Are there any books or authors that inspired you to become a writer? My journey to becoming an author was a very unusual one. I never once had aspirations or inspiration to write. I am an avid reader and love certain authors more than others but there has never been a novel or short story or book of poetry that ignited the thought, “I can do that.” My author journey was born out of my love for my story and my desire to share it.
Have you ever traveled as research for your book? I have been blessed to travel to amazing locations to research the first three books. I visited the South of France to get inspiration for my current release, Arcanum, Whispers in the Forest. And I just returned from Rome where I did research for book 3, which I am just starting, that takes place in the Vatican in the late 1400s.
How do you come up with character names for your stories? The names of the main characters has been a joy to consider. Because the five primary characters are the same souls lifetime after lifetime, I wanted to use the same starting letter for each soul. For instance, the hero in the books always has a name that begins with ‘H’. My heroine is always a version of the name Sarah. But it has been enjoyable to look into the names in different cultures and countries that were popular throughout history.
How do you develop your plot and characters? I have a unique method to create my plot and characters. The entire story was channeled using my tarot cards. I am an intuitive channel and use tarot cards as my divination tool with clients all over the world. That is my primary job. But in 2017, I had a personal past life regression and was told that I am currently in a karmic cycle of lives where I am always a woman, always in the company of powerful men, but never as the wife, always as the mistress or muse. Whoa! During covid when we were all in lockdown, I decided to use my cards to discover what these past lives may have been. What transpired was the realization of eight past lives that occurred throughout human history with storylines and experiences that include dramas, intrigue, deception, betrayal, and great love. They felt as real to me as this lifetime when I channeled them. I actually have all of the channelings recorded on zoom. I knew these lives would make a great , entertaining story so I fictionalized the current lifetime in the 21st century and started writing!
How long did it take you to write this book? This book took about 10 months to write but the entire process to launch is closer to 15 months.
What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? I always tell people that ask me how I actually got a book written that it’s a very simple choice. You simply have to sit down and start writing. Just riff and see what comes out on the paper. We can plan, outline, and intend to do it for days into weeks into years. But it is simple as just starting. Everyone has a story to tell. Just tell it.
What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why? Because I channeled this entire series, the characters and the story came to me at the same time. I sequentially experienced each past life as it occurred. There are times I go back to the cards and channel a scene where the result or outcome or cliffhanger is not clear. Each time I am given the perfect solution.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? When I am not writing, I am working with my global clientele helping people align the life they have with the life they want. In my free time, I love to be with the people I love. My children. My partner. My friends and family. My dogs. I love to be active with them, especially traveling, boating and skiing. I love to cook with them and for them. I love to simply hangout with them. They bring such joy to my life.
What do you think is the best way to improve writing skills? For me, the best way to improve writing skills is to collaborate with those that have more experience. Just like in a sport like tennis, where if you hit with a better player, you play better; so working with professional, educated writers and creators gives me such creativity and inspiration to write better.
What inspired the idea for your book? Since I answered question 10 above already, I would like to share here that it is important to me that people realize it is never too late in life to get out there and do something. I was 48 when I discovered the tarot. I was 51 when I started my tarot business which is now an international success. I was 54 when I channeled the Arcanum series. I was 58 when I published the first book. Life is meant to be a constant experience so jump in and figure it out as you go!
