WHAT LED YOU TO WRITE NOR IRON BARS A CAGE?
It’s the sequel to my first novel, The Duke’s Handmaid —
— about halfway in, I realized I had way too much story for one book. It would
have to be a trilogy. The hardest part of writing a trilogy is making
each installment seem self-contained, having an ending that is satisfying,
while still leaving the reader wanting more. And with Nor Iron Bars a Cage, I
gave them more. I wanted to pull readers in deeper and set up the
final book, which is in progress right now.
STARTING OUT, WHO WERE THE AUTHORS WHO INSPIRED YOU? WHO INSPIRES YOU NOW?
C.S. Lewis has always inspired me. He still inspires me, but I think I’m also now inspired by J.K. Rowling. She’s proven that there still is a huge market for fantasy and it isn’t just for kids.
HOW DOES YOUR FAITH INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING?
Evil is present in my fiction, but it is not glorified. There are consequences for evil acts. I assume good will overcome evil and justice will prevail.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN YOU WANTED TO BE AN AUTHOR?
I’m not sure I ever consciously made that decision. I want to write stories and I want people to read them. I guess that means I want to be an author, but it was never about becoming something, but rather about doing something.
WHAT DO YOU MOST HOPE THAT READERS GET FROM READING YOUR WORK?
I hope they will forget where they are and lose themselves in the world of my stories. Even when the ending is happy, I want my readers to be sad that the book is over, that there is no more left to read.