Black Matilda follows the crew as they race across the stars looking for Luli as war and dark rumors brew. What inspired the setup to this thrilling novel?

At the end of Twistin’ Matilda, Jacquie and the crew of the Matilda were left in dire straits. The past raised its ugly head and tore the crew apart. Furthermore, Luli Qing was gone, and no one knew why or where. The only thing holding this fragile group together was their desire to find Luli and rescue her.

But would Jacquie want them all back on the ship if Luli was rescued? How far was the crew willing to go to find a lead, any lead on Luli’s whereabouts? With all that has happened since they broke Anton off a prison ship, can they learn to trust each other while the galaxy falls apart? Can they come together as a family? That was the story I wanted to tell.

In what ways have your characters development surprised you over the course of the series?

One of the aspects I really enjoyed was the dynamic between the characters as they paired up in search of Luli. Barney and Anton working so well together even after Anton had been gone for years. The ease with which Jacquie and Galena flowed, interrupted with bouts of dread when Galena was… not herself.

The sheer strength of Luli’s will astonished me. Luli comes across as a fun, lighthearted person. But, throughout the journey of her long life, she’d never been tested as she was in this story. No matter how dark the moments were, she refused to give up. This made me love her all the more.

But my favorite part was getting to see a different side of Derain. How he was more relaxed and less on edge while talking with an old childhood friend. Also getting to see him in his element where he can control all the pieces like a chess match. But the biggest shock to me was Derain deciding to rescue Luli instead of vengeance for those he’d left behind.

On top of all that is Mr. Leon! I don’t really know what he’s planning. He’s been an enigma from the very beginning and probably will remain so all the way to the end.

I enjoy the world that your story has created. What were some new ideas you wanted to add to your world in this book?

The universe of Consortium-controlled space is huge. So far, I’ve only been able to show a smattering of planets and systems. I wanted readers to understand how vast it is. How different groups of people live, survive, and under what conditions. Be it on a well-traveled space station, a run-down mining colony, or a derelict ship, the Consortium is failing its citizens by simply not caring. That is the breeding ground for change with or without the blessing of those in charge.

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

The latest book in the series, Secret Matilda was just released on September 14th, 2021!

In the meantime, I am busily writing the fifth and final book in the series. It’s set to be released in late 2022 and it’s a doozy of a ride! I’m also working on a compilation of short stories that take place in The Matilda Universe. I still have so much story left to tell!

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Bounty Hunter.  Ex-Freedom Fighter.  Fugitive.  Smuggler.  Butcher.

Far off into the future in a distant part of the galaxy, the Consortium controls the human colonies held together by the jump gates.  Where the Consortium doesn’t hold sway, crime flourishes.  Through the use of a hellish engine that goes where no one should, the crew of the Matilda slips its way between the two.  But everything has fallen apart since they arrived on the planet Mithuna.

Luli Qing’s been abducted and the only clue left behind is a corpse.  Tales of deep spacers disappearing pepper the feeds.  Old secrets have cut to the quick and torn the crew asunder.  Caution is thrown to the wind as they scatter across the stars chasing rumors.  All the while, the tides whisper of war against the Consortium.

Is Luli still alive?  What do the entities from beyond want with them?  Will Galena survive the foreign substances within?  Can Jacquotte Delahaye bite the bullet and bring them all home? 

Clip your ‘breather on and suck in a few breaths for the third book of the series, Black Matilda.