The Word of the Rock God follows a rock star he struggles with the physical and spiritual aspects of his life. What was the inspiration behind the idea for this novel?

I was driving home from a concert and a scene just popped into my head. I saw very clearly a man sitting a table in a café, and I watched a woman sit down across from him. He seemed shocked by her appearance, but she looked at him as if she’d known him forever, as if she had plans for him. The next day, I sat down with this scene and these characters and tried to imagine who they might be. Max became clear to me first– this meek, artistic man who was more threatened by the idea of an obsessed fan than thrilled by it– but when that image became clear, the fact that Malum was no ordinary fan followed immediately.

Max is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind his character development?

Thank you for saying so. Max’s standout qualities to me were meekness and creativity. I knew he was a rocker right away, but I knew he didn’t fit the stereotypical mold of a rocker either. I wanted to test his morals, of course, but I also needed a better understanding of those morals and where they came from, especially considering how atypical his level of inexperience was. With Malum in mind, knowing what she was and what she represented, it became clear to me that Max’s inexperience and strong moral compass came from his personal approach to and understanding of his faith.

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

I know it seems as if my greatest commentary centers around religion, but genuinely that was never my intention. My initial exploration was one of art and the artist; of successful artist vs up=and-coming artist. Did Max’s morals reflecting in his messages and songs matter to the crowds? Did they only matter because they were introduced to him as he stood on a stage? Was it his attractive features that made his music popular amongst those who listen to it? Would these same people be as receptive if he were not on stage, if he were, instead, on Twitter promoting it? What if he weren’t as traditionally attractive? Are people drawn to the art or to the artist who creates it?

I wanted to explore Catholicism and what it might be like to live life according to Christian morals. I consider myself agnostic– I’m sure something greater than we are is out there, but I’m not willing to believe we’d even be able to understand it, much less understand what it expects from us– so it was exploration of morals according to a specific deity and faith.

I also wanted to challenge it with Philip, a character who goes against what is traditionally accepted by this faith, but is not only detested by the evil entity, but also very important to the good one and to the protection of Max.

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

I have three other novels available– Fiberglass Galaxy, Amethyst, and 2288– but I’m currently working on a project with the tentative title “Deification”. It’s in its infancy, so I don’t have an expected release date just yet, but I’ll share updates on Twitter and Facebook as we near its publication.

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