1. Anyone following you on social media knows your two furballs – Achilles and Zeus. Can you tell us more about your canine pals and how you manage writing with two huge puppies sitting in your lap?

My furballs make my life soooo worth living! They’re an integral part of my daily routine, and I don’t know what I would do without them! Zeus is a black lab, and he’s turning 12 this year, and Achilles is a Siberian Husky that’ll be turning 8. Gone are their days of chewing up my favorite slippers and couch. But they’re still little rascals, highly intelligent. Which means that when I write, they always get super creative to get my attention. Achilles LOVES cuddles, and Zeus adores sleeping in the weirdest of places. So I’m always tripping over or the other. But, on the other hand, they also watch out for me. Because I suffer from chronic migraines, they’ve gotten really good at spotting them coming on and they’ll start being more demanding and nudging my laptop/tablet/phone/notebook away in order to force me to take a break. It’s hilarious, but also adorable. So when I have uninterrupted writing time, I’m always mindful of their cues. Plus, truth be told, they both provide me with so much inspiration, I don’t know how I’d be able to get in my wolves’ heads without them. I could talk for days about them, haha, but let me stop by saying they’re simply amazing!

2. Your series take readers on epic journeys packed with Ancient Egyptian lore (The Sage’s Legacy), Arthurian fairytales (The Avalon Chronicles) and Romanian mythology (Moonlight Rogues). What’s your biggest, most fundamental inspiration in life?

I would have to say human weakness. There’s an old saying (I forget by whom) that where there is darkness, there is light. For me, seeing that light is a challenge. My own upbringing and life experiences have led me to see a lot of the darker side (and more idiotic side) of humanity. It’s part of why I feel so much more connected to animals and nature, in a way. But it’s those same aspects of human nature that I despise that are also my biggest inspiration. Inspiration to write, to shed light on those dark things, but also inspiration to be better, and to make a change, to leave something better behind for when I’m no longer here. It’s also all my heroes/heroines end up constantly faced with challenges that test them, and sometimes push them into that brink of darkness. Myths and legends hold some truths that, in today’s society, we have long forgotten. That’s what I try to bring back to light : )

3. What do you read when you’re not writing?
 
James Rollins. I’m a bit obsessed with his books, as I devour them in mere hours. I also tend to read paranormal romances and thrillers, but mainly I stick to the thriller side. I also read betas, so it all keeps me busy!

4. How do you sort the titles in your personal library?

Over the years, I’ve tried different ways. Eventually I settled on “per author”, but alphabetically. It makes easier for me to find titles I love when I’m in the mood for a particular author.

5. You spent an entire year without Internet on purpose and you explain all of the benefits in your blog. What was the one thing you missed the most in the beginning?

Not social media. It was such a relief, in a way, I kinda miss that time!! But what I missed the most in the beginning was being able to find answers to questions fast. Aka, Google. When you’re writing about X legend/ myth/ pantheon and you need an answer fast? I didn’t have that. So I went old school and became a regular at my local library. So much so, that when I started researching material for my two thrillers, they didn’t even bat an eyelash at the odd books I’d been borrowing! If there’s one thing I learned, is that everything we think we cannot live without because of the quick access internet gives us.... turns out, we CAN live without it. It was a very humbling experience.

6. You’re a Gryffindor. Did you get sorted into Gryffindor from the first try on Pottermore?

I did. I probably would have complained if I hadn’t haha but it was nice seeing Pottermore admit me as a Gryffindor. Although I’ve had a few other quizzes about this since and I seem to get a half/half answer, as in I’m half Gryffindor and half Slytherin. I blame that on my Capricorn ambitiousness and personality!

7. Authors are all about painting sceneries and setting up the mood through the power of words. If you had to limit yourself to a single word in the English language to describe yourself, which one would it be?

Oh wow, talk about a hard question. One single word??? I’d have to say stubborn. Some people call it a quality, others not. It’s been both for me, but it’s also what makes me keep going no matter how many times I fall down. So yep, stubborn!

8. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

NIGHT OWL! I loathe waking up early. My ideal start time for my day job would be anything after 12 PM. Of course, I don’t get my way. But I love the night, the quiet, and writing under a full moon #NightOwlForever! Plus, if I have wine in the middle of the night while writing I don’t feel as bad as if I do it first thing in the morning while writing.

9. You openly admit to being a caffeine addict. How do you take your coffee?
​
Milk and sugar for the most part. Lately I’ve started adding cinnamon and I love it! But if I’m out and about, I’ll always go for an espresso packed with sugar.

1. You’ve written about a variety of shapeshifters. If you could shift into a supernatural creature, what would it be?
 
Definitely a fire-dragon, although an ice-dragon would be a close second. In my dragon shifter
books, the couple each have a variation of their particular element, and together “mate compliments” increase their combined power ten-fold. So for instance, I’d love to be a “sparkler” and find my compliment “torcher” in order to create a maelstrom worthy of the
apocalypse. How hot is that (yeah, I went there)?
 
2. If you had a time machine and could choose between the past and the future, where would you travel?
 
Definitely the past. I’m a big history buff. The place and time period would be hard to decide though. Mainly it depends on what I’m reading and living vicariously through at the moment. Currently I’m reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, so I’d love to “go through the stones” like Claire Randall to 18 th century Scotland. Hopefully I’d get to meet my own hunkalicious Jamie Fraser!
 
3. When answering reader questions, you mentioned that you have Scottish ancestors dating back to the 18th century. How far back have you traced your roots?
 
My family has had several history books written on us (one in the Library of Congress) that date
back to our first American ancestor, a Virginia mountain man who ran messages for George Washington’s troops during the American Revolution. Recently my son was interested in our European heritage and joined Ancestory.com and discovered our Scottish roots from the clan MacIntosh and clan Hunter (so named for being the official hunters for the Scottish royalty)
dating back to the 17 th century. I’ve been interested in going back further and widening the range to our other European kin as well, and I may take up the task someday. When the present time finally allows!
 
4. What would be your go-to song if you had to get up on stage and sing karaoke?
 
I was a singer in my late husband’s band years ago, but I publically hung up my vocal pipes a long time ago. That said, I did a mean I Will Always Love You back in the day. Not sure if I’m practiced enough to attempt it now.
 
5. Autumn is your favorite season. What’s your favorite comfort food during the autumn?
 
Ahhh, homemade chicken soup with warm crescent rolls. Tomato basil soup with garlic butter breadsticks are a close second.
 
6. Authors paint scenery and set mood through the power of words. What single word in the English language would you use to describe yourself?
 
Lover.
 
7. How do you sort the titles in your library?
 
I don’t. I have a wild, roller coaster menagerie of book piles scattered throughout the house to
blissfully delve into when I’m looking for a great read or re-read. I call it my reader’s amusement park. When they grow too big and I start toppling over them, I gather up my not-so-favorites and head to the used bookstore. Unfortunately, I tend to come home with another armload of books!
 
8. What do you read when you’re not writing?
 
I read everything, and I mean everything—from cheesy dime store romance to ancient literature
to comprehensive, detail oriented non-fiction. It’s a passion, habit and obsession developed coming from generations of readers and writers. It’s been our family’s go-to entertainment from the cradle.
 
9. How do you take your coffee? If you don’t drink coffee, what’s your beverage of choice?
 
I take my coffee with cream and lots of it. Here in the Pacific Northwest (Starbucks land), it’s damp and cold enough to be drinking coffee and tea practically all year long. I have my favorite blends, of course, but years ago my older sister turned me onto flavored coffees. So now when I’m relaxing I drink my two favorites—raspberry almond chocolate coffee and orange chocolate coffee. Still with cream. Yum!

1. You’re from Wales, which is often dubbed as “the castle capital of the world”. Which one is your personal favorite and why?

Nooo, you can't make me choose. That's so not fair, but I'll give it a go, and I'll cheat by naming three. If you want the whole "medieval castle experience" try Pembroke. It's large, fantastically well preserved, and Cadw (the Welsh Government's historic environment service) runs free guided tours on a regular basis - a must if you want to discover more about the way people lived in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries. I haven't actually included this castle in any of my novels, however, I have included my 2nd choice - Criccieth. Standing on a rugged outcrop of rock with steep cliffs all around and the Irish sea at it's back, it's impressive. Not in the magestical way that Pembroke is, but more raw and more ruined. You can imagine this as a garrison outpost, there to do only one job - repress the Welsh. The setting is stunning and the town that grew up because of it has sweet little shops and cafes. My third choice is totally different again - Carew Castle, and I wrote about it in The Colour of Death because of its fabulously romantic location and atmosphere (working water mill, lake, tidal river) and because it looks like the sort of place which would have appealed to the Romantic poets (Byron, perhaps?). It has a certain Gothic charm and the ghostly, grisly stories almost bleed from its wall and turrets.
 
2. Anyone who’s familiar with your work knows that you have an affinity for vampires. Who does the best vampire portrayal – Gerard Butler, Wesley Snipes, Gary Oldman, Tom Cruise or someone else?

It's gotta be Alexander Skarsgaard who plays Erik in True Blood! But I do think I might be basing that on his looks. He's one hunky guy. And then there's the famous Christopher Lee. I remember watching his portrayal of Dracula when I was in my teens. I don't think I slept for a week! I suppose it depends on what I'm looking for in a vampire. My Resurrection series was more evolutionary; my new series, beginning with The Colour of Death, is back to old-school pure evil and supernatural. I'm quite drawn to the dark, satanic side of the vampire genre.
 
3. How do you sort the titles in your library?

I don't have a personal library as such. Ever since I was small I've read voraciously. I'm talking of 5 or more books a week. That's a lot of paper! A lot of storage space to be found. And there was the added problem of not being able to afford to buy that amount of books - which is where my local library was a God send. I now read on a Kindle, and my method of sorting is to download what I fancy reading, then remove it from my Kindle when I've finished. I try not to keep more than 50 or so books on there, otherwise I get overwhelmed by the choice and confused about what I've read and what I haven't.
 
4. What do you read when you’re not writing?

Psychological thrillers at the moment. Historical - not romance, though. Some women's fiction.
 
5. What would be your go-to song if you had to get up on stage and sing karaoke?

OMG! I hate karaoke! I can't sing for toffee, but if I had to, if I was forced to, I'd probably sing Standing in the Way of Control by Gossip, or The Sound of Silence, the way Disturbed sang it all rough and passionate.
 
6. Authors are all about painting sceneries and setting up the mood through the power of words. If you had to limit yourself to a single word in the English language to describe yourself, which one would it be?
​
Stubborn.

7. You write about the ability to see auras. What color would your own aura be?

I wonder if I'd have one...? Joking! There doesn't appear to be a definitive agreement about what the various colours mean. I think it's a case of finding a chart you like and stick with it.
 
8. What was your most fundamental inspiration behind The Colours series?

The Colours series, which kicks off with The Colour of Death, stemmed from waking up in the middle of the night with the name of the Romantic poet, Lord Byron, in my head. I have no idea why, but I can only assume that I must have read or heard about him recently. I studied the Romantics when I was younger but hadn't given him a thought for years. I didn't think much of it and pushed it to the back of my mind, but his name kept popping into my mind. I couldn't get rid of it. So I bought a well-respected biography and began to research him. I hadn't intended to write any more vampire stories up until this point, but what I read started me thinking...
 
9. How do you take your coffee? If you don’t drink coffee, what’s your beverage of choice?
​
Breakfast tea - milk first (I have a theory about this) -  in the morning, Earl Grey in the afternoon. 

Light and casual interviews are hard to come by, and our lives are so hurried and overhasty. As a way of contributing to the fascinating world of literature, I'm bringing authors and readers a series of interviews with:

9 hassle-free questions, 9 facts and approximately 9 minutes to read them.

From an author’s perspective, the 9 Minute Interviews provide the same opportunity as any other interview – promote a book or series, talk about the person behind the books, reach potential new fans and give the old fans a chance to get to know you.

From a reader’s perspective, the 9 Minute Interviews provide an opportunity to discover something new about your favorite author over the course of a few short minutes.

Ready? Check out the interviews HERE.
For author requests, please send me an inquiry through the contact page.