Unforgiven follows a former writer whose career and life are falling apart as he seeks refuge in a cabin only to discover more family secrets and a mystery of his family’s past. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

This is the first book I wrote. Which was written after I completed my Associates of Arts Degree in Creative Writing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. In which, at the time, I had not been a true practiced writer in the field of novel writing. In addition, my life experience was rather dark. I was going through a lot in the course of writing this book. Namely the loss of my mother.

So as for inspiration for the set up of the story, I was imagining my future as a successful writer. Plus, because it had only been a year since I lost my mother, and was dealing with self doubt and anxiety, my character was an echo of who I was at the time.

Henry experiences a lot of extreme emotions in this short book. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

As stated in the previous question, my mother passed away quite recently before I wrote the book. In which my grievance was brutal on me because I’ve always been sensitive, raw, transparent and always felt like I had to deal with my emotions by myself. However, over time I learned to embrace my pain and talk to others.

I selfishly used Henry as a catalyst for the pain I was going through. As for why he went through so many extreme emotions in such a short book, that is because I wasn’t dealing with my pain in a healthy way. Looking back, I could have filled out the gaps and made him more well rounded.

Nevertheless, I am still proud to have written this book. After having written this book, I knew I had potential to be a better writer some day.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Anger, fear, family and self worth. I have always been a visual person. So, when I exemplified these themes in the book, I was showing them to the best of my ability. However, through my practice, I noticed that in this book, I barely scratched the surface. Yes, I showed extreme emotions, but I could have peeled through layers of where the core is of those themes. Emotions are complex and rich. Especially as you get older. The fact that Henry is middle aged, should indicate that he is complex, and his emotions have a lot of acreage. If readers want to see that acreage in a part 3, I will certainly explore those layers.

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

I am working on book 4 of Boone and Jacque. Subtitle being: Cytrus Moonlight. It is my fantasy series which will end after book 5. Book 4 focuses on Jacque’s uncle Leon Arnaud’s murder. However, there are many other things going on in the new town they live in. Cytrus. My journey through book 4 has been interesting. I look forward to sharing that journey with you all.

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