INTERVIEW:

How long have you been writing? How many books or series have you published?

I scratched out my first drafts in the fall of 2014 … and after finishing the rough draft, submitting it to contests, and epically failing, I decided to take some time out to learn the craft of writing, lol. It’s been eleven years now, and the story world and characters of Areli have deepened and expanded into multiple series. I have six books written, two published, and a whole bunch more on the way.

What inspired you to write? How does your faith impact your writing?

Strangely enough, I was dying. My children were 8, 6, and 3 and I wasn’t sure I would be alive to see them grow up. I wanted to leave a little bit of myself, my voice, calling them to remember that God was good – reminding them they could trust Him even with their broken pieces, and that no matter how dark the night around them, it did not need to extinguish the light within. I wanted them to have a hope that was fearless of the dark. The Lord is my entire reason for writing. Each story, each character, is simply the backdrop on which to showcase the wonder of a loving God who never loses sight of the individual soul. If my readers can organically catch a glimpse of Him along the way, then I’m a very happy author.

Do you have a favorite author or book? Why is that your favorite?

Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard … it’s a sweet, but rich, allegory that has ministered deeply to my heart during some of my hardest seasons. But two of my other favorites are Love’s Reckoning by Laura Frantz, and The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof. Both are poignant love stories with rich parallels to the love of Christ for His bride.

What is your favorite genre to read/write?

If I’m in a writing push and under deadline – I read contemporary romance or a romcom. Otherwise, I love deep stories and I’m not picky if that’s a Christian romantasy, historical romance, or contemporary romance. When I read the last page, I want my soul to have been moved and touched in the best of ways.

What do you like most about what you do? What are your biggest challenges?

My favorite part of the writing process is editing. The hard work of getting the bulk of the story down is past, and I’m able to go into each scene and ask, “What is your potential?” From there I feel like a painter, dabbing a bit of this color and a bit of that, making the picture pop … or like a conductor, signaling to the different section for a little more flute, less brass, a touch more of strings. My biggest challenge is WORD COUNT, lol. I’m always having to cut an exorbitant number of words, and they’re all soooooooo necessary. I aim for 125,000 words and end up with 150,000. I write a short story, and it blossoms into a novella. I write a novella, and it grows into a full-blown book. My writing friends have threatened to stage an intervention next time I threaten to write a “short story.”

Do you have a favorite character in your most recent release?

I adore Prince Beniah. He has a good heart, a deep love for his people, and layers that I’m finding marvelously fun to discover. Don’t you just love a complex character?

What are you working on now? What can we expect in the future? 

I’m writing the fourth and final book in the Guardians of Areli series along with two free companion novellas (following the love stories of some of the side characters ;-). Book #3 has just come back from its first round of edits and should be out the door for the second round by end of 2025. And in the future … well … there’s another trilogy, a standalone, and a duology all in the works for the land of Areli. (And there may also be an origin trilogy already started too 😉

Do you have any fun facts to mention? (what is your go-to snack when writing/reading? Daily habits…)

I love sunflowers, because they always turn their heads to the light … I love chocolate, because it’s yummy … I love long walks, because I get to talk with Abba …

What would you like to say to readers? (What do you hope readers take-away from your book?)

I hope readers catch a glimpse of a very true, very real God who is worthy of their trust … that they walk away with a heart filled with wonder at His goodness and a hope fearless of the dark.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
590 pages
Released October 21, 2025
Burning Hearts Publication
Available in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover

Book Blurb:

There is treachery without. And treachery within.

Prince Beniah receives this cryptic warning when a lethal storm drives him to take refuge in the Western Cliffs. Yet the tension between him and his father compels him to hide his investigation.

Evidence of conspiracy continues to stack. A divisive treaty. Scarred earth. The opening of Areli’s borders to their ancient enemy. A murder. As the threat to his kingdom escalates, Beniah faces chilling questions …

Who is the mastermind? And who is their ultimate target?

Anne has lived her life cloaked in obscurity and rejection. Hidden behind a hair scarf and tinted glasses, she serves the High King and Areli with quiet devotion. But disturbing revelations force her to choose between staying safe in the shadows or betraying her sect by reaching across the class chasm for help.

As the web of mystery tightens, Beniah’s and Anne’s paths—and loyalties—cross treasonous boundaries, making discovery even more dangerous. Yet when their enemies close in, no safe options remain.

Either they step into the light and risk revealing their deepest-held secrets …

Or they let the shadows swallow them whole.

Revealing Shadowsis the first book in the romantic fantasy trilogy, Guardians of Areli and is preceded by the prequel, Reviving Embers.