Jason Bourne, Homeland, Heist Society, Dexter (and chocolate).
In all these stories, the characters grow, evolve, sometimes devolve, and surprise us. In the sequel to KILLING RUBY ROSE, I wanted Ruby Rose to live on, face new challenges, and surprise.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

This book was my 2013 NaNoWriMo book (National Novel Writing Month-where you commit to write 50,000 words in one month). Though I had already meticulously plotted out the story in a “Beat Sheet” (the method taught in the SAVE THE CAT writing books), I shocked myself that I could write a story so fast and seamlessly. I attest this victory to three things: 1) A large bulk of it was written at a writer’s retreat in Park City, Utah wherein a great deal of hot-tub-brainstorming took place; 2) I already knew Ruby and the world she lived in; and 3) I didn’t do it alone—I have two amazing writing partners and three talented editors at my pub house. In summary, writing a sequel doesn’t suck at all! (As long as there’s a hot tub involved).

Was there an AHA! moment along your road to publication where something suddenly sank in and you felt you had the key to writing a novel? What was it?

Yes, why yes, I did. I was at a writer’s conference in 2012 where agent Sara Crowe was speaking about the state of the industry and a few exciting books which she had recently sold. It occurred to me that the books she was describing weren’t anything like the book I was querying. Her words bounced through the echo chambers of my mind until something connected with something in my gut. I had been feeling like I needed to move on from the same story I’d been writing and rewriting for over two years. (Technically, I’d written two separate books with the same basic magic system and setting, but whatevs). I NEEDED TO MOVE ON! Sometimes letting go of the “story of your heart” NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

My AHA! moment was this: I knew I had to write a NEW story. One I felt passionate about, but also one an agent can sell. I KNOW THIS SUBJECT CAN BE CONTROVERSIAL. So let me be clear, I’m not saying, “write to the trends.” At all. I’m saying, “If publication matters to you, it would behoove you to know what the publishers want/don’t want to maximize your chances of representation and acquisition.”

So I dropped my paranormal story and I wrote a contemporary thriller, inspired by stories I loved. I felt refreshed with new characters, a different world, and a clean palate. It wasn’t long after that I landed one of the best-selling agents in the YA market (Sarah Davies) and she sold KILLING RUBY ROSE in a two-book deal. Sooo…it worked out pretty well ☺ Just sayin’.