Lost to Alice is a raw and haunting coming-of-age novel set in the Rocky Mountains, where a grieving teen is pulled into a world of secrets, trauma, and tangled love after the death of her parents. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Well, the actual premise of this book came from a dream I had while living in a town in Colorado, very similar to Serenity Springs. There was a man with a gun just walking through town, and we couldn’t get out, we were trapped. It was all just fueled by this desperate need to survive and that “someone’s right behind you” feeling. But once I started writing, so many things took on a life of their own: Alice, Jonah, etc, so I decided to explore the idea that maybe the enemy can be someone close or not a person at all. I wanted to explore just raw fear, heartbreak and pain, and watch them persevere anyway.

Aria Delgado is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

Aria. for me, was a way to see myself in a character. We suffered a loss of a young family member, and it shattered us as a family. I was angry and volatile. But as I wrote the story, Aria opened up and showed me this deep well of sadness that drove her behavior. In writing her, I realized how much sadness I hid behind a wall of anger. So I let Aria cry when I wouldn’t have let my younger self shed a tear. I wanted her to feel the sadness and not just give in to the anger. She left a lifeline into the world with Chase, and I think that’s why their relationship is so important, they’re each other’s life rafts. But Aria’s pain and sadness are very much inspired by my past and I am so proud of how far I’ve come… I’m proud of how far Aria has come, too.

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

It was important for me to convey the themes of suspense and fear, of course, but there were other themes that kind of evolved from the characters and their interactions. The importance of family became a central theme of the book, even if that family looks a little different, it can still be filled with love and comfort. And unfortunately, trauma is a central theme to Lost to Alice; how it affects us, and how we deal with it. 

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

My next book is taking us back to the fantasy genre in a story about a land-locked siren. I have the outline done and am working on fleshing out the characters – I call this my “marinating” phase. I hope to have my first draft done within the year and a release within 18 months after that. Alice took me about 3 years to finish, and my other novel, Tied to You, took 2 years, so it needs a little time. But I am really excited about it and can’t wait for everyone to meet Sienna.