Star Lost follows a woman living in a world where ignorance is reinforced as the government routinely wipes memories of the people, who starts to unravel the truth behind the dystopian state and become involved with a group trying to save their world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Well, as this review and others have mentioned it is a chillingly plausible reality, isn’t it? Though Star Lost is set in the near future it was inspired by recent frustrations. I have seen a recent decline in our society’s interest not only in the understanding and memory of historical events but appreciation for anything deemed “outdated.” That said, the book was not written to say that the be-all and end-all of human existence is old tech and books, reading, and the written word (although some book lovers might disagree), but rather to explore why we have such animosity as a society towards anything “old”, historical record, reading, and understanding of our own personal histories. Not to mention the recent influx of revisionist history and book banning. I think it best, despite our motivations for wanting to dispel it, to hold on to our history so we don’t repeat it. I also take a bit of a dig at social media, which carries over into all three books.

Luccee is a fascinating character trying to just hold on to her memories and understand what is happening to the world around her. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?

I think Luccee is a really fun FMC all around. She has an underdog quality, but she knows how to kick things up when she needs to. I recently finished book 3 of the series and those scenes are more fresh, but in attempting to recall Luccee’s scenes from Star Lost, I’d have to say she is the most fun to write when she has realizations about herself and other people. I think any scene with Trevers where he does his best to help her see “reason” but Luccee is able to stand up to him is my favorite. I love giving Luccee opportunities to grow as a person. Her scenes with Wilda are another favorite. I love their mentor/mentee dynamic.

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

Familial discord is a big one. Family history obviously plays a big part in the narrative as well. If your MC is having a disagreement with their family, I think it’s important to explore that in-depth at some point in the narrative. It’s often the source of their internal conflicts, and usually what sets them on a journey towards something external. And since Star Lost is the first book of the series, it was necessary for me to dwell on the “past lives” of the characters, so the reader better understands them and what makes them tick in future books.

Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Luccee and the direction of the second book?

I’d be happy to! Luccee will definitely go on the journey she is meant to (and the one readers of Book 1 will be yearning for), immediately beginning with Book 2. She will go on what some readers have called “a wild ride” and whether intentionally or accidentally, meet people who have an odd connection to her she couldn’t have imagined. And her life will change in ways she never would have predicted. That will even carry over into book 3 which is coming out this fall! But if you read books 1 and 2 in tandem, it will give you the sense you’ve been transported from the status quo to a more colorful universe. From sepia tone to technicolor!

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