The Warlock’s Curse follows teenage twin sisters who end up in a mysterious realm where they experience adventures and discover a world they didn’t know existed. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?

My debut novel all began as a dream… I sailed a white ship on a pristine sea of whispering turquoise waves. The inhabitants of this alien watery world, mystical whales, surrounded my vessel, their eerie voices lifted in song. In my book, this became the magical whales that can open interdimensional portals…to their very birthplace, the realm of Oceana.

That and just experiencing life. I never would have guessed that walking around the beautiful New England seacoast, seeing all those old houses on their flower-lined streets, would inspire me to write about the fictional New England town of Coldport…and Seacrest, the creepy Victorian mansion in my book.

Then, there were other magical dreams…

Angelica and Clara Grace may be twins but have different personalities and approaches to the situations they encounter. What were some driving ideals behind your characters’ development?

I am fascinated by twins and the fact that they may have differing temperaments and personalities. I thought this could add a lot of tension to the story. The Warlock’s Curse began with a dream in which I sailed a white ship on a pristine sea full of singing whales. In the dream, one of my best girl friends was on the ship with me. Although we are not twins, we are surely sisters of different mothers. I can be strong and brave, she is fearful of the unknown, yet smart. The twin sisters were molded from our personalities.

I love the heroine’s journey. I wanted both girls to grow and change from their experiences to the point that there would be no going back to their old selves. I especially wanted Clara, the timid and fearful twin, to come into her own in the end.

Finally, I wanted the characters to be likeable, even loveable…to the point that the reader would feel themselves in the story, walking the twins’ entire journey alongside them.

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

I really love the theme of the hero/heroine’s courageous journey. Facing adversaries such as the evil warlock, enables the twin sisters to mature into confident leaders and changes them, forever.

I also wanted to explore themes of good verses evil, which culminates in an epic battle near the end of the book.

I delved into themes of love as well: love of family, sisterly love, love between friends, and love of nature. One of my favorite characters in The Warlock’s Curse, is a golden creature of light, joy, and love. This magical being, known as The Bliss, takes only what he needs and always gives back. His message about loving and living in harmony with the natural world is very relevant, considering the perils that our planet’s numerous lifeforms presently face. I hope readers, both young and old, will heed his call.

Finally, I looked at themes of revenge. A great wrong has been committed against the Grace family. Though the twins don’t know where the road leads, helped by their distant grandfather and other friends, they will not stop until things are set right.

There are many themes in my story…expect a lot of conflict.

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

I am currently writing a book about a woman who is deeply spiritual. She seeks enlightenment and meditates a lot. This may sound boring, but she has a troublesome, yet beloved friend, a Scottie dog named Jetsun: a dog who knows himself and what he wants, a dog who is way above mundane human consciousness, a dog who is enlightened. The book will be about the lessons of love she learns with this troublesome dog. Hopefully, it will be available in two years. Like a tortoise… I am slow. So, perhaps make it three…

After that, there may be a sequel to The Warlock’s Curse. One of my last words in The Warlock’s Curse is “Perhaps,” so I could, perhaps, let myself off the hook.

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