The Never Witch follows a woman stripped of magic who encounters a dying warlock and finds herself caught in a dangerous web of secrets. Where did the idea for this novel come from? 

The supernatural aspect of witches has fascinated me from an early age. Their stories have populated my reading list for years, and I’ve always loved that there are as many interpretations of magic as there are authors. In writing The Never Witch, I wanted to put my own stamp on magic. Something new and fresh. I knew I’d found it when I imagined a world where witches and warlocks were separate societies, who drew their power from different, but interconnected, sources. The interdependence of their magical power was the inspiration for the conflict between these two magical societies. But that was just the start. Their political structures, teachings, and prejudices are additional fodder for conflict. And underlying all of it are very human emotions and the messiness of families, poor choices, failure, betrayal, and forgiveness.

As for the main character, I wanted her to have lived through some of life’s challenges so that her resilience and wounds are earned. She’s thirty-something, physically and mentally strong, but still vulnerable. She has the strength to carry the story, while remaining relatable.

How did you handle the magic in this story, and how did it evolve as you were writing?

I wanted to create magic that was as individual as the witch or warlock who wielded it, but also unique to their magical society. So even though witches and warlocks share some magical abilities, like compelling people or conjuring objects, a witch’s magic is tied to the elements of fire, earth, water, and air, whereas a warlock’s magic is tied to runes. Each individual witch or warlock’s ability to use the magic, and the strength of that magic, depends on their bloodlines, the training they undertake, and their innate talent. The magical evolution as I wrote the story was born from my research into runes. When I started, I had in mind Odin’s 24 original runes. But as the story unfolded, I imagined the complex magic that might be achievable if those initial runes were stacked, and not just straight up, but upside down, sideways, and angular. The combinations would be endless, as would the magical possibilities.

What was your favorite scene in this story?

Though I’m sure my answer to this question would differ depending on my mood, today I’d say my favourite scene is the one where the main character, a witch named Adeline Thorne, returns home with Luke, her warlock bodyguard, to find her warlock ex-husband, Warrick, has moved in. I love the tension in the scene and how the two warlocks struggle to establish themselves as the more important person in Adeline’s life.

Can you give us a glimpse inside Book 2 of the Thorne Witch series? Where will it take readers? 

The next book explores the depths to which witches and warlocks will go to stop Adeline Thorne from wielding warlock power, and why Adeline’s power is such a threat to them.  

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