The Wages of Kin follows a naval officer’s widow who ends up on the run from an oppressive government force while trying to protect her children. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I always wanted to craft a fantasy world different from the traditional medieval setting. With that, I was always drawn to maritime stories involving high-seas adventure and the people involved. Telling the story from multiple points of view helped show the world and all its many facets. However, none of that matters if you don’t create compelling characters to usher that story. Everything starts and ends with the Battiers. When I figured out who they were and the uphill battle they were going through, I knew I had the foundation of my story.

Did you plan the tone and direction of the novel before writing, or did it come out organically as you were writing?

I had an idea of what I was going for when I started writing, but the story grew and evolved in the telling. The world and number of characters expanded, and so did the journeys of the Battier family.

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

I believe family and the coming-of-age aspect that comes with that universal theme is the novel’s heart.

Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?

The Wages of Kin is book one in the Cannon Fire Plot Series.

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