FAQ
What in the what is a yankee-Southern hybrid with a dash of Hillbilly?
It's my summary when describing the three big moves I had as a child. My dad worked for the federal government, so we moved around a lot (3 times to be exact) during my childhood. I was born in Hartford, CT. When I was 5, we left the four seasons of New England and settled in Appalachia (West Virginia) for a few years. At the start of middle school. we moved again and returned to my parents' home state--Louisiana! Been living in The Boot ever since.
Plotter or Pantser?
Not knowing the plan or what's going to happen makes me feel massively anxious and overwhelmed, so I'm about 85% plotter and 15% pantser. I outline and write a syllabus but not to the point where I am writing out every single thing happening in a scene movie-script style. I use the four-act structure and tend to center my plot around the character's arc. I ALWAYS know how my stories will end but the beginnings often change. While I follow a "plan", I do change things as I. begin to draft/edit if I feel the beat thumping into something else!
What's your author brand?
As of now, my writing heart is in YA but I do want to venture into adult someday. I write various genres: contemporary, fantasy, speculative, paranormal, and horror. I don't like being boxed into one thing. But overall, all of my stories tend to be character-driven and layered with love, sadness, joy, rage, and grief. Life is messy and bittersweet. Sometimes we get what we want; sometimes we don't. But we keep going. That's the common thread in all my books.
Favorite books?
I enjoy so many books, but if I had to whittle it down to ones that are my ALL TIME FAVS, STRUCK SOMETHING DEEP WITHIN ME, RECCOMEND OVER AND OVER....
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds-Reed
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Dime by E.R. Frank
Life is Funny by E.R. Frank
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Erika L. Sanchez
Intercepted by Alexa Martin
The Mothers by Britt Bennett
The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron
Cinder series by Marissa Meyer
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Naughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins
Ember Series by Sabaa Tahir
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas
Favorite Shows
Euphoria
Hightown
Your Honor
Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon
P-Valley
Breaking Bad
90 Day Fiance Universe
The Sinner: S1 and S4
AHS: Murderhouse; Coven; Cult;Red Tide
Midnight Mass
Spartacus
The Crown
Snowfall
Raised by Wolves
Movies?
American Honey
The Woman King
300
Gone Girl
Titanic
Dune
Parasite
Remember the Titans
Training Day
Underworld
Bebe's Kids