Twisting in Time follows a young boy who finds himself entangled in a world of magic and tangled loyalties despite his overwhelming desire for a normal life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I love an underdog, especially one with flaws that we can relate to. With Twisting in Time, I wanted to delve deep into the mysterious backstory of my favorite underdog, Goff, and explore the breadth and depth of his connection to the magical realm throughout time. He’s a tragic figure, although the themes of friendship, tolerating differences, and the power of a kind heart make his tale uplifting in a way, too. And, to be honest, I enjoyed writing actual fantasy instead of urban fantasy for a change. I’ve always wanted to craft a medieval setting with castles and peasants and see my characters explore it. Plus, I got to write songs for the performers, royals, peasants, and Lady Flattence to sing. It was such a joy writing this book. 

Do you have a favorite scene in this novel? One that was especially fun to craft? 

For me, the peak moment of the story, and the one that took the longest to craft, was the climactic scene where Goff decides to throw fate to the wind, literally, risking his life to see if he is truly the force of nature he has been told he is. It was important to me that the reader felt that he was willing to lose everything to save his friends. And then, the flying battle was hard to write (battles always are), but so much fun.

What do you find is the most challenging aspect of writing a series? 

The problem with writing a series is ensuring that each book has a compelling story and well-defined arcs for the characters. Many sequels I’ve read turn into flat tales. Same characters, same world, but only action throughlines. Readers need to feel connected to a personal story, a struggle, a deeply felt and thwarted need, not just an overt conflict. Even if they love the characters, it will feel bland. So, finding a fresh way to craft a life-or-death struggle for the characters in each book is the most challenging. for sure.  

Can we look forward to seeing the next installment in the Misfit’s Magic series soon? Where will it take readers? 

I thought this book was the end of the series right up until I wrote the last scene and realized I wasn’t done writing Goff’s tale. Twisting in time twists back to the beginning of the first book…with a twist. I’ve been thinking about how interesting it would be to take the story back to Spraksville, but nothing is the same this time. The fact that Bones and Maxim breached the time continuum has shifted things, so it’s actually a whole new tale in that location. Perhaps I’ll even have Mathers be a teacher or something instead of the villain. I’ve often considered the possibility that the Orb had something to do with the creation of vampires, so I might head in that direction with the next book. I might even have Halstrom become one. Wouldn’t that be fascinating to see him battle with the preternatural urges in a “Halstrom” way? I’ve always wanted to write a vampire story (I loved reading Rice, Harker, Meyer, and Stoker)

And, I might add a little foster sister who is the heart of the story. The struggle for Goff this time will be keeping her safe despite being dragged along into an epic adventure with him. We’ll see Goff’s nurturing side, his “big brother” muscles come out. But, I’m not sure yet. Still in the noodling about it phase. I love that part of writing a book. I think about it when I’m chopping onions or mowing the lawn. Such a fascinating and emotionally engaging puzzle to ponder.

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