1. Your novel, Dark Designs, places two twin witch sisters in rural Illinois. What drew you to that location?
I live in Central Illinois, so part of choosing the setting was just writing what I know. When people think of Illinois, they tend to think of Chicago, but Illinois beyond Chicago is really quite different, and I think I was trying to capture a little bit of that idea.
The local area that I used more or less as a template for the fictional setting, which is an amalgamation of a few places, has a really interesting history. It also has some really pretty scenery, especially in the fall, and there’s an annual event called the Spoon River Valley Scenic Drive dedicated to the scenery.
2. Obviously, you write paranormal fiction. Is that also your favorite genre to read? Or are there other genres that also catch your attention?
Fantasy was certainly my favorite when I was younger. When I first started reading novels, I gravitated toward stories with dragons, magic, and ghosts. I loved Bruce Coville’s Magic Shop series.
These days, I enjoy just about anything with a good story and good writing, regardless of the genre. I still like the stories with dragons, magic, and ghosts, but I also really like thrillers and police procedurals. Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a cozy mystery, too.
3. You’ve said before that you wish you could trick someone into being your personal chef. What’s the first thing you’d want someone to make if you found one?
I think the best part about a personal chef would be not having to decide what to cook. 😊 Coming up with what to cook might be my least favorite part of cooking. I get really burnt out trying to come up with ideas to feed two kids and a husband who is a picky eater.
I do really like seafood, though, but I’m a little intimidated by the idea of cooking fish and shellfish myself. So something like fish tacos would be great! And I love cheesecake, but I’m not good at making it myself. It just never turns out right. So I definitely need someone else to make that.
4. You have a number of wonderful characters in your book. How did you come up with your “small town” cast?
I’ve lived in small towns (not always the same town, but always small) my whole life, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to meet small-town characters in real life. Even though none of the characters are based entirely on a single person I know, several of them are composites of more than one person I have met in my life.
I think that the people who live in small towns, especially the people whose families have been there for generations, have these deep, interesting personalities because in rural areas, people often fill more than one role in the community. So your local investment manager might also be a farmer, or the postmaster might also be a mechanic. Lots of rural people have a wide array of interests and skills just out of necessity.
5. With such a busy life, it must be hard to actually get writing done. Where to do you do most of your writing?
Most of the time, I’m working in the dark after my kids’ bedtime, sitting on the raggedy couch in my living room because my daughters took over my home office and turned it into a playroom years ago. Since my oldest goes to preschool now, I sometimes get to work during daylight hours, and then, I’m usually at the library, lurking in the graphic novels section.
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