Q: Can you tell us a little about your latest book, Great Divide?

Great Devotion is the latest book (and last book) of the Great Series. It was released on October 1st, 2025. It follows Great Divide and Great Desolation.

Q: Great Divide is part of the Great Series. Can you tell us a bit about the series as a whole?

 It’s a dark fantasy series that explores themes like “good vs evil” “found family” and redemption.

Q: What inspired you to write Great Divide?

A lot of it was originally inspired by nightmares I used to have. That combined with religious trauma and my curiosity about what happens to us when we die.

Q: How do you come up with your characters, particularly Emma and Alastor?

Emma was heavily based on younger me. Very naive, very bratty at times, a little whiny. Thinking the world owed her just because she had been through so much. I wanted Alastor to be my “Edward Cullen.” The original concept for Great Divide was more like Twilight, but I ended up going in a different direction. But I still wanted Alastor to be that “too good to be true” hottie.

Q: Emma faces life-changing challenges in Great Divide. What drew you to explore these themes?

 Emma has Crohn’s Disease and a lot of her symptoms mirror what my mom went through with colon cancer and what I still go through with IBS. A guy I went to high school with had Crohn’s Disease and he ended up helping me flesh out some of the details with that. Also, I love researching so I was able to learn A LOT about Crohn’s Disease, how it can progress, and how it affects people’s lives.

Q: How do you balance romance and dark fantasy elements in the story?

Great Divide asks the question, “How far would you go to save the soul of the person you love?” Anyone who’s ever been madly in love with someone would go to the depths of Hell for that person. I wanted to show that, but since I’m such a fan of horror, I definitely wanted to lean into the darker themes and make it not just another love story.

Q: Were any scenes or moments particularly difficult or fun to write?

The most difficult one to write was Maddi’s (Emma’s best friend) story. She goes through something absolutely horrific and I had a really hard time researching real stories similar to hers. I did make sure to give her a happy ending in Great Desolation though. It was a lot of fun writing the banter between characters. Even though there are a lot of dark scenes in this series, there are “laugh out loud” moments that give readers a break from the doom and gloom.

Q: Without giving too much away, can you share a favorite twist or moment from the book?

I can’t say what the twist is exactly, but halfway through Great Divide, something major happens. I’ve received so many messages from readers saying, “WTF! I did not see that coming!” And then, because they think that’s the big twist, the ending completely pulls the rug out from underneath them with another twist. I love when readers tell me how much the book surprised them.

Q: How has the series evolved from the first book to Great Divide and beyond?

 Great Divide was originally going to be a standalone. I had no interest in keeping the story going, especially since I have a billion other story ideas. But readers were begging for more, so I wrote Great Desolation. I thought that would definitely be the end but then all of my beta and ARC readers were like, “that can’t possibly be the end!” I honestly didn’t think I had enough story for another whole book. But I was able to bring back a fan favorite in a really creative way and that’s how Great Devotion happened. Now it’s officially concluded, but I have promised a “Why Choose?” spicy story about three of the characters.

Q: Do you have plans for the next book in the series, and what can readers look forward to?

 No more books in this series, but I am currently working on a creature feature horror and a BDSM romance book (A sort of sequel to my book Temporarily, Forever).

Q: What do you hope readers take away from Great Divide?

I want the book to make you think. I want it to make you feel. Whether it’s uneasiness from the vivid nightmare sequences or empathy for some of the characters you may not have liked at first…I just want it to stay with you for a while after you’re done reading it.

Q: Are there any hidden details or Easter eggs in the book that readers might miss on the first read?

 Ohhh yeah! Especially once the ending happens. There are a lot of things that get missed the first time around because the clues aren’t always obvious.

Q: If you could step into the world of the Great Series for a day, what would you do first?

I would hang out at Dumah’s hut on the beach of Processing.

Q: How do you decide the names of your characters and locations in your books?

A lot of the characters are based on real religious and mythological characters. Some of the locations are real places on Earth. Some are based off of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, and the idea of Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and Limbo actually existing.

Q: What was the most surprising thing you learned about your characters while writing this book?

 Sometimes the good guys aren’t always good. Sometimes the bad guys aren’t always bad. I write out a rough outline for all of my books but I’ve learned that the characters have minds of their own and will do what they want.

Fun & Personal Questions

Q: Coffee, tea, or something else while writing?

 Coffee in the morning, Liquid Death during the day, and an old fashioned in the evening.

Q: Do you have a favorite writing snack or ritual?

I have to have either a favorite movie playing or music playing while I write. I have Spotify playlists for all of my books. 

Q: What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?

 A date day with my husband. We have two kids so alone time together is precious. We usually get coffee, browse stores, get tacos, and most importantly talk. We have the best in-depth conversations together and I think communication is the most important thing in any relationship.

Rapid-Fire Questions (one-word or short answers encouraged)

Q: Early bird or night owl?

Night owl, but my internal alarm clock doesn’t let me sleep in so I’m always tired.

Q: Favorite genre to read?

 Horror/thriller. Especially if the book ends up actually scaring me, which is hard to do.

Q: Favorite fictional hero or heroine?

Frodo Baggins (Lord of the Rings)

Q: Favorite villain from a book or movie?

 Eren Jaeger (from Attack on Titan)

Q: Mountains or beach?

Mountains

Q: Writing playlist or silence?

 Playlist for sure.

Q: Guilty pleasure? The video game, Stardew Valley