Coffee, Murder, and a Scone follows a sarcastic, introverted mystic who starts having vivid visions of a dangerously handsome man, murdered women, and her own death. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

My inspiration came from a dream. It was vivid enough that I kept thinking about it while I went through the day. I decided it would make a great start to a novel. I tossed out the first few chapters the next day and then left it for a while. It wasn’t until last year that I came back and finished it. I have to admit the scene where Violet physically encounters the malevolent spirit of Steven’s ancestor was close to an experience I had with the supernatural. It wasn’t pleasant. I can only hope that I was able to encompass that feeling in the scene enough that others can understand what it was like.

I found Violet Blueblade to be an intriguing character. What was your inspiration for this character?

I fashioned Violet after myself. Admittedly, all my female main characters exhibit some part of my traits or personality. With Violet, I used my self-doubt, sarcasm, and introverted personality in the hopes that it would bring levity to the scenes and characters. I hoped the character Violet could show that even in the darkest moments, you can find the light and hold on until the storm passes.

Violet is happy with her routine and life of avoiding people, but her visions and her niece’s emerging powers change things. Do you think there’s a single moment in everyone’s life, maybe not as traumatic, that is life-changing?

No, I feel there are always more than one. Life is filled with ups and downs and things that require us to make decisions. We may not notice our decision in the moment, but those moments are what change our lives. Some events will be joyous or fun, and others will be traumatic or depressing, but it is how we face those moments and the decisions we make that change our lives. Sometimes the changes are for the better and sometimes for the worse, but in the end, we are not who we are without them.

Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?

Originally, I wrote this book as a standalone. I had this idea that kept itching, and I needed to get it out of my mind by putting it on paper. As I was writing, I found I had more fun than I did with any other story or novel I have written. I don’t tend to write like most other authors. I don’t map out the story ahead of time, create outlines, or any of that. I create a character in my head and let that character show me where the story goes. I felt that this story bombed, but after having a few of my close friends and relatives read it, they begged me to write it so that it could become a series. I have a feeling that Violet and Steven will be investigating another mystery in the near future.

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