Moloch and the Angel follows a psychologist with psychic abilities who has spent decades suppressing them and finds herself confronting a dangerous telepath whose powers are just as real as her own. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

A psychic experience: The one in the book portrays my dog telling me she was going to die–not in words but I understood the message. In the book a big white shepherd named Hombre. In real life, it was a rolly-polly Chiwawa named Bambi. No one helped me. She looked fine. The next morning she was dead.

But mostly, as a therapist for 40 years, I have listened to many stories about people’s Psychic experiences that scared them. They never shared those experiences thinking maybe they were going crazy or having crazy moments. I started to write the book about 7 years ago, and finally decided to create a thriller, a Psychological Paranormal novel, where a character goes through the need to reactivate her powers, and the readers will learn about psychic powers, and maybe recognize one or two that have touched them–not all unsettling.

Anna continually has to distinguish between clinical judgment, intuition, evidence, and fear. Why was that tension important to her character? 

To learn to trust those powers, and subdue her fears. Allow the exposure of her authentic self, her true identity, with weird dreams, visions, psychic drains, moma talking to her, seeing the devil, telepathy. She needed to trust her intuitions, dreams and premonitions. The authentic self–not based on the fear of becoming the daughter of one of the most powerful psychics in the world. The daughter who had a psychic vision that would change her life, and lead her to burying her gifts.

What larger ideas about identity, control, fear, and personal responsibility did you want to explore through Anna and Mel? 

Personal responsibility is wrapped up in the acceptance of the self, of one’s identity. When Dr Anna understands her gifts, names them, uses them to protect herself, she learns she, and we, can control them. Control lessens fear, although there is alway a bit of anxiety. Is this going to consistently work? Can I defeat Mel, my biggest problem? What will I do with these powers?  

Mel and Anna are two sides of the same coin. Mel is self assured. His goal is simple–dominate Anna to retain his golden throne of power. He can read people’s minds, and manipulate thoughts. He can morph into snakes and fire-breathing dragons, Paul Bunyon, and even Death in people’s minds. He, as Mel, can control Anna to believe he thinks he is Satin, and needs her to help him. He is smooth and acts kind, with a warm smile and a look of innocence. Yet, he wants her dead. His only fear: She knows it and has power. How long can he control her? And he has to maneuver her into the barn to totally destroy her.

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? 

I wasn’t planning on a second book until I ended the first book. Now, I am starting a second. I will be titled, “The Dr. Anna Smith, Psychic Shrink series (just for now)”. It will be released late summer, early autumn. Dr Anna’s favorite psychic student, Dr. Demarcus Briarcliff, calls from Sedona Arizona. Strange events occurring: yellow-brown fog that acts human, instant pounding dry hale, his son’s active nightmares about Demarcus’ dead brother. Is Moloch behind this? Astral-projection, Psychometry, and more physical psychic abilities surface. Not sure you want to add this much.

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