Sleeping with a Wall Street Banker follows a couple in New York whose relationship is threatened by the man’s ex-girlfriend. What was the initial idea behind this story, and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?

Foremost, the book is based on a true story. The catalyst for this book was my own experience dealing with a broken relationship and the search to understand why and how it happened. That said, I weave real people into my characters so….my husband and the life he led were an inspiration. From Main Street to Wall Street and London, as well as adventures in between coupled with the individuals he’s encountered – good, bad and really bad transformed this story.

Jake, Alice, and Jessica are all interesting characters in their own way. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?

Yes, Jake, Alice, and Jessica are all interesting characters in their own way. I enjoyed writing for Jessica. I found it more challenging because her character is afflicted with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). The writing challenge is due to the complexity and depth of the condition. DID, previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states, each with its unique pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self. It requires a nuanced understanding of psychology to accurately portray these switching identities, which can vary in age, gender, knowledge, behaviors, and even physical characteristics. Plus, any misrepresentation runs the risk of propagating harmful stereotypes or misinformation, adding another dimension of responsibility to the task. As such, writing a character with DID demands not only extensive research and sensitivity but also literary skill to convey the character’s experiences authentically and respectfully.

Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two? Can you summarize your writing process?

As a writer of a psychological thriller my writing style combines logical detail with intuitive understanding of human emotions. This genre demands extensive plotting, neat narrative structures, and intricate detailing, all of which lean on my logical faculties. It’s crucial for me to build suspense, introduce unexpected twists, and maintain an eerie, tense atmosphere with a solid logical foundation, ensuring the story remains plausible to keep readers engrossed.

A psychological thriller delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring motives, hidden fears, and quiet suspicions that drive their actions. This requires an intuitive understanding of human nature, emotions, and responses under stressful situations. Intuition becomes crucial when defining character motivations and reactions, painting vivid emotional panoramas, and creating moral dilemmas that add complexity to the story.

In essence, I employ both logic and intuition, a balanced blend of rigorous plot construction with insightful peeks into character minds. The writing style usually involves precise, evocative language, intended to create an immersive atmosphere and push readers to question and speculate until the mystery unravels.

Jake Logan is an extraordinary character that I think has more stories to tell. Where does the next book in the series take him?

Mired in grief over the recent murder of his girlfriend, Alice Francis, at the hands of his psychotic ex-lover, Jessica, former Navy SEAL turned Wall Street banker Jake Logan is suddenly called back into action. While his team’s primary target is internationally known terrorist financier Asyd Omar Batdadi, a.k.a. “the Bat,” the mission soon becomes personal for Jake when he learns that Jessica — a dangerous woman with dissociative identity disorder — is wrapped up in the plot. In fact, Jake’s connection to Jessica is the very reason he has been reactivated as a SEAL.

Their efforts to capture or kill Batdadi and his associates soon take Jake and his fellow SEALs to various locations in Europe and the United States, but the wily terrorist manages to elude them at every turn. In the midst of their hunt, they learn that, with Jessica’s help, Batdadi is plotting a bold terrorist strike on American soil.

For Batdadi, his terrorist act is a form of revenge for America’s interference in the lives of his Middle Eastern brethren, a chance to put himself in the “terrorist hall of fame” alongside names like Osama Bin Laden. For Jessica, her move to help Batdadi is the ultimate form of payback against the journalists whom she holds responsible for ruining her life and her future with Jake.

Battling a ticking clock, international criminal masterminds, and his own grief, Jake strives to transform his troubled relationship with Jessica from a liability into an asset, his only hope of saving thousands of innocent lives — not to mention his soul.

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