When and why did you begin writing?

Writing is something I’ve loved to do since I was a young child. From poetry to short stories I was always finding unique ways to put my imagination into words.  What started out as something to do in my free time quickly became a passion as I got older.  Going into high school, I had more options and was able to take creative writing courses and specialty classes to help with my passion.

During my junior year in high school, I moved to California where I was able to continue my writing ventures. There was a creative writing course available to take my senior year, and I couldn’t have been luckier to have landed that class.  Unlike any other classes I’ve taken before, this teacher gave us assignments that were typically given to college levels, so I was able to broaden the way I thought and wrote.  Teachers can make such a great impact on a student’s life. The lessons I learned back then are still valued to this very day as I continue with my writing.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer and how does that affect your writing?

Currently, I am a full-time writer and I LOVE it!  However, it was not always this way for me.  Most of the time I was always working, often, two jobs at the same time.  So, I was only able to write in my spare time, which I never really had a lot of.  I’ve been working on the Eidelon Series for nearly 11 years, creating the world, the characters, the storylines for all 5 books…actually writing the books…and it’s taken that long because I’ve never really been able to fully devote myself to it.

However, my husband is probably one the most awesome husbands ever, and he insisted that I be able to take the time to actually devote myself to my writing and my series.  After our first year of marriage, I was able to leave my job and dedicate my time to my writing.  I’m now in my second year of becoming a full-time writer and not only was I able to finish Roliath, book 1 of the series which is now available, but I’m also about to finish the second book, (Secrets Unveiled) and I’m approximately half way finished with the third. When I first met and dated my husband, Roliath wasn’t even finished yet, so, going from a part-time/hardly ever writer to a full-time writer has been one of the best things ever.

What is the most important thing that people DON’T know about your subject/genre that they need to know?

I’m probably answering this question a little differently than most will.  It’s not what people don’t know about the actual subject/genre it’s more about what they don’t know about the subject/genre that The Eidelon Series falls under.  Vampires.  Most people are just going to assume that Roliath and the Series is going to be just another “typical vampire” story.  But it’s not.  Vampires (Eidelon) are not even allowed to kill humans, the series does not revolve around them being monsters who kill, or how they can or should be killed.  It brings to light a much more plausible idea/view on vampires, and I’ve been told that the readers almost forget at times that they are supposed to be a “vampire” and just get lost in the storylines and events of everything.  Just because you hear the word “vampires” doesn’t mean it’s going to be another typical story because… “Real vampires may not be what you thought”

What made you decide to sit down and actually start writing this book?

Believe it or not, Roliath actually started out as just another typical vampire story. In fact, it was never even called Roliath, it was called Survival. I was given a writing assignment in a high school English class and it was just a short story that wasn’t even ten pages long. But the story itself stuck with me and I had a feeling that I could potentially turn it into something so much more, which is exactly what I did and here we are.

Tell us more about your main character. What makes him or her unique?

The main character in Roliath is Geannifer Whitlence who is an Eidelon from the Azeron clan.  Not only are Eidelon unique, as they are not what humans would consider to be a “vampire.”  But Geannifer possesses talents and abilities that no other Eidelon is capable of.  Some come close or have similar abilities but none can compare to what she is truly capable of doing.  Roliath gives a glimpse to what some of these talents and abilities are but going into books two and three dives into ALL of them.

If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast?

I’ve always tried to write so the reader can have an easy time playing everything in their head like a movie as they read.  So, this is something I’ve often thought about over the years.  I have several ideas really for many characters, but these are who stick out the most to me.

Andrea – Ali Larter From House on Haunted Hill

Dillon- Dave Franco from Now You See Me

Trevor- Scott Eastwood from The Longest Ride

Kenneth- Luke Evans from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Georgianna – Famke Janssen from X-men

Patrick- Jake Busey from Starship Troopers

Geannifer and Devon I’ve always had a hard time picturing whom I would cast for them.  I’ve debated on a few for both but recently my husband got me to watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and I might have found a possibility for one of them.

Devon – Brett Dalton from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

Funny enough, writing the actual book was not all that hard.  But, I did, after all, spend like 11 years thinking about all 5 books.  I just never had the time to actually sit and write them.  So, that’s not what the hard part was.  For me, it was the synopsis…that darn synopsis! I don’t know why but when I sat down to try and write it I’ve never been so incredibly stumped…ever.  It may have taken a few times, but I did the best I could J

What role does research play in your writing?

Research has a huge role in my writing.  Sometimes my husband can’t help but laugh when I tell him about all of the extensive research I did on even simple things like a bottle of vintage wine.  From small details like wine or a character’s favorite rare flower, to main Osirian city locations and logical points of attack…I research everything!  I am after all trying to bring a plausible view to something that’s never really been viewed as plausible.  So, I figured that in all of the “present day” moments, all the small things should be plausible as well.

Can you share with readers a little bit about your latest book?

The latest book I’ve been working on is called Secrets Unveiled…which is of course book 2 in The Eidelon Series.  As of the end of Roliath, the reader knows just as much as Geann knows, if not more, about her own transition.  Not only do we (the reader and Geann) learn more about what happened that night.  But we also get to see all of the real truth’s, deceptions and hidden secrets become unveiled.

Secrets Unveiled literally picks up right where Roliath ends and starts off with a surprising twist.  It’s a combination of many subjects and genres just like Roliath, but has some more of those fight scenes I’ve been told that people want to see more of.

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