1 What is the title of your series?

North Oak

2 What inspired the idea of your series?

I was a bored 12 year old in summer of 1994...

3 How many books are in your series?

There will be over 20 when it's done #oldschool

4 Is it the only series on your profile?

No. I have a fairytale retelling series, a trilogy of Romeo & Juliet (vampires), and I'm releasing my first Urban Fantasy, and Dystopian series next year.

5 What do you desire readers take away from your series?

North Oak champions tough kid and teen issues like bullying, sexuality, and suicide, all against the exciting fast-paced world of horse racing. My main character is bi, and I hope she gives hope and representation to young people through her trials. I dream of meeting the reader who comes to me and says "Me. You wrote this for me." And I'll hug them and say "I know. And I've been waiting for you." 

6 is your series complete or ongoing?

Ongoing. I'm currently working on book 8.

7 What are your future plans for your series?

To keep writing it :P

8 What would be a good piece of advice for someone who desires beginning to write a series?

Plan it out, then write. Release when you have them all done. I get in trouble with my readers because I'm taking too long between books, and I wish I had more written than I currently do.

9 Do you prefer writing a series over a standalone novel?

I write what God tells me. Once, I had a nightmare and I used that to poll a bunch of 4th-6th graders on what scares them. Then I brought them onboard to help develop the book.  The resulting book was a standalone titled Zoo, and it went on to win the 2020 League of Utah Writers Recommended Youth Read Award

10 Who is your main character? Are there any similarities between you and your main character?

Alex. When I started writing the series at age 11, everything I wrote about her eventually ended up happening to me. (Karma?)

As I grew older and continued to develop the series, I saw more similarities between our lives and let that influence the books. Her story often parallels my own experience being LGBTQ+

I don't have an agenda, other than to be true to the story and what's in my heart. 

11 What does your character go through in the series?

She starts out as an orphan, only to be taken in by people who are actually her lost family. She falls in love with horse racing, and it becomes a way of healing through her losses and trying to figure out where she fits in in the world.

A girl and her horses. What could be better? :)

12 What does having readers for any of your stories mean to you?

Everything. North Oak is my flagship series. My baby. Especially since I've been writing it for more than 25 years. It was always my dream to share Alex's story.

1 What type of stories do you like to read?

I have ADD pretty bad, so it's very hard for me to read. Like physically painful. I really struggle to get through a book unless I work really hard at it. I have loved fractured fairytales like Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, however, and Priestess of Avalon.

I like non-fiction stuff too.

2 What type of music do you like to listen to?

When I'm writing, I listen to brain.fm, but typically I listen to whatever's on the radio or whatever has a good beat.

3 What is one of your favorite stories that you've read on wattpad?

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, however, and Priestess of Avalon.

4 What do you believe is better for a story? {Quality or Quantity}

Quality. Always quality. You can't sell a product there isn't a demand for.

5 Are you more likely to check out an ongoing or completed story?

I wish I could say I had an excuse, like I'm busy being a mom and pursuing my black belt in Taekwondo, and writing 3 series simultaneously. But really it boils down to my painful lack of focus. Sorry <3