The King’s Bloodhound: Bald Foot Curse Book 2 is an intriguing fantasy novel. Why was it important for you to write this book?

The first novel, The Bald Foot Curse (TBFC), ended on a cliffhanger. The Sheriff caught some of the minor villains, but the Baron got away. My protagonist, Rinad, was still grieving the loss of his best friend, Spencer, and Squire Stroud went missing. I felt I needed to continue Rinad’s story to give closure and satisfy fans from the first novel.

Rinad struggles to overcome his own self-doubts and value in order to help his kingdom. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Being a forgiving person was one idea that drove this story. Another is not letting others define who you are because that is something one should do themselves. Rinad experienced some traumatic events in his youth and in TBFC. As an adult, he learns to let go of old grudges, face his grief, and ultimately find his self-confidence. 

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

Faith has always been a foundational part of Rinad’s story. He has to rely on his friends, his deity, and his employer to succeed. He isn’t super powerful, but he is talented, resourceful, and surrounded by friends. But the main focus of this story was that Rinad needed to learn to have faith in himself. I think it is an important message that people need to hear. We aren’t alone in the world. We all need one another and sometimes a little help from a higher power makes all the difference. Success in life is a team effort.

Where does the next book in the series take the characters?

Underground. Rinad’s next story is going to be an effort to break up the human/Demi human trafficking ring that is powering the evil Farin empire. Stroud will be back as a knight this time using his particular talent to help stop the smugglers in route. Rinad as a lifelong woodsman will be dealing with a different problem. Exploring the mines beneath Farin is not his cup of tea. And we will learn more about Rinad’s people, a whole tribe of halflings with bald feet.

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