1. Why do you write novels?

I write novels because for as long as I can remember, I’ve had a lot of stories to tell. Eventually, I had to put them down on paper.

2. Who inspired you?

When I was a kid, my favorite books were Nancy Drew Mysteries and the Anne of Green Gables series (particularly Anne of the Island). As an adult romance author, now I find myself inspired by the skills of writers like Alyssa Cole, Rosie Danan, and Jeannie Lin.

3. What’s the essence of your style? The part, if removed, is not your voice anymore?

Definitely the banter—in fact, my first drafts tend to be mostly dialogue, and then I go back through and add in the descriptive parts.

4. What was your dance-around-the-kitchen moment in writing?

I had a really hard time “cracking” the story for THE PLAYER NEXT DOOR. I had the characters and basic plot set, but in order for everything to work I was creating more and more ridiculous scenarios. But after a long brainstorming session with some friends, I finally figured out that Clare’s job needed to change, and then suddenly the entire story fell into place. It was such a relief, but it was also incredibly exciting to finally know how to tell the story I wanted to tell.

5. What do you want to accomplish in your writing career?

I want to tell stories that make people feel seen, heard, and welcomed. It’s my goal to bring happiness to my readers, no matter what they’re going through.

6. Can you ever envisage not writing novels - running out of ideas or energy?

Honestly, no. Right now my focus is romance, but I have a lot of other ideas on the backburner—mysteries, historicals, and historical mysteries for starters—and if one genre stops working for me as a storyteller, there are countless other genres for me to explore.

7. What advice would you give to your younger self?

Keep reading. Yes, even if your sixth grade math teacher catches you reading instead of paying attention. (You will need to learn that math eventually, though.)

8. Away from writing, what are your passions, and what do they mean to you?

In the past few years, I’ve gotten very into gardening. Right now it’s April in Minnesota (which it’s not really spring yet, just late-winter), and I’ve been very absorbed in planning what I’m going to grow this summer. Gardening is half under my control, half completely out of it, and it’s been a good exercise for me in letting a little bit of control slip.

9. How would your best friend describe you?

She would probably say I’m funny, loyal, and always up for being a goddamn dork.

10. What’s a significant question to ask you, that no other interview has to date, and what’s the answer, only for New2theScene?

As authors, we talk a lot about what books inspire us, but honestly, I’m just as inspired by movies and television. In that vein, I’d say the movies I find most inspirational are You’ve Got Mail, Ten Things I Hate About You, and Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back.