What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
Normally, I write short, cozy mysteries or adventure stories because that is what I prefer to read, but this time around, I decided to write something more down-to-earth and real. I didn’t plan on writing this book. After I finished my novel Entombed, I was going to take a break from writing, but I guess that wasn’t in the cards. Last October, I was feeling down, for whatever reason. Don’t know why. It could just be that a lot is going on, with the economy being depressed, and now we’re at war again. You can feel it. People aren’t hopeful. One way I deal with feeling down is to just write something that I usually throw in the trash.
So, I wrote a poem that matched my current mood and later used Suno to put music to it, mostly out of curiosity. It was a bit of a dark poem about a man who lost everything and had turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows, and where I live, we have a drug-use problem, and the economy in my state is always stagnant at best, it seems. At the time, that was going to be the end of it, but when I listened to the music Suno generated when I fed it my poem, I realized I had a story here, and I couldn’t get the idea out of my head. So, I sat down and started typing out what became chapter one of the book. Since the novel focuses on the themes of grief, loss, alcoholism, and abuse, I decided to turn it into more of a redemption story because I prefer to have a hopeful message, and I think the world needs that right now.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?
For Carl, "After I'm Gone," performed by Michael Bennett, fits. Even though Carl is grieving the loss of his daughter, the emotion behind this song matches the inner turmoil within him. I would say that "Hallelujah" would be a good one for Sarah. She is the connecting factor in the story that helps others see what they don't see in themselves. For Kate, Kesha's "Praying" is a good theme song for her, as she embodies someone who suffered through abuse and is now picking up the pieces of her life while learning to trust again. Anne Wilson's "Strong" fits Ray's character because he is the solid foundation that the others rely on for stability and hope. He always puts on that strong face and persona for others, even if he is just as broken inside.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
I love reading light-hearted, cozy mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, and all-around adventure stories that focus on character growth and development, and these tend to be the books I write. I’ve written a paranormal mystery series (Mellow Summers), two dystopian series (Dystopia and Enchained), and a science fiction series (Solaris Saga) that is more of an adventure story. I like reading character-driven stories where you travel with the main character as he/she grows and evolves as the story progresses, and that tends to be what I try to write. I’ve read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and I love those books, especially The Hobbit. I’ve read The Hunger Games when the movies came out and enjoyed them.
And of course, I’ve read The Handmaid’s Tale. These are the sorts of stories I like to read. I love adventure stories—stories that focus on characters facing insurmountable odds, but they push forward anyway; or anything that is character-driven. Since this is what I generally read, this is what I write. However, after Past Rock Bottom, I’m thinking of adding some contemporary fiction to my TBR pile and broadening my tastes.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
I have a huge TBR list. The Witcher is definitely on it. I’ve watched the Netflix series up through season three. I haven’t watched the latest season because I’m not thrilled that the main actor left, and I don’t like who they replaced him with. But I’m hoping to get the books read by the end of summer. I’m currently reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. I’m a little late on that one, but after reading Sunrise on the Reaping, I figured that I’d better finish all the books in that series. I also have Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant on my TBR pile. Someone recommended it to me, so I’m hoping to get to that soon.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
I think the favorite scene to write was when Carl meets Sarah. In the scene, Carl is sitting on a public sidewalk, remembering the most tragic day of his life as he openly drinks from a whiskey bottle, when Sarah, who is around nine years old, chances upon him. He chastises her for talking with the town drunk, and she shoots it right back at him with some sass and scolds him for drinking in the first place. There’s some back and forth, but it ends with Sarah pulling out a root beer from her backpack and sitting down with Carl, and him being amused by her behavior. This sets the stage for the dynamic between them and the father-daughter-like relationship that builds between them. Here is the scene below.
The bottle fell from his hand and clunked on the concrete as it rolled down the sidewalk. Carl didn’t remember passing out. Second time that day. It was starting to be the norm. He didn’t mind. When he was sleeping, he wasn’t being tormented by painful memories, not until the dreams came. A small hand scooped up the bottle. “You dropped this,” said a soft voice. Carl looked up to find a girl with a backpack slung over her right shoulder, about the same age as his Emily, maybe a year older, holding the bottle of liquor out to him. “You’re a bit too young to be handling that,” he said, his voice hoarse. “And you’re sauced enough that you don’t need it,” she quipped. Carl chuckled. “Where’d you hear that term?” The girl sat next to him and placed her backpack in her lap. “There’s this thing called the internet.
You might want to look into it sometime.” “Small and sassy.” Carl took another swallow, not caring at all if anyone saw him drinking in front of this kid. The girl opened her backpack and pulled out a glass, brown bottle of her own, unscrewing the cap. “What in the…” “It’s root beer,” the girl cut him off, showing him the label. “Where’s your mother?” “Where’s yours?” “Smart ass.” They both took a sip at the same time, and if one didn’t know better, you’d think they were related. “Go on, kid,” said Carl. “Get out of here.” “My name is Sarah.” The girl eyed Carl with an expectant look. “Well?” “What?” “When someone introduces themselves, it is proper to tell them your name.” “Carl.” “Carl…” “Just Carl.” The girl, named Sarah, held her hand out to him. “Nice to meet you, Carl. My name is Sarah.” Unsure of what to do, Carl wiped his hand on his grungy, still-unbuttoned shirt and shook the girl’s hand.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I wear headphones as I write and listen to a playlist called Epic Music on YouTube. Sometimes my cat sits in my lap as I write, and he’ll place his paw on the keyboard as I’m trying to type.
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
I want people to remember that even when things seem bleak, there is hope for a better future, and that sometimes good things come in small packages or in the most unexpected ways.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
I want people to remember that, even when everything seems lost, that there is still hope left for a better future. I think that\'s a message we need right now.
