I’ll Call You Mine follows a woman fleeing San Francisco and a stalker for the quiet life of her small Midwestern hometown, who finds herself falling for her new coworker while her stalker’s threats escalate. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Honestly, the television show Criminal Minds was instrumental. That, with a curiosity around psychology and true crime, and a fascination with the way phrases considered romantic can also be rather threatening. For example, “I’ll always find you” or “we belong together.” Many people dream of hearing these words – but only from the right person. Coming from someone we don’t know or don’t feel the same about, the words take on a very different and sinister meaning.

Enderlin feels comforting and claustrophobic at the same time, offering protection, but also scrutiny and exposure. Why was it important that the town never become a perfect “safe haven”?

For me, it was important to show that there is no perfect safe haven. Even ‘home’ has its flaws, although we may not remember it that way once we leave. Katie thought she could outrun her troubles, perhaps looking to go back to a simpler time when she was taken care of by others: her parents, her brother, the community. But I wanted Katie to find her own strength and to build the life she wanted rather than trying to find it.

The book repeatedly shows how stalking changes ordinary behavior: how Katie reads rooms, measures people, and notices small details. Did you do research into the psychological aftermath of stalking and harassment?

Yes, I did do research! I wanted to not only learn the effects of being stalked, but also find the ways in which victims learned to manage the lasting impact and to find joy in life. I watched quite a few true crime shows that focused on stalking cases in which the victim was able to add context. Hearing them recall how they felt and how it affected not only their lives but the lives of those around them helped a lot. The story of singer/songwriter Coles Whalen was really eye-opening and exceptionally informative on several fronts.

Can you tell us more about what’s in store for the town of Enderlin and the direction of the second book?

Through the series Enderlin Calling, the town is the thing that connects all the stories, although not all of the stories take place there. Book 2 has Katie’s best friend, Charlotte, as she goes to Texas to save the family horse ranch. She finds sabotage – and her old flame – and has to figure out how to navigate both without losing everything. Book 3 is in the works and follows one of Katie’s coworkers away from Enderlin and back again. Book 4 will center around Katie’s brother, Nick, but it is still nothing more than a dream at this point.

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