Describe yourself in 5 words or less!
Imaginative woman with a laptop.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I’ve always considered myself a writer/storyteller. I’ve been writing since I learned how. So many stories, so many words.
Do you have a favorite movie?
I always say it’s by genre (a favorite comedy, favorite romance, etc), but if I had to choose one overall…probably The Great Gatsby from 2013. I basically have that movie memorized I’ve watched it so many times. The novel is also my favorite.
Which of your novels can you imagine made into a movie?
I’m a very visual writer, so honestly, I can picture everything I write as a movie. I wrote my debut novel Love’s Recipe as if it were a chick flick you’d watch on Hallmark or Lifetime. Basically the same for Chasing Wild Horses.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
It seems obvious that I should say horse as I prepare to release Chasing Wild Horses. My other gut instinct is to say a dog, because…well…dogs are awesome.
How did you come up with the title of your novel?
Titles are always difficult for me, especially because I try to think of titles that are one of a kind. The book was originally called Wild, Dark Horses, but I was never completely sold on it. I always knew this would be book 1 of 3, which made it that much more difficult to come up with cohesive titles for the books in the series. One night I sat down and brainstormed potential titles for the books. I came up with Chasing Wild Horses along with 2 other titles in the series that are cohesive. Plus, it also kind of worked out that my male protagonist was already named Chase. 🙂
Who designed your book covers?
My book cover was designed by the wonderful Wilette from Red Leaf Book Design. She is amazing!
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
One thing I have learned as an author is that there’s always something you wish you had done differently with your book. It’s basically a given. I could write a whole list of things, but I also like to think what’s done is done. The book is written, it’s finished, and I’m happy with it.
Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
That’s one of my favorite parts about writing. For Love’s Recipe, I learned about cooking, running a restaurant, and even creole cuisine. With Chasing Wild Horses, it was all research on horses and ranches. I learned about the different types of horse training, different horse breeds, daily ranch activity, and so much more. It was really fun!
If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
I picture Chase Collins to have a very All-American, grisly man type of look. The actor immediately coming to mind is Chris Evans, ha ha. As for Samara Grant, the inspiration for her if you reference the character art on my website, is actually a model. But actress-wise, I could see KiKi Layne. She’s gorgeous and has a bit of spice to her just like I imagine Samara to be. 🙂
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
I loved writing the horse riding scenes. They were so fun and high energy. I loved exploring that from both an amateur perspective in Samara and an expert perspective in Chase. BUT, probably my absolute favorite scene to write was probably Chase and Samara’s first kiss. The book is a slow burn, so as the author, even I was itching for these two to finally give into the chemistry they’re feeling. Their first kiss is a culmination of the tension between them from the first half of the book. I’m happy with how the scene turned out.
If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
I don’t want to give too much away, but my mind immediately jumped to Gramps. He has stories for days. He loves playing board games and card games. He loves snacking on cookies and lemonade. We would definitely do a “game day”, which I feel like would be so much fun, ha ha.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
None of my characters are based off real people in Chasing Wild Horses. They are entirely figments of my overactive imagination.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
The characters without a doubt lead the way. I’m a pantser, so I go into my stories with nothing but a general idea of the story and the characters. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started writing with one key story element in mind, but then one of my characters decides to go in the exact opposite direction. It’s definitely one of the challenges of pantsing.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
If you enjoy a slow burn romance set on a ranch in a small town, then I think Chasing Wild Horses is for you. It’s definitely a great read for the summer time.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I’m currently writing a paranormal romance that has not yet been published, but will be very soon. It’s coming this fall!
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
I feel like it’d be some light and airy. Maybe like cotton or flowers on a warm summer day.
What did you edit out of this book?
There is a whole subplot I had to take out, but I love the subplot so much it will be featured in book 2, Taming Wild Horses.
Is there a writer which brain you would love to pick for advice? Who would that be and why?
So many I would love to ask! She passed away last year, but I would love to pick Toni Morrison’s brain on writing. She was so fascinating and witty, it would be amazing.
Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?
Fun, random fact about my books: each book mentions at least one Motown song. I do it as a small tribute to my father, who passed away when I was a teenager. He was a huge fan of Motown music (I am too), as well as a big book lover, so it’s my own little strange way of including something from him in my books. 🙂
Pen Possessed 