YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
A kernel for the idea of GIVEN TO THE SEA was planted a very long time ago when I was a child. I loved the TV movie of . There's an amazing scene with Sam Neill and Olivia Hussey where she's locked in a tower and he comes to see her. She thinks he's there to force himself upon her and she gets up in the window and says she'll jump if he comes a step closer. He's a decent guy who means her no harm, so he manages to talk her down but it's a very powerful scene. It stuck with me (even though I didn't understand all the implications until I was older). Elements from that scene have found their way into SEA at various levels - the girl who doesn't want to be touched, a boy in a power position who *could* take advantage if he wanted, a girl who's pride is so strong she'll die before she submits.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Dara, the female Indiri twin, for sure!
YABC: Which came first, the title or the novel?
Novel, definitely.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
There are four POVs in the book, two male and two female, all very different from one another in terms of their character. I'm proud of the differentiating voices and how I kept them distinct.
YABC: What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2017?
RAMONA BLUE by Julie Murphy!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I have a dark contemporary thriller coming 10.10.2017 called THIS DARKNESS MINE.
YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
Right now I'm working on something tentatively titled NORTH COUNTRY, about a girl lost in the Appalachia forests, alone. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to execute a story with a single character for 85% of the text. She doesn't have anyone to talk to, so almost everything is internal.
YABC: Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?
Drafting has it's merits. I like to sit down and create the story. I don't plan at all, I simply let it happen. So while that can be nerve wracking, it's as fun for me to see what's going to happen as it is for readers.