Taken follows a young couple living a seemingly peaceful life in the Appalachian mountains whose lives are complicated by a dangerous family legacy as supernatural hunters. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I grew up in Appalachia, so the setting is personal to me. I’ve also found that Appalachia is especially underrepresented in books and movies, most likely because it isn’t viewed as glamorous like NYC, London, and other big cities. However, most people have heard about the Appalachian mountains being extremely old. In fact, they’re one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet. They’re also known for their detailed and spooky folklore featuring all sorts of scary creatures. Whether or not these tales are true is hotly debated, but they certainly provide plenty of inspiration.

How does becoming a mother influence Annie’s understanding of danger, responsibility, and personal independence, and what challenges does she face as she begins questioning the limits of the protection Jace has always provided?

I try to write about all the important aspects of life that resonate with me. Motherhood and having children is a huge part of life for many women. It also changes you. Risks that you may have been willing to take before suddenly become unacceptable when it comes to your children. This is something Annie realizes as the umbrella of protection Jace provides seems to become more fragile. Annie wouldn’t have been bothered if only her safety were at risk. But because her children are in danger, she’s more skeptical.

How did you approach developing the emotional stakes of the supernatural threats so that they felt personally meaningful to the characters?

It was important for Jace to have a reason to keep Annie in the dark. Otherwise, he would have been totally irrational, which I didn’t want. He needed a basis for his fears, even if his perspective was slightly warped. Because family is of the utmost importance to Jace, his anxiety stemming from his mother’s death seemed like a natural way to go.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

I’m working on several projects at the moment. All of them are incomplete, so it will likely be a while before I have another release.

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