The Innocent for the Guilty follows a young man, his mother, and his sister, who settle in a ranching town in Wyoming, hoping to start a new life away from the tragedy of their past. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Honestly, I don’t remember. I originally wrote this as a musical drama for our church’s 25th anniversary. That was nineteen years ago. I like stories that are exciting, with lots of action and memorable characters. Westerns have always been a favorite of mine, so I combined the two. I also like to include intrigue, which is why the reader doesn’t know why Troy is running until a few chapters into the story.

There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?

I want my characters to be as real to my readers as they are to me. Giving them unique traits and accents helps set them apart from each other. I also like to get into my characters’ heads to help the reader see their motivation for how they act and what they say. In this story, that happens mostly with Troy, the main character. I’ve had readers express to me that they “felt” the story and that it was an “experience.” I believe that’s due to the fact that delving into Troy’s deep emotions makes the reader feel as if they are in his place.

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

As in all my books, the theme of forgiveness runs throughout. However, the paramount theme is that of substitution. It’s expressed in the title, The Innocent for the Guilty, and in a dramatic scene where Troy is pleading with his outlaw father to change his ways before it’s too late. In the story, Troy is the innocent one, risking his life for the guilty (his pa). It is tied into the analogy of Jesus Christ being the ultimate innocent One giving His life for the guilty sinner.

I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?

I never intended for this book to be more than a standalone novella. However, at the end of this story, I’d become so attached to the characters that I knew there had to be more! Book 2, In Darkness and In Light, is available on Amazon (as an ebook, paperback, and on Kindle Unlimited). It introduces three new characters–two bumbling bounty hunters and a schoolmarm, Maddie Parker. Book 3, For Better or For Worse, releases as a paperback on February 22 and an ebook on February 26. It puts Maddie in a nightmarish situation and brings about some surprising changes–one tragic and the other wonderful! It also develops a romance that was hinted at in Book 2. I’ve already started writing Book 4!