The Journal of Hidden Truths follows a 13-year-old girl who receives a journal from her mother that she uses to record her introspective revelations. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

What I love most about fiction is that it allows the reader to enter the interior worlds of characters. Star’s Journal provides a clever way to give readers a peek into her personal experiences and beliefs, access her mother does not have.

In a lot of contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?

I can’t imagine writing a story that doesn’t include the author’s own experiences. I can’t claim to have been as precocious as Star; however, like Star, I have and do pay attention to synchronicities in my life. I struggled to fit in, am sensitive to people’s “energy”, and love animals. I have kept a journal most of my life. Having raised a strong-willed daughter, I can relate to Mariah’s annoyance (and deep love) for Star.

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

Love is a powerful force that can override all kinds of physical/psychological barriers.

There’s a lot that is not easily explained, but clearly exists.

The universe is fundamentally a friendly place.

In my own life I have been amazed by the many “coincidental” happenings that have shaped my path. The findings of quantum physics open “the door” to the possibility that an interconnectedness exists among those we encounter.

I love the character of Candice Quinn. As a dutiful scientist she assumed a materialist view of life. And then, several unexpected personal challenges led her to re-examine her notions of reality. Michael Talbot’s book, The Holographic Universe, is important to both of us and Candice gives it to Star to read.

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

For starters, this is my second novel. Both have taken ten years to complete. Granted, until recently I had a demanding day job in Seattle Public Schools as a school psychologist. My first novel, Once Upon a Time a Sparrow is a fictionalized memoir of my experience growing up in rural Minnesota with severe dyslexia at a time when it was not understood. Despite my struggles with reading, I knew I wanted to write stories early on.

“Working on” is still a bit premature. I am contemplating an illustrated book themed around the grief experienced, singularly and collectively, that we humans experience with change. Change is the constant in life and it comes with a hefty package of emotions, including grief.

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