Reborn follows the harrowing journey Lexil takes to find freedom in a dystopian future. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling story?

The inspiration came at a writing conference called When Words Collide. I find writing events very good for my creativity. Between sessions I saw a meme on my phone about gingers. While I do not have red hair, many of my friends do, and it made me ponder what they thought of the stigma. That led me to thoughts about my much-hated freckles. Though I didn’t know it at the time, I’m quite certain the story was also influenced by my mother’s illness.

Lexil was a dynamic character that I rooted for throughout the story. What were some ideals you wanted her character to embody?

I wanted her to be someone a reader could know in real life. She has no extraordinary skills with a weapon, or unnatural intelligence. But she is extraordinarily perceptive and compassionate and bravery is something that comes to her out of necessity. Most importantly, she is a character who learns and grows throughout the story.

The Wastelands in the story were ominous and well crafted. What were some sources that influenced its creation?

I tried to think of hazards that were both natural and supernatural. I wanted an eerie feeling, as well as a treacherous one. I have written other fantasy novels and was able to create even better creatures than I had before.

What is the next story that you are working on and when will it be available?

The sequel to REBORN is in the editing process and I’m hoping to have some short stories published soon. In the interim, I’ve launched a podcast with fellow author Miranda Oh called “Quill and Ink: A Podcast for Book Lovers.”

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