Q&A - All your burning questions are addressed

Hello gorgeous people, it's Q&A time. My mailbox is officially back to zero, and all is right in the world, for a day or two at least.


Let's get started -

Q - What can you tell us about Book Ten?
A - To Surprise a Seer. This one stars Quinn, one of the original bridesmaids from book one. As the Psychiatrist for the Southern Sanctuary, Quinn has her work cut out for her.
And if her patient load isn't already daunting, she's just had two new patients added to her roster - Gaia and Hadleigh. Neither one is handling being pregnant particularly well.
As a Seer, Quinn is used to dealing with inner demons and ugly truths. Determined to avoid a family curse she has instigated a strict healthy lifestyle, fearing if she ever gives in to temptation she will lose everything.

Matias Yanez, bar-owner and surly, gruff jerk is hiding an awful secret. He has no memory. Every day when he wakes up it's the same, his parents have just been brutally murdered and his sister is missing - except that happened ten years ago.
When these two come together sparks fly. Quinn sees glimpses of an impossible future and Matias thinks he might finally have found the only person in the world to help him solve his parents' murder and find his missing sister.

Did I mention there would be some time-travel, hybrid-jaguar creatures, and a mad, power hungry Aztec Priest making an appearance? No? Well, you'll just have to wait and find out how it all comes together when book ten is published. Which at this stage will be June.

Q - Who will be the leads in future books?
A - Okay, so I've covered book ten. Book eleven - To Fight A Fate - will star Maat Warrior, Marcus and another of the bridesmaids - Riya.
Book twelve will have Darcy stepping up to the plate. And at this stage I've tentatively titled it - To Handle A Hellcat.
Book Thirteen will probably be - To Goad A Goddess - And will have Elijah, head of the Sanctuary enforcers being matched up with a prickly Goddess.

Q - Who else will get their own book?
A - All these ideas running around in my head. And all these great characters to choose from - Fraser and Gigi, the last two Bridesmaids. Flynn and Dash, the remaining single Maat Warriors. Daniel, hot nerd who now hosts the reality Paranormal TV show. And I still haven't told librarian Patricia's story. At this stage I don't know which of these characters will be stepping up to take lead down the road, hopefully... eventually, all of them.

Q - How many books do you have planned for the Southern Sanctuary Series?
A - What is this planning you speak of? I've always been at the mercy of my Muse (otherwise known as the various voices in my head) if the ideas keep coming, I'll keep writing.

Q - What comes first, the idea or the title?
A - The idea, but funnily, if I don't quickly figure out the title, then the story doesn't flow for me. So they often come almost on top of one another.

Q - What's the hardest thing about being a writer?
A - Time is the enemy, there's just never enough time to sit and write, edit, blog, think, plot, plan. I aim to release two books per year, but it's a never ending cycle of write, edit, publish. Though I'm pretty sure all my friends think I sit around reading and watching Bold & the Beautiful.

Q - Have you ever considered writing a holiday themed novel?
A - Yes, plenty of times. But the ideas have never quite clicked for me. Though more and more I think librarian Patricia's story will be a Christmas themed novella. You can read about a 'hot' Australian Christmas and finally find out how/why all the library books have been disappearing and turning up in Lester Cullen's potting shed.

Q - Do you plot your books out in advance?
A - Mhmmm, not really. Generally the meet-cute comes to me and I go from there. As long as I have the two main characters fully fleshed out in my head, along with the Big Bad, then the book usually just flows for me. By the end of each chapter I have a rough idea of what will happen next - repeat until I hit - The End.

Q - Who is your favourite couple?
A - Damn it, this is a hard one. I love them all. Especially when I am writing their actual story. But I suppose I will always have a soft spot for Hadleigh and Vaughn. They are where it all started for me.

Q - With so many characters / creatures to chose from, how do you decide who gets to turn up in each book?
A - I have my faves. Gaia has become a must appear, because she's so much fun to write. Same with the Great-Great Aunts. Honestly, it comes down to who makes the most sense in a scene. Who adds to the scene, the action, but doesn't detract from our main couple.

Q - Will the tricky cats be back?
A - Absolutely, I have some big plans for them in book thirteen - To Goad A Goddess. Not sure if they will be making any guest appearances prior to that.

Q - Everyone threatens dire retribution upon Alma, the match maker, will she ever get her just deserts?
A - Quite possibly. Am thinking Darcy won't take her match up lying down.

Q - What's going to happen when you run out of Maat Warriors?
A - I don't lie awake at nights thinking about this. After Marcus, who I'm writing about right now, there is only Dash and Flynn, but their meld mates have some growing up to do, as do the Flyboys.
I think there are plenty of other lead options available, and more become available every time I expand this world. Like Brodie's boss - her story of how she hooked up with her Demon husband might turn out to be a novella yet. And I did love writing the Valkyries.
It helps when characters like Devon come along, playing a secondary in book two - then demanding her own book in To Shackle A Shrew.

Q - How do you keep juggling all the storyline threads, the characters and the creatures?
A - From day one I sat down and thought about each of the bridesmaids - I fleshed out some more than others but I had some idea of each of their powers. So I started adding layers regarding the secondaries from the very first book. And the more I wrote about the extended family, and creatures, the more I came to understand where everyone fit. Giving more details about everyone as I began to get a glimpse of their possible future.
Like Charisse, I knew I wanted her to be a Siren, which I mentioned in book one, though I had no idea that her story would end up being about her relationship with her rock as much as it was with Nate.
It's not an exact science. I try not make continuity mistakes - but I do know that the High Council Building is described as being on the wrong side of the square in book one. So, I'm not perfect. But I make character notes for everyone - have a family tree, and even have mapped out the towns (that's when I realised my error... oops)

Q - Who are you reading right now, and loving?
A - Have just recently discovered the brilliant Amanda Bouchet, can't wait for book 3 in her series. Loving Wen Spencer. And I can't go past Gini Koch, Shelly Laurenston or Darynda Jones. Oh, and let's not forget Ilona Andrews, Jennifer Estep, Nalini Singh, Anne Bishop or Seanan Maguire. And I could just keep listing fabulous authors, but you get the general idea.

Q - Do you ever DNF a book?
A - Yes, unfortunately. As I mentioned, my time is precious. I just don't have it to spare on anything that doesn't blow me away.

Q - What constitutes a five star read for you?
A - Fully fleshed, fantastic leads. A world that sweeps me up (with no info dumps). A story that goes light on the cliches. I like my heroines kick ass. My heroes can be Alpa but they have to have flaws/humanity/humour.

Q - What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
A - First, research good authors. Understand what it is about their style & approach that keep the readers coming back for more. And then find your own style.
And most importantly - write. Daily. Understand what it takes to stick to a schedule, plan, deliver a beginning, middle and end. And then when you have finished, write some more.

Well, I hope that answers all the burning questions for the time being. If not, just drop me a note or an email via the Goodreads site and I will do my best to answer in a timely fashion.
To everyone who has read my books and contacted me, just to say hi, or to comment or critique my work - thank you.
To all those who have written a review on Goodreads and taken the time to also stop by Amazon and add it there - Thank you... and a sloppy kiss or two.

Happy Reading!