I was inspired by a dream in which a very powerful character was carrying an injured girl up a flight of stairs. She was frightened and didn’t know whether she was being kidnapped or rescued. The dream wasn’t science fiction; and it wasn’t until I thought of making it an alien/human war story that I knew that’s what I wanted to write. That scene appears in the book almost identically to how I wrote it in the first draft.

How long did you work on ZERO REPEAT FOREVER?

I wrote the first (very different) draft of ZERO REPEAT FOREVER during Nanowrimo 2011 and redrafted it in early 2012. After that I set it aside and worked on several other books (some of which were published in the meantime). In 2014 I had time to revisit and redraft it so it was ready to send to beta readers in early 2015. In later 2015 I started sending it to agents. I landed an agent and a deal in December of 2015.

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?

The final scene was very hard to write; and I am proud of how it came out because it sets up everything for the second book. The other scene I really love is the first meeting between August and Raven and their different reactions to each other.

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

People compare it to The Fifth Wave, and as an alien invasion story that’s pretty obvious. But I also think readers who love very fraught paranormal romances such as Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater or Evermore by Allyson Noel will be drawn to ZERO REPEAT FOREVER.

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

I’ve learned that as much as I’d love to be able to outline everything carefully before I start, I write best when I’m “pantsing” (making it up as I go along)

What do you hope readers will take away from ZERO REPEAT FOREVER?

I hope people think about how being subject to violence and conflict can change you in unexpected ways. I also hope people think about trying to judge others individually by their actions instead of collectively by their group membership.

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 in silence almost everyday in my home office. Sometimes if I’m outlining or marking up manuscript for editing, I sit on my front porch under a blanket, with coffee or wine.

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

Make sure you want to be a writer because you love writing and are good at it, not because it seems cool or like an easy way to make money without getting a day job. If you still want to be a writer, and you meet the criteria, then the two most important things are to be prepared for criticism and rejections, and to be persistent.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the sequel to Zero Repeat Forever. I usually have more than one project on the go at one time but because I have a deadline for this one I need to stay focussed.