Daughter of Starlight follows a young woman aging out of foster care who finds that a hidden cave holds the secret to her true identity. Where did the idea for this novel come from?

I have always loved the concept of “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” Magical worlds aside, I believe we all have special gifts that we can share with one another, but first, we have to recognize and embrace those gifts within ourselves. Luma’s starlight power is innate, but it’s not easy—she has to work at it. This forces her to confront parts of herself that she never had the courage to face before, and in doing so, she steps into her true identity. I think the fantasy genre has a unique way of helping people see secret magic and possibilities in the everyday, so when I decided to write a fantasy story, I knew that was where I wanted to start.

What was your favorite scene in this story?

One of my favorite scenes in the story is when Luma decides to leave the safety of the mage’s island and help defend the elven forces at Northhelm from the attacking wizards. I really like this scene because it is the first time we see Luma truly trust herself and her abilities. Up until that point, her powerful starlight magic manifested sporadically in moments of adrenaline and fear; she had not felt confident in her magic, and it even scared her a little bit. But in that scene, she has the option to stay hidden and safe, to say “sorry, I’m not ready,” and no one would blame her for it – but she doesn’t. Whether she truly feels ready or not, she still chooses to go to the aid of her friends, trusting that she can offer them the best chance of survival, even if it means putting herself in danger. This scene marks a significant turning point in her character development, a moment where she first steps into her power and becomes ready to shoulder the mantle of leadership.

Was Luma’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?

When I draft, I create a rough outline for my characters to help map their goals and progress throughout the story. However, as I write, many characters grow and develop in ways I didn’t expect! Luma was definitely one of them. I originally outlined her to stay very guarded and cynical for most of the story. While she does start out that way at the beginning, it soon became clear, as I was writing, that Luma possesses a deep kindness and sincerity, even optimism, that was just waiting for the right circumstances to bring it out. Seeing this character evolution manifest itself on the page is one of my favorite aspects of writing.

I find a problem in well-written stories, in that I always want there to be another book to keep the story going. Is there a second book planned?

Yes! I am currently writing a sequel to Daughter of Starlight, and I hope to complete it by early next year. Stay tuned!

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