Mystic of the Midway follows a young girl that starts seeing and hearing things no-one else can after an accident. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

That’s a great question. The answer is sort of in reverse. Having returned to visit Crystal Beach in the early 2000s you could feel the ghosts of the park still present throughout the town. That experience, as well as subsequent visits, sparked my interest in the area and its history. When I decided I wanted to write a story set in Crystal Beach, I knew it had to be a ghost story, so I worked somewhat backwards to the setup.

What is one of your favorite memories from Crystal Beach? Did this memory influence a particular scene in the book?​

My memories of Crystal Beach are actually all recent. Revisiting the area with my young family was what inspired me to write about the area. As part of my research memories of the park came flooding back to me. But the singular moment I recall that had me decide to write was my 8 year old son reading Judy Blume’s Super Fudge on a lazy summer morning at a Crystal Beach cottage we had rented. He was just becoming an independent reader and was beaming, laughing at the antics of Fudge. I decided I wanted to write something that celebrated the area and hopefully inspired reflection and some laughter.

Which character in the novel do you feel you relate to the most?​

Definitely Effie. Her character really captures how I saw the world at that age.

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

Currently I’m working on a dystopian YA novel entitled The Mutant and the Mule. I’m hoping it will be available in 2023.

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