Reservations follow a gifted FBI profiler with psychological insight whose mentor dies while working on a serial killer case, leaving her to pick up where he left off. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

First, I have to start with a backstory. In 2017, I was having a difficult time in my life; ending a 28-year marriage, leaving a job I was unhappy in, selling my house, and in need of a life overhaul. One day, I woke up and demanded a do-over from the Universe. Several nights later, the dreams started, and the books began. This book, Reservations (originally under a different title), was written in less than a month, followed by six more in a period of six months. I dreamt every night and wrote every day. The dreams were a visceral guide, with me filling in the blanks. A lot of stops and starts, but eight years later, here we are.

Samantha Wright is as real a character I could write because she is all of us. She is me. The story is about losing those who are close to us, who have made us who we are, and when they are lost to us, how we move on and try to make them proud with our attempt, we try to make things better. Sam has a career at the FBI, dealing with death while trying to find justice for the victims of the heinous things people do to each other. In this world, we all deal with what Sam does, just in a more unnoticed way. Just as Sam is trying to learn to live with everything she witnesses and is surrounded by daily, so are we with the very personal stories we all have to tell about how we live within the 24-hour news cycle and the reality we all see. I needed Sam to be many things, and she could be those things if her job had leverage to it.

I enjoyed Samantha’s character; she is engaging, intelligent, and complicated, not at all predictable. What was your inspiration for Samantha Wright’s character, and how did you craft her outlook on life?

They say you write what you know, and there is a lot of subconscious memory that is a treasure trove of bits and pieces that surface once they are awakened. Samantha Wright is a culmination of women I’ve known over the years that made a difference in me and my thinking, and by morphing those qualities and remembrances – well – Samantha was born. Once I had Samantha Wright and the dreams, I pieced the puzzle together. I’ve worked for attorneys as a paralegal, and that brought connections to stories of people and situations that made sense of the dreams and enabled me to weave a story together anchored by this amazing woman, Samantha Wright. Sam’s outlook is one of despair backed by hope. Strength of conviction, but willing to be weak, with not always knowing what to do. A yearning for love, but knowing her responsibilities will always color any relationship she would have. Again, Sam is us. I write with first and third person – I want the reader to know at all times all the characters in the scene and what they feel, think, and say, even when Sam isn’t part of the scene. 

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

I have always had a connection, an affinity to Native culture, having lived in the Western state of Colorado. I’ve been drawn to the sense of Tribe and the rich history since I was young. I’ve also lived in situations that brought abuse, addiction, strength through fear, cultural divides, and love, of course, in my life and the life of those I know. I try to slowly bring themes into the plots, without being preachy or making it stand out – themes don’t have to stand out; they just have to be absorbed by the reader as part of the story. I want the reader to think back and see layers in what they’ve read. 

Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?

The series has seven books – the first, Reservations: A Samantha Wright Crime Series, the second, The Last Profile, which just launched on Amazon, continues the core characters that are so integral to the plots and the important stories they bring forward. The Last Profile has Samantha following a case on and off the reservation, three plots going on at the same time, leading her through a maze of lies and betrayal by the very people her life centers around. If you love Will Little Bear, he helps Sam work the case that is supposed to finally free her from the FBI, so they can have the life they yearn for. Five more books follow; manuscripts finalized, waiting in the wings to be launched every six months. Plots that you may never have read before, characters that attach themselves to you, and relatable stories that resonate with the reader. The books are about people who have a family life and a work life – they figure out how to make it work, and in Sam’s case, her family, her tribe, is her foundation that gives her the ability to do her most difficult job, finding justice and a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves.
 
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