The Case Files of GG Michaels follows Guenevere Michaels and her pragmatic partner as they unravel eerie mysteries with wit, suspense, and a razor-sharp blend of folklore and modern investigation. What inspired you to pair paranormal lore with modern investigative techniques in this collection?

I think it began early on beginning with Scooby-Doo before proceeding to other series like the X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Stranger Things, and the TV show, Friday the 13^th the Series.

But it also stems from something that has always perplexed me, that is how various paranormal investigative shows find something out of sorts but then largely do nothing about it. These investigators may document something and be even be frightened by it but they do nothing about it. By contrast, GG & her friends (depending on the story,) do something about the ghosts, monsters, and cults the run across. They leave a situation better than they found it.

Guen and Janet’s dynamic is both witty and heartfelt. How did you develop their contrasting voices and chemistry?

They are an odd couple, but they deal with odd scenarios, so it jibes. They’re both brave in their own ways. Their backgrounds influenced them with GG’s idealism contrasting with Janet’s pragmatism. Often the approach of one is better suited to the scenario than the other. I love writing dialogue and work hard at developing unique voices for my characters. Often, a reader may not remember a book’s plot but they will remember a character that they loved by what they said and did and how they said and did it.

I’m also developing a third member of GG Michaels Investigations, Izaak, whom we meet in the story, The Padded Cell. 

Many of your settings feel like characters themselves. Do you draw inspiration from real locations or create them entirely from imagination?

As a kid I was pretty good at scaring myself. My imagination was, and continues to be, vibrant. My locations are a combination of real experience and researched with a lot of ideation as to how I could make them even spookier. To paraphrase Stephen King, I do my best to “be there.”

Some stories resolve quickly, leaving readers wanting more. Do you see yourself expanding any of these cases into longer novels?

I have so many ideas on the drawing board, most of which I think will pan out. In order to write them all, I will continue to write in the short story/novelette length, but one never knows how a story will develop and if it requires novella or novel length space to tell the tale adequately.

Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website