REUNITED was inspired by many of my favorite stories of Egypt. Isis and Osiris play a big role as does Amun-Ra, the sky-chariot, and the snake Apep. I also drew upon African mythology and used the character of Anansi-a trickster god.

What scene was really hard for you to write and why, and is that the one of which you are most proud? Or is there another scene you particularly love?

Book endings, especially series endings are always the most emotional for me. It’s hard to let go of characters you love. One of my favorite scenes is the one where my characters ride into battle on the backs of unicorns. Just the idea is exciting to me.

What book or books would most resonate with readers who love your book–or visa versa?

Books I particularly love that I think my readers will enjoy are anything by Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, and Marissa Meyer.

How long did you work on REUNITED?

I think REUNITED took about seven months from start to finish.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

REUNITED taught me that even if I don’t have something completely fleshed out, I’ll get there eventually. I suppose it taught me to trust myself.

What do you hope readers will take away from REUNITED?

A love for Egyptian mythology and a desire to learn more.

How long or hard was your road to publication? How many books did you write before this one, and how many never got published?

With REUNITED I had to push for my vision of a trilogy. We waited to see how REAWAKENED would do first. I was always committed, but it was a relief to hear my publisher was equally excited. I have published all the books I’ve written. The road to traditional publication was relatively short. It never feels short to an author, but it was fast, nonetheless. I self-pubbed my first two books and I will self-pub two more. If a book is something I believe in, I invest in it. Having said that, my preference is always the traditional route when that option is available.

Was there an AHA! moment along your road to publication where something suddenly sank in and you felt you had the key to writing a novel? What was it?

I think the key was finishing my first book. I took a step back from the project and realized I could do it. I caught the bug and immediately began my next book. More than anything else, an author needs sticktoitiveness.

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?

I write from home. No music. I can’t think with music and end up singing along instead.

What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?

The number one piece of advice I like to give is to not give up on your dreams. If you keep working hard at something, you can make it happen.

What are you working on now?

Earlier this year, I finished Tiger’s Dream, book five and the final book in the tiger series. It’s slated for publication spring 2018. I’ve also recently finished another book for my publisher which will publish fall 2018. It’s a secret project we haven’t announced yet but its in editing right now. I’ve been writing non-stop for over a year so I’m taking a short sabbatical right now before launching immediately into another project.