🌊 About the Book

1. The Silence of Deceit takes readers on a seafaring adventure filled with secrecy, danger, and heart. What first inspired this story?

I had a wisp of a plot and several characters but I needed something else engaging. I had just moved to Cape Cod where there is a lot of sailing and pirate history. So, I decided to weave that into the story I had brewing. 

2. Your book has been described as perfect for fans of Fable and The Isles of the Gods. What elements do you think will especially appeal to readers who love high-stakes fantasy and ocean settings?

There’s a mixture of ocean and land scenes which I think keeps readers on their toes. Ship scenes can become a little stale since it’s a confined space, so I really tried to expand the settings to get the full use of the worldbuilding.

3. The story pairs a noblewoman and a ruthless pirate captain, two characters from very different worlds. What was your favorite part of exploring their dynamic?

I loved exploring the power dynamics between them. Rosalie and Crowe come from such different backgrounds that their ideas and viewpoints clash immediately. Their relationship is a big part of both their character arcs because they start to see the world differently because of each other. Not to mention it was so fun writing their banter. Who will win? A quick-talking, cocky pirate captain? Or a sharp-tongued, rebellious lady?

4. The theme of deceit runs deep through your title and premise. Without giving away spoilers, what role does truth, or the lack of it, play in shaping your characters?

It’s a huge part because every character is affected by the truth and the lies. Rosalie’s journey about discovering herself and the truth about the world around her was partially inspired by my own life. It’s hard coming to grips with harsh realities and learning how to continue on. Constantly the question comes up, “is ignorance bliss?”. Is it better to know the truth and suffer the consequences of it? Or is it better to remain oblivious?

5. What do you hope readers will take away from this story once they close the final page?

I hope readers will enjoy the fast-paced journey, but come away from it feeling the deep emotional change in the main characters. I hope they’ll fall in love with the relationships that form or deepen. 

 

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⚔️ World & Themes

6. Seity sounds like a fascinating world torn by tyranny and war. How did you go about building such an immersive and emotionally complex setting?

The worldbuilding evolved a lot over the writing process. Initially Seity started out just as a setting, but fantasy is really about having a dynamic world with depth. I like to think of the world as another character. What is its backstory, how does it affect characters, how do characters affect it? Coming up with the history was a lot of fun because I tried taking every history course I could as a Creative Writing major in college. At first I went a little overboard because I was so fascinated with the idea of having a boundless world and history where I was the creator. But it can get unwieldy and complicate the plot. So it’s good to have boundaries where you can focus on the factors that matter the most. 

For Seity the political tension, murky history, and ruling families are the key ingredients to this world building and therefore the plot. So I really focused on those factors. Seity has been in the midst of a 20 year war so this made it difficult to spend words on frivolous things like religion, dress, or day to day customs. These were things that I felt didn’t fit  because of the impact of war. 

It was hard to rein in that inclination to dive into every tiny detail. But I think it paid off. Luckily, I have other manuscripts where I can explore those worldbuilding details.

7. You’ve shared that you work hard to represent disability and chronic illness from your own experience. How did those elements influence the world or characters of The Silence of Deceit?

When I started The Silence of Deceit, I was working to cope with autoimmune conditions that I had recently been diagnosed with. But I also had strange, horrible symptoms that no doctor seemed to figure out. As I wrote Rosalie, I vented about my own struggles with feeling inadequate and unable to function normally. 

Unfortunately, there is a trope in fantasy where illness and disability is cured by magic. While this is a nice sentiment (something I wish was real!) I really like reading about people who learn to cope with their disabilities. I want to see people in positions of power, leading however they can while disabled. So, Rosalie means so much to me as she continues fighting even though she struggles with pain that puts her at a disadvantage. 

I wrote her with a vague illness in mind but I didn’t label it so that her experience might appeal to a wider reach of people.

In 2025, right before I was set to publish, I finally received a diagnosis. Strangely, I had unintentionally written Rosalie with hints of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS symptoms. I had always felt connected to her but when I received my diagnosis, I was really stunned to see how I had come to understand her a bit more because I had a diagnosis.

So, I hope my fellow zebras find some comfort and strength with Rosalie!

8. Pirates, power, and peril,  which aspect of the fantasy world was the most fun (or most challenging) to write?

I’ve never been great with timelines. Unfortunately, there are a lot of specific dates that I had to get right over so many drafts. Luckily, I had some sharp eyed editors who helped point out inconsistencies. Even if I keep a written timeline, I still manage to warp time in my manuscripts.

The most fun I had was definitely writing about the pirates. In college, I took a pirate history class and while it was the hardest class I took, it was also the most fun. It helped me avoid certain misconceptions about pirates and avoid media stereotypes that are factually incorrect. I spent a lot of time researching well beyond my college class to try and get as close to fact as I could. 

Of course, there are definitely some fantasy elements that aren’t historically correct. But there are a lot of pirate facts woven throughout the book. 

9. If you could spend a day in Seity, what would you do first, and which character would you want as your guide?
   I would want to visit all the family manors. I’m a sucker for beautiful architecture. I would take Rosalie’s brother, Emerson as my guide since he’s familiar with the landscape. 

 

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🖋️ Writing Journey

10. What first drew you to YA fantasy as your storytelling space?

I had always wanted to be a writer, but when I started reading YA stories in middle school and high school, that’s when my dream exploded. I had so many ideas and I wanted to see my name next to some of my favorite authors. 

In college, the YA fantasy faded a bit as I worked on literary fiction. I published a few creative nonfiction pieces in magazines. I was proud of those words, but I felt like I wasn’t challenging myself. I wanted to write novels but I didn’t want to write literary novels. 

So I went back to my fantasy manuscripts after I graduated college. With my newfound knowledge, I pursued that old dream.

11. How long did it take for The Silence of Deceit to evolve from idea to finished book?

I finished the first draft in 2017 during National Writing Month. I would continue to pick at it, setting it aside for months before going back to it. I got serious about it again in 2021 when I felt I could make something of it.

12. What was the hardest scene or moment to write, and which one came to you effortlessly?

Without spoiling anything, Act 3 was hard for me to write because it was very personal. It took a lot of editing to get it to where it needed to be, but now I’m very happy with it. The scenes between Rosalie and Crowe came easily. I love writing dialogue so their banter was so fun to play with. 

13. What’s next for you? Is The Silence of Deceit the beginning of a series, or will readers see something completely new next?

The Silence of Deceit is the first of three books. I also have two standalone novels that are waiting for editing. One is a speculative sapphic novel and the other is a gothic fantasy that I absolutely adore. I can’t wait to share more as the time gets closer to release the rest of the trilogy and other books!

 

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🌟 Rapid Fire Round

(Just for fun — short, snappy answers!)
⚓ Favorite sea creature?

Peacock Mantis Shrimp!
🌙 Night owl or early bird?

The closer I get to 30, the more of an early bird I become. 

📚 Favorite YA fantasy author?

Adalyn Grace

🏴☠️ Noblewoman or pirate?

As much as I would like to say pirate, I’m probably more suited for a softer life with plenty of books and a comfy bed. 

💫 One word that describes The Silence of Deceit.

Adventurous

☕ Writing fuel of choice?

Coffee, coffee, coffee. 

🗡️ The first fantasy world that made you fall in love with the genre?

Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap greatly altered my childhood to fall even more in love with fantasy.