What the Heart Knows follows an artist from a privileged background who moves to a small town on a journey of self-discovery and to find purpose in her life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

The basic journey of self-discovery is based on my own experience, but I also have observed this same arc for others. Our culture tends to emphasize logic, AKA “head” information, as being more legitimate than intuition, or “heart” information. Yet intuition offers key guidance if we can learn to listen for it. My protagonist’s specific journey, but also the theme of my book series, is “The Journey from Head to Heart.”
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Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your character’s life?

Yes, and some are very specific. For example, I served as a crew member on a Greenpeace voyage to save whales, and so does my protagonist Miranda. I also grew up with privilege, and my parents were high achievers who expected the same of their two daughters. This is mirrored in my novels. It’s very powerful to “write what you know.”

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

The first is the “Heart” theme: in your heart of hearts, what did you always want to do? Are you doing it? If not, why not? If not now, when? This is echoed throughout all the storylines in the book. Some characters embrace their intuition and progress; others resist it.

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

What the Heart Knows is novel #1 in my series. Novel #2, Where the Heart Lives, and Novel #3, Why Hearts Keep Secrets, are already available. I’m working on Novel #4, Whose Hearts Align, which will be published in May 2024.

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