Three things you love besides writing/reading?

1) Music everyday. Linkin Park and 30 Seconds to Mars are a must, though right now I'm stuck on "Skyfall" by Adele and "Handler" by Muse.
2) Comedies. Whether it's rewatching TV shows or movies, there is nothing better than having a good laugh. It always brightens my day.
3) Getting new shoes. I've recently fallen in love with heels and have bought several in the last few months. But shh, don't tell my bank account, it'll freak!

Three things you hate?

1) People who are prejudice, especially those who let everyone know it.
2) Spiders freak me out!
3) When people, or restaurants florentine my favorite food. I hate spinach with a passion.

Why do you write?

Not only is it a way for me to be creative and put my overactive imagination to good use, it's also cathartic. I can 'live' vicariously through my characters, putting my own past, or sometimes present, into the story so that I can see how things could be, or might have been, different. It's a good emotional release as well.

Out of all your stories, which one is your favorite?

I have several half finished novels and 2 series. The Finding Truths series is definitely my favorite. It's a little dark and dangerous with a hint of comedic banter, and a bit philosophical at times. Even though the MC is something between a super hero and a god, she's still relatable in some ways and has flaws that make her more human.

How do you create your characters?

I'm not really sure. With my Dreams series, the MC is based on me. I used my teen years for the realistic part of the plot, but gave it a huge fantasy twist to explain why things were so difficult .

For my Finding Truths series I thought if the saying, Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and wanted to prove it wrong. That combined with an episode of Futurama where Fry made his own comic book and everyone said having a character with limitless powers couldn't possibly be entertaining as it was too predictable with no danger. My character proves otherwise.

Out of your characters, which one are you the most like? Which one would you most want to be like?

I am most like the character from my Dreams series who bears my name, Tegan, as she's based on me and my adolescent years.

I would most like to be the MC from Finding Truths, Alexandra. She's tough, experienced, commands a great deal of respect, and can do anything. Yet she's not overbearing, feels deeply about things, always strives to do right, and still manages to seem normal at times even though she's quite extraordinary.

What do you do when you have writer's block?

I try listening to music. Classical or thunderstorms are good to write to, while other music helps inspire me. Sometimes I move onto another story or just take a day or two off from writing. Taking a break to read is another great inspiration. A good novel will push me to write.

How do you plan out your stories?

I never plan them which some people seem to think is crazy, lol! I have never made an outline or even come up with a set of characters or a plot. I simply put pen to paper or fingers to keys and see what comes out. If I've ever thought a little ahead in a scene, when I go to write it, something different usually comes out. So, why bother planning. I also think an outline would stifle the creativity for me and make writing seem more like work than something fun. I like writing as a reader. When you read, you have no idea what's going to happen. As a writer, I like that same suspense. I don't want to know what I'm going write before I write it. I love surprises :)

What are your writing weaknesses?

I can really procrastinate, but my biggest weakness is probably pace. I tend to over-describe sometimes and have too much inner dialogue which slows things down. It's something I've gotten much better at though.

What are you writing strengths?

I'm good with characters and dialogue, and coming up with interesting plots and even twists, but the main thing I'm good at is simply coming up with new ideas for novels. When I get an idea, I start a new story, even if I'm in the middle of writing something else. I have so many notebooks full of these great starts. One day I hope to finish them all even if I keep coming up with ideas faster than I can write.

What genre do you read?

I read mostly YA fantasy, but also adult fantasy and sci-fi, biographies (George Washington and Alexander the Great for example), the classics, and some books on philosophy. I'm also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. Praise Doyle for creating such an amazingly intriguing character.

What genre do you write?

I only write sci-fi and fantasy for YA and adults.

Blurb for one of my novels

Finding Truths: The Council's Mission

Alexandra is a seemingly immortal being without equal. Although she always strives to do right, her mysterious reputation far precedes her, making her more of a legend, a terrifying enigma.

22 years ago, the Universal Council gave her a mission to bring them the last known Soul Stealer. With another on the loose now, the Council, despite their suspicions about what happened the first time, tell her to find him.

Her mission leads her to a dead world of shadows and a planet full of rogues where she learns of the Shades return. When she meets them in her search for the Soul Stealer & dealing with a Dispatcher that was sent to kill her, she starts to put things together. What she learns implicates one of the Council members, which makes the promise she made to a dying friend that much more difficult.