looking up interesting ways to kill people.

What makes you an interesting author?

In all of my writing, I put characters first. I want the reader to come away feeling like they really know the protagonist and want to live with the other characters in the books. If the readers can connect to my characters, then I feel like the rest of the book sings.

Who are your favourite authors?

At the top are J.R.R. Tolkien and Neil Gaiman. Tolkien was the first author whose stories brought other worlds to life for me. I love him so much, I have two tattoos on the inside of both my ankles in Elvish. One says “dream” and the other says “believe” (both verified by hardcore fans at a comic con). Neil Gaiman’s American Gods blew me away the first time I read it. Then I binged everything else he’s written. I love his quirky sense of story, and how he always takes a left turn whenever you expect him to go right. I’ve collected more than a few signed copies of his books.

How much time do you spend writing?

I’d like to say I’m good at writing every day. When I’m in the zone, I write about 4-6 hours every day. But I have down times in between books to let my brain marinate on the next book’s plot. When the story really gets going, I can disappear into my office for an entire day. Thanks to my husband, I do get fed every now and then.

What are you reading right now?

The books on my Kindle app are so eclectic because I consume a lot. Thanks to my teaching background, I read fast, too. My friend Annabel Chase just released the first book in a new series, and Great Balls of Fury is sitting right at the top. And because I love the South and Charleston, I’ve just started reading the thriller Can’t Let Go by Alison Grey. Jodi Ellen Malpas’ This Man series was one of the first contemporary romance series I binged, so I just got her book Gentleman Sinner. There aren’t a whole lot of genres I won’t read, and I think being diverse in what I do makes me a better writer.

Do you have a set writing schedule?

After I get up, I eat breakfast and consume coffee. I use the first hour or so of being awake to toodle around on the internet to allow my brain to fully awaken. By about 8:30am, I’m sitting at my desk, reading over what I wrote before and preparing in my head what needs to be written that day. After the story starts percolating in my head, I prepare to start a writing sprint, which is a set time to write as much as possible with a five-minute break after. Usually by 9:30, I connect with other writers, and we sprint together from wherever we are in the world, recording how many words we get each time. It’s a great way to stay accountable and get the word count to rack up.

What’s the biggest hurdle to getting words on the page and how do you overcome it?

Writers’ block is a real phenomena, and it’s not easy to predict when it will happen. I think for me, if the story isn’t going the way it should, my instincts stop me. I’ll do just about anything to get over that hurdle because otherwise, writing becomes a slog. For the most part, talking plot through with other writers is the biggest help, and I’ve called many a friend into a Google hangout to help, even if I have the worst bedhead hair on the screen.

What has been the biggest thrill of your writing career so far?

My biggest thrill has been teaming up with Johanna Parker, one of my favorite female narrators. I fell in love with her ability to voice so many characters but especially her talent to nail a Southern accent when she narrated Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse series. Almost a decade ago, I remember putting it out into the universe that I wanted her to narrate my books someday. Thanks to Tantor Audio, Jo voices my characters and brings my books to life. It truly is a dream come true.

How do you feel about ebooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?

I think everyone should read in whatever way works for them. I have multiple bookcases filled with books all over my house and my Kindle app is stock full of all kinds of genres waiting for me. For convenience sake, I love digital books because I can take them to read anywhere. Also, my husband can’t complain about me buying yet another one. I think he and the movers wish I didn’t have quite the library that I already do.

As time moves on, it is inevitable that things shift and change. I have loved growing with the independent writing community since it started booming in 2011/2012. When I first started writing as a hobby, I tried going the traditional route, querying and pitching to agents. I found the process demoralizing, especially after I attended a query workshop at a writers’ conference and realized that if the agent reading my submission was having a bad day, he or she wouldn’t get past my first sentence. But when I act as my own publisher, my writing gets out there to the readers themselves rather than having to go through a lot of professionals whose subjective take might block my books. It means I have a bigger job than being the writer. I’ve had to diversity and learn many other skills to make me a good publisher as well as a writer. And honestly, even writers who go with traditional publishing methods have a need to understand how to market and interact with their readers more than just put a book out. However, I think every writer should enter the publishing world however they want to. There are so many different ways to be successful at writing these days, and I respect each person’s individual choice.

If you could work with any author who would it be?

Hands down, it would be a dream to do any kind of project with Neil Gaiman. I love his writing sensibility and would soak up any knowledge and experience he’d like to share. Also, it would be fun to cultivate my weirder side of writing again (oh, the stories that have never made it out of my proverbial treasure chest of words).

What projects are you working on at present?

I am preparing my fourth book for launch soon and getting ready to start on the fifth book of my Southern Charms Cozy Mystery series. I am also working on a new series that will launch this year, still set in the South but with a quirky fun premise. And of course, I’m always working on and collecting different ways for characters to be killed and how to solve their murder.