A House of Cranes follows an eleven-year-old orphan who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth after going to live with a well-off family in Connecticut. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I always wanted to write a coming-of-age story. I think back to my childhood and all the discoveries that come with being a boy, a teenager, and a young man. It’s a time filled with uncertainty and revelation.

The characters of Lucius and the Crane family are intricately woven, with a multitude of layers that make them unique and intriguing. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?

My goal is to always give my characters as much depth as possible. If they’re not interesting to me, I can’t expect them to be interesting to my readers. It’s also important for each character to have some opposing qualities I can use to pit them against one another.

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

Love and acceptance, and at the very least, to be seen by those we hold in high esteem, are the underlying themes in the novel. Above that is coming to terms with want versus need and understanding the difference between love and obsession.

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

The current novel I’m writing is about a retired CEO, twice divorced, childless, alone, and has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. She hires a male escort who she has seen in the past to spend a month with her at her vacation home on a small island off the coast of Australia. My planned publication date is in the fall of this year.

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