One Icy Night follows a twenty-year-old bassist and fugitive who gets stuck in a bar waiting out a winter storm with the sheriff while trying to hide her true identity. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

“I love a story where the protagonist has to rely on her wits and creativity to survive, especially when she holds a secret or two,” says Pepper. “The winter storm itself brings out some secrets as well. As for the inspiration for Rook, I’m very blessed to have known some strong, resourceful, and brave women in my life. Rook is a combination of them and having her as the lead of this book made perfect sense. She’s smart, cunning, and has been taught by her grandmother how to be prepared in almost any situation. She’s probably as fun to write as she is to read!”

Rook Kellum just wants to get away and avoid the people who are after her, but she is compelled to help someone else, even if it means risking her own safety. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

“One of the traits that Rook does not possess is indecision. She will act, even if it backfires. She will risk her life for a stranger’s because it is the right thing to do. That sometimes comes back to bite her.”

How do you balance story development with shocking plot twists? Or can they be the same thing?

“I spend 20-40 hours on a manuscript just outlining, finding ways to truly ruin a character’s life. If my characters ever met me in real life, they’d slit my throat. Then I play with the scenes and the pacing, maybe move a flashback in when I’m trying to slow the pace, or have something truly horrific happen to move the story in a new direction. It’s a marathon with sprints and runs, but never walks.”

What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?

“The next book is the sequel to You Will Know Vengeance entitled Running on Broken Bones. It comes out March 26th. It follows our escaped hackvict (hacking convict) Tanto as he faces not just the Mercator Agency hunting him down, but Tanto’s own body turning against him. It’ll be good for fans of Breaking Bad and Mr. Robot.”

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