Haunt follows a young woman accused of murder who encounters a serial killer, and their lives become intertwined. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I think the inspiration began simply; from always being enamored by the 19th century — but as much as I love westerns, all the movies and novels of that era, I wished to include further elements into this series that don’t just limit it to a historic western.

Certainly diving into the psychology of man, something which I was intrigued and inspired by to forge a character that was different than the usual “perfect white knight in shining armor”; rather one that has been dealt mental trauma at a much deeper level instead, one beyond comprehension. I simply felt intrigued to show, as odd as this may sound and seem, that even such people are deserving of understanding first and foremost — and affection, or even love — that may change someone, which is a very controversial statement and certainly doesn’t apply to just anyone. Regarding this particular serial killer and his background, I would say it is more understandable, or encourages the reader to understand. It was an interesting concept, challenging for me as a writer, and challenging for readers in a different way.

Last but most importantly, my horse, Finn, inspired the very first characters that I created; Charlotte, and her horse. The day I started writing this novel was the very day Finn came to my life as a little colt, and both he and the novel sort of grew up together. His personality blossomed the way it did in the book, so Finn is not just a horse in the story; he is his own character.

I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. How long did it take you to imagine, draft, and write the world your characters live in?

To be completely honest, I simply began writing without a plot or preset concepts of any kind. A few words every day that slowly turned into paragraphs, and into pages, and before I knew it, into a lengthy novel. There was never a planned plot at any stage; even a few chapters before the very ending, I hadn’t yet decided what would happen. Nor when I would sit down to write, did I ever know which direction the characters or story would go. Reason being, I simply lived in this world alongside the characters, and truly tried to emerge myself in this fictional environment. It kept it extremely interesting, and challenging of course, but also exciting to see my own words take a hold of thoughts I hadn’t truly formed until they were already written down.

There was never really a writer’s block, to this day — even eleven books later in the series — and I owe that to this, perhaps unorthodox, method of writing. In this peculiar way, I finished writing the first draft of Haunt within a period of three months. I simply loved the whole experience, and I couldn’t stop writing what happens next, which is why there is a whole series of it now. It was never planned. I thought H[A]UNT would be the end of it.

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

That is a very interesting question, for this series covers a lot of different themes that you will find later on. But in this particular book, I do cover the aspect of religion viewed from an extremist’s point of view that was particularly interesting and common in that era. It can also be very controversial for readers, but I tried to stay as neutral as possible, for I don’t wish to influence characters or plot biased on my own beliefs.

Certainly, the theme of friendship and betrayal comes up; how easily trust can be infringed. Love; how oftentimes you don’t choose the person you fall in love with, for any sense leaves your mind the moment it happens. But with love can come enviousness, and even revulsion, and we see that in the story…how destructive love can be.

The concept of mental trauma is very prominent throughout the whole series; showcasing how it is able to morph a person, but also how a person is capable to change even having been dealt the wrong hand in life. I think it is an important subject to dissect, for many of us are able to relate to it and perhaps get encouraged for change. But overall, this psychological aspect is a leading element throughout the whole series and it touches on many different traits that challenge a character.

Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?

Book two is filled with new characters that will be extremely important later on; ones who certainly will confuse the reader, or perhaps even stir their curiosity. The story will be a lot darker than Haunt, a lot more challenging, and honestly, frustrating (in a good way). Haunt has a few hints in the story that will tie in with book two, but I guarantee it will be an entirely different form of journey readers will be taken through. As with all my books, it will start slow in the beginning for the sake of character development and world building, but there is going to be tension that will keep on building upon itself. Book two is titled CUR[S]E, and will be available on the 14th of February for Valentine’s Day, in caustic taste.

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