What inspired you to write this book?

I was part of a writing club called The Athena Sisterhood. Each week we would write to a different prompt. I wrote the scene in Book 1 where Bex crawled to the Edge of Oblivion and peered over. The other writers in the club were so enthralled with the story, they begged me to write more. So, I really have Athena Sisterhood to thank for their encouragement and continued support while I developed my writing style and voice.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m currently working on Book 3, which I thought would be the end of the series, but it looks more like there will be Book 4. I’m also editing Book 1 of The Eververse Chronicles and working with my cover designer for that series. I’m attending a few book fairs this year and next, so I’ll be posting about those as they come up.

Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?

Yes, I do side stories as I’m developing the characters. This gives me a better understanding of who they, what they’ve done, and how they might react. For example, Shrykka, the protagonist in Book 1, had an affair with the Hadrial (Advisor) in Grenbor, the second world. This gave me insight into both characters and enable a plot point.

Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in The Lesitha Veil Tales?

There is a rather large cast of characters across the books. Bex is the main character. She’s a sparky young woman on the verge of her Liberation Day where she’ll join the community as an adult. Except, she doesn’t want to conform to the expected path that has been chosen for her. She wants a life of adventure and refuses to accept her fate of being a Stone Grinder. She is fiery and often lets her tongue run amok before her brain is engaged.

Muut is her best friend. They’ve been inseparable since they were kids. He’s a scientist geek and is always doing some experiment, picking up random bugs and twigs and stuffing them into his backpack. He’s incredibly curious and also has a crush on Sarja.

Sarja is Bex’s best girlfriend. She is a year older than Bex and has a twin brother, Nyraj. They both work at their parents’ trading shop. Sarja is a diplomat and always considers all sides of a situation. She is a keen negotiator and doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

Nyraj, Sarja’s twin brother, is in the Blasters Guild. He’s the size of a mountain, as strong as an ox and as gentle as a newborn lamb. He’s loyal and trusting to a fault.

Cog is from Book 2. He’s an augmented bulldog and becomes Bex’s friend and protector. He’s been augmented to be able to speak and has a rudimentary language.

Where did you come up with the names in the story?

Names are fun. I play around with different spellings and pronunciations while I say them out loud. Then I use them for a while in the story to make sure they’re the right fit. I have even changed a character’s name midway through because I kept forgetting it or misspelling it. That told me it wasn’t the right fit.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

Getting inside Bex’s head. Seeing the world through her eyes. Exploring her backstory and thinking about how that influences her reactions to the different situations.

Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?

Bex in sparky. She speaks before she thinks. She is incredibly curious and

How did you come up with the title of your first novel?

The Edge of Oblivion was the title of the scene that I wrote to the prompt way back in 2017.

Who designed your book covers?

Jamie Noble, The Noble Artist, is my cover designer. He is incredible and so talented. I feel so lucky to be working with him. He’s done both my books and is working on the cover for Book 1 of The Eververse Chronicles. He also does my maps and character art.

Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?

Your editor wants your story to be the best it can be. While they aren’t always right, there is typically a kernel of truth in their critical feedback – no matter how much it hurts.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?

Zendaya or Emma Stone for their exotic and feisty looks.

What is your favorite part of this book and why?

In Book 1, I still love the scene that started the entire series. When Bex is crawling through the veil and reaches the Edge of Oblivion, then her first experience of being in a different world. From the colour of the sky to the scent of the dancing flowers and the dew on her skin.

In Book 2, I think one of my favourite scenes is when Bex is in the pit with Nyraj. It is so visceral and sets up the jeopardy that is at stake.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

The inside of my head is messy and full of really interesting characters. However, I do observe others when I’m out and about. I might watch how someone cradles their elbow when they’re listening intently, then I work that into a character’s behaviour. I’m a keen observer of human interactions, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting ticks and traits that I can incorporate. So just ignore that strange woman peering at you from the corner of the coffee shop, she’s not crazy, just capturing nuances of human bahaviour.

Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?

I’m just along for the ride and to chronicle their adventures. They absolutely own their story.

What did you edit out of this book?

I don’t want to give too much away but rewrote the entire middle section of Book 1. In Book 1, I initially had all the friends going over at the same time. After receiving feedback from my mentor, Emma Cooper, I begrudgingly experimented with the storyline, and yes, she was right. It was so much more powerful to have the twins cross at different times. It gave me so much more to play with, and it really raised the stakes.

Give us a Fun Fact/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?’-type tidbits about you, the book or the writing process of the book.

The character in Book 2, Cog, is based off one of our bulldogs, and I got the idea for the ‘steampunk’ augmentation from a figurine that sits on my windowsill. I think I’ll be including bulldogs in all my stories going forward. They are my spirit animal.