where do you get your ideas?

My brain! I make them all up! Seriously, though, as Toni Morrison said, “If there’s a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” After reading the Harry Potter books, I wanted to find a book for adults with a subtle magic system. I love books that are a bit dense and difficult to read, so for THE GALLANT, I did tons of research and threw all kinds of arcana into the plot — Scottish folklore, pseudoscientific theories, spiritual automatic writing, fictional texts, even a sea shanty. While writing THE GALLANT, I stuck to a strict word-count goal, forcing myself to write every day; this led me to the idea for THE LAIRS … what if a writer were forced to write every day under threat of death? With my third book, THE AUTHORESS, I found a contemporary review of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that very condescendingly dismissed the novel simply because it was written by a woman. Infuriating. So I decided to write my first novel from the POV of a woman.
 

where can i buy your books?

Great question! It takes a long time to get published. A LONG TIME. Publishing is a waiting game … waiting, waiting, waiting … so that’s where I’m at now. I was agented but we parted amicably in February 2024; I’m currently querying again and dreaming big.
 

do you write every day?

Pretty much, yes. Most writers consider themselves plotters or pantsers … A PLOTTER is a writer who outlines the story before writing. A PANTSER makes it up as s/he goes … writing by the seat of the pants! I am a rabid plotter … I outline my books before I start writing. The outlines for both THE GALLANT and THE LAIRS took me about a month, including the research that I had to do. My outlines are quite detailed, which makes the actual writing easier when I’m ready to start. I find that if I miss a day writing, I feel guilty! Plus, I really enjoy the actual act of sitting down to create.
 

when did you start writing?

I had my first short story published in high school, in the national magazine Writing! (published by Scholastic). The title of the story was “Where There’s Fire,” and the whole issue was geared toward students who were interested in writing science fiction.
 

what is your writing process like?

Here’s my perfect writing day: Go to a cafe or quiet restaurant and write on my laptop from 10a to 4p; go home to have dinner with my husband, John, and then walk our dog, Humphrey; then, chill out til they go to bed at 9:30p, and write again on my desktop until about 2a. There’s something stimulating about writing in a cafe/restaurant; I do listen to music while I write, on noise-cancelling headphones. I have about 20 writing-friendly playlists that I’ve compiled, and they include music from film soundtracks, electronica, classical, and more. Let me know if you’d like a list of some of my favorites. I am a rabid Apple fan, and I write in Mac Pages on my laptop, desktop, and iPad.
 

are you a full-time writer?

Wouldn’t that be fun?! But no … I am the creative director at Pittsburgh Magazine, and also a photographer. I am also a classically trained musician and I sing with several groups in the Pittsburgh area. My latest obsession is handmade pasta.

what do you suggest for new writers?

Take a walk and talk to yourself (or your dog, or your imaginary friend) and work on your plot. It may take a couple days, or it may take a few weeks … but I’ll bet you get your best ideas by putting one foot in front of the other. Like I said above, I’m a plotter … so I recommend typing out all your ideas — character backstories and arcs, settings, timelines, whatever — and then you’re more likely to see the plot work itself out. And then? Sit your butt in the chair and write.