What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?
The book began with a simple question: what happens when a child experiences a traumatic event that she is too young to understand, but never truly escapes?
From there, the story grew into an exploration of memory, identity, and the ways people reinvent themselves in order to survive. I was interested in how the same life can look completely different depending on who is telling the story, which is why the novel is structured as a series of interconnected viewpoints rather than a traditional linear narrative.
At its heart, "The Book of Revelations" is about the stories we tell ourselves to endure loss, guilt, loneliness, and love—and what happens when those stories begin to break down.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be? (Meant to be fun. Skip if you need to!)
For Nan, it has always been "Doll Parts" by Hole. The song wasn't written in the era of the novel, but emotionally it captures something essential about her vulnerability, longing, and fractured sense of self. Most of the other characters are harder to answer without giving away too much. Their stories are often built around revelations that I would rather let readers discover for themselves.
What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
Literary fiction is my first love, particularly novels that explore psychology, memory, identity, and human relationships. Writers like Don DeLillo, Paul Auster, Joyce Carol Oates, and Stephen Vincent Benét have all influenced me in different ways. That said, I also enjoy mysteries, history, biography, sports writing, and humor. Good storytelling transcends genre.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
"Falling Man" and "The Body Artist" by Don DeLillo, "Intuition" by K.T. Carlisle, "Starr Bright Will Be With You Soon," by Joyce Carol Oates writing as Rosamond Smith.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
The 1965 Indianapolis sections were probably the most enjoyable because I loved researching the period and recreating a vanished world down to the smallest details. The ending, however, was the most emotionally satisfying to write. It felt like arriving at a destination I\'d been moving toward for a very long time.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
No lucky charm, no special ritual. Give me some white noise from the television and a can of Diet Coke and I'm ready to work.
Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?
If you tell me something can't be done, you're probably right—you can't do it.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
That survival is possible. Not because trauma disappears, and not because the past stops mattering, but because people can find strength, hope, and healing in one another. If the book has a central belief, it's that love does not erase suffering—but it can help carry it.
