I’ve been a book worm my entire life. My favorite thing to do at any given moment is pick up a romance book and read (other than go to Disneyland or Disney World lol).
I honestly never, ever believed that I would be capable of writing a book. But when self-publishing became more mainstream in the 2010s, publishing became more of a “what if” instead of a “I’ll never be able to do that.” And then came 2023, the year that I was turning 40, and I thought, “if not now, then when?” Something about turning age 40 and I became a lot less afraid to fail. All of a sudden, the effort to try to write a book became more important than the fear that “no one will ever read it.”
Did you have any influencing writers growing up?
I loved the Baby-Sitters Club with my whole heart and soul when I was a kid. I love how Ann M. Martin created such a tight-knit group of young women who always had each other’s backs.
When I was a teenager, I picked up a Nora Roberts book and fell in love with romance. Roberts has a winning formula for books and I learned a lot about the romance genre from reading (tons) of her books. I was really fortunate to study some amazing female Canadian authors in university as well.
Are any of your characters based on people in real life?
My characters are wholly separate from people I know in real life. I write characters who I “hope” exist out there in the world somewhere.
Where do you draw your book inspirations from?
My inspiration comes from those deep, hidden parts of ourselves that we think aren’t good enough or make us “less” than those around us. My characters each have (at least) one quality about themselves that make them believe that they don’t “deserve” to be loved, when nothing could be further from the truth. We all deserve to be loved for exactly who we are.
Do you have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?
I learned my lesson with my first book that I need to have a fairly detailed outline for each character arc for the FMC and the MMC. I plan their full arcs with relevant plot points, but I don’t list each chapter in my outline. The re-writing stage is my least favorite (where most of my self-doubt surfaces) so I want to make sure the first draft of the story contains all the necessary pieces so that I’m not deleting huge chunks of words/chapters and starting from scratch.
When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?
Sometimes, a show I’m watching or have recently watched will have a character that I look at and immediately feel an affinity toward one of my characters. Daniel Henney, in Wheel of Time, both physically and personality-wise evoked a lot of what I pictured for Theo in Not A Chance.
Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?
I read nightly after my kids go to bed (and probably when I should be writing!). I read so quickly that I read almost exclusively on my Kindle because it would be physically impossible to have so many books in my house. Give me a comfortable space and cozy blanket (a necessity) and I’m all set to enjoy.
Who are your favorite current authors to read?
My favorite romance authors to read right now are Elsie Silver, Ali Hazelwood and Ana Huang. If they write it, it’s an automatic read for me.
What are your favorite books by others?
My all-time favorite romance book of the last ten years is Reckless by Elsie Silver. I love how much the male characters in her books value their partners. Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood comes in a close second.
Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?
The location of my second book, Not A Chance, is set in Toronto, Canada. I grew up just outside Toronto (and live a little further outside of Toronto now) and loved bringing my story to life in a city that I know well.
Do you write in single or multiple POV?
I write in dual POV.
What do you find to be your best research tool?
Lol. Google definitely. For Not A Chance, I spent a lot of time on official NHL team websites and reading old sports articles about various goalies.
Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?
Yes. I write under a pen name. Currently, I only have one pen name.
What genre do you write and why is this your preference?
I write contemporary romance. I love romance novels of all kinds (as long as consent is always present between the love interests). Contemporary romance gives me endless freedom to explore all kinds of characters and relationships in a modern context.
I love characters who set their own standards of what love means to them and are unafraid to go after it.
Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait... what led to you being you?
I’m absolutely a Disney adult. My brain is basically a collection of animated characters and kawaii cuteness.
At the same time, I’m also passionate about social justice, and even more so since becoming a parent. I want to leave this world a lot better than the way I found it.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?
Don’t give up. Absolutely do not listen to that negative voice inside you that tells you that you can’t write or it doesn’t matter if you finish your story. I promise you, there is a reader out there who’s life will be changed by your writing.
How do you deal with and process negative book reviews?
I’ve spent this year learning the balance between reader spaces versus author spaces. Goodreads feels more like a reader space to me. Every review isn’t necessarily meant for the author’s eyes. They are written to help other readers find books that suit their reading interests.
Overall, I am at a place where I can use negative comments as feedback and then I decide how much I’m going to allow them to influence my future writing.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
1000% the most difficult part of my writing process is imposter syndrome. Even after two books, I question myself at the beginning of every new chapter. I think with any creative pursuit, it’s difficult to sustain confidence through the whole process.
What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?
I basically need an entire floor of the house to myself (LOL). If any of my family members are anywhere near me, I can’t concentrate on the words (as mom, I’m always on alert). I also need a clean workspace where the only thing on the desk is my laptop and mouse.
What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?
CAFFIENE! I need copious amounts of caffeine in the form of Tim Horton’s Steeped Tea in order to get the words flowing.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?
Oooh. I think I would love to spend the day with Elsie Silver. I had the opportunity to meet her in Toronto in 2024 and she seemed lovely and approachable (even if I was tongue-tied and said like three words).
As a fellow Canadian romance writer, I would love to learn how she overcame the early hurdles of getting her books out there as a self-published author and into the largest bookish spaces (Plus, I’d love to know how she came up with the swoon-worthy Theo Silva in Reckless 😉)
What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?
My prime writing hours are 2:00 to 5:00 PM (right in the thick of all the family-time chaos. So also highly inconvenient). As I mentioned above, I looove Tim Horton’s Steeped Tea, so there is always a cup of that beside me when I’m writing.
Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?
I tend to write with earplugs in (kids and pets) and very rarely listen to music when I write. I need to block out the noise around me in order to focus.
Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?
Everyday! I have two of the naughtiest rescue beagles in history. They are always getting into trouble or chewing something they shouldn’t! I’m constantly distracted by their latest hijinks.
What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?
Self-doubt. If I’m having a period of low mental health, the words absolutely dry up and there is nothing I can do to force them. At times like those, I try to give myself the grace and time to feel like “me” again and then I get back to writing.
How do you celebrate after typing THE END?
Usually, I take a solid break and rest before starting my next project. Also, a nap or six lol.
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