Serenade explores the saga of a mateless shifter who must navigate a complex web of ancient taboos and personal fears when he’s irrevocably drawn to a reluctant witch whose allure is as dangerous as it is irresistible. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Actually, I based the scene in Chapter one, where Kingsley visits a spiritual center and sits among human beings desiring a psychic reading, on my personal experience at the famous spiritual camp in Cassadaga, Florida.  I am always trying to find interesting twists to throw into novels and I thought-hmmm-what if a wolf shifter sat among human beings and a psychic picked him for a reading?

This concept intrigued me and I didn’t think this theme had been explored by any other authors, so I wrote it.  Honestly, if an idea makes me laugh and seems entertaining, I will consider it for one of my novels. I love to keep my readers entertained while they are diving into the worlds I create.

I knew, at the beginning, that I wanted to write a book about a wolf shifter and a witch but I didn’t know much else until I started writing it. The idea that the female protagonist happens to walk in during the session and Kingsley, coincidentally, happens to be there too, just seemed too perfect to pass up.

Kingsley and Eva are compelling characters. What were some driving ideals behind their character’s development?

I wanted Kingsley, despite his inability to find his mate, to still have hope that she existed. Once he found her, he would instantly know her yet I wanted Eva to, somehow, be unavailable to Kingsley. She had a secret and he had to remain caution around her, because of it. Yet, her secret wouldn’t make him walk away from her.

Even though he wanted her and needed her in his life, there was something keeping him from solidifying the deal that he had to work through. As her fated mate, standing by and letting nature take its course wasn’t an option for him so having patience as Eva works through what she needs to would be tough for him but worth it, in the end.

With Eva, I knew I wanted her to be like most of the female characters I write about- she felt an attraction to Kingsley but she wouldn’t immediately and instantly be drawn to him. There had to be something in her past that kept her from moving forward with him but at the time I started writing the book, I wasn’t sure, yet, what that was.

It was through the development of the story lines that other characters popped up in the book to add to Eva and Kingsley’s challenges and development like Crimson, Kingsley’s friends and Kingsley’s younger, rebellious brother, Weldon.

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

Once I started writing about Eva’s ability to affect electricity, I was interested in exploring this phenomenon more.  I wanted to find out how this would affect the relationship between her and Kingsley, especially if she was unable to control it.  Since Eva is a very passionate female, she doesn’t understand the nature of her ability and this makes it scary for her. That was also a concept that intrigued me and needed exploration.

Despite Kingsley’s sexual magnetism, Eva wouldn’t immediately fall for him. So, Kingsley’s pursuit of her would take time and patience, which he doesn’t have much of since he’s an alpha male. Still, moving slowly through their romance, allowed them both to get to know each other better.

After introducing the subject of her electro kinesis ability, I needed to find a way for her to learn to control it so they could be together. That was also a journey I wanted to explore with, for the couple.

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

I am currently self-editing my manuscript called The Unwanteds before I formally turn it over to my editor. I am hoping to publish the book in a few months.

The Unwanteds is an anthology comprised of six stores with various shape shifters that have been ignored, rejected and shunned by the shape shifter community.

Most stories with shape shifters feature powerful, larger than life wild animals and beings like bears, tigers, dragons and wolves. Yet, I wanted to write a different story. I wanted to tell the tales of those you don’t typically find in paranormal romance books, tell their stories and let readers know of their lesser-known, unique abilities that make them so very interesting. Despite their irrelevance to their community, each one ends up with their own, unique HEA.

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