You are well-known for stories that explore truth and the world through a different perspective. How do you come up with the themes behind your books?
I grew up in the jungles of Indonesia among cannibals—a white face in a sea of noble warriors whom I tried my best to emulate. As such I was an outsider and, coming to the United States, an outsider there as well. Looking in from outside the cultural bubble gives one a unique perspective of the people and beliefs inside the bubble, and it was from this perspective that I began to write.
Having said that, my primary purpose in writing has always been to understand my own identity in this world because I wasn’t deeply rooted in any particular cultural identity that made sense to me. Thus, all my stories, whether involving serial killers or other worlds, are a quest to discover truth in a world of shadow.
Seals play a huge role in both books. Why are these important to the overall plot?
We are all on a quest to discover light in darkness, love instead of fear, meaning where questions persist. The 49th Mystic is about a blind girl named Rachelle who is tasked with the quest to find the Five Seals of Truth before her enemies destroy her.
In many ways, these five seals are what we’re all searching for in our own lives. We find ourselves on the same wild quest for seals of truth that Rachelle is on.
How does Rachelle’s blindness affect the story line?
The story asks a critical question: What if we are all blind and don’t know it? Perception is at the very heart of this story as much as our lives.
So we, along with Rachelle, take the journey of blindness to sight in staggering fashion. The greatest challenge Rachelle faces isn’t seeing but retaining her sight, because the forces aligned against her easily blind her over and over. Just like us.
Click through to find out where the series goes next…