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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

I set the Wanee Mysteries in a burgeoning prairie town in Illinois, thirty-five miles east of the Mississippi River, not by accident. My family farmed there for over a hundred years, so the river was part of our creation story. Even my city-bred mother told tales of floating the Mississippi on an inner tube tied to a tree near Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and her fear that the rope would snap and she would end up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, or worse.

Further, the river’s floods were legendary. In the first Wanee Mystery, Unbecoming a Lady, Cora’s mother deserts her and leaves her in debt. I knew Cora wouldn’t be able to live with that, not without knowing why. And I had to answer that for her.

Soon enough, tales of the mysterious Marie Mae, who operates a riverboat out of New Orleans, trickled into the subsequent books. And so, it became inevitable that Cora would board a riverboat, hoping to settle her past. And I would have the fun of describing the might of the river just east of home.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?

Cora Countryman – I Want to Be Free
Sebastian Kanady – You Belong to Me
Mrs. Gibson – Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

And yes, I know these are all golden oldies, but evocative ones.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love reading mysteries and thrillers, especially those with the spice of romance. I also spend a good deal of time, especially as I start a new Wanee Mystery, reading nonfiction to ensure that the characters, actions, attire, and such are true to the late 1870s. Which leads to spending, probably too much time with Charlotte Beecher, The Doctrine of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1876, biographies, treatises on the social conditions of the times, diseases, and whatever other rabbit holes I need to burrow down to world-build, including assorted Historical Society websites.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The next book in the Wanee Series, tentatively titled Of Temperance and Fire, concerns what happens when the Women’s Crusade of 1876 spills over into Wanee. So, my TBR list consists of:

History of the Woman’s Temperance Crusade – Annie Wittenmyer
Women Torch-Bearers – Elizabeth Putnam Gordon
Do Everything – Frances Elizabeth Willard

And then there is The Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters, just because I need to read it every few years. And, of course, the rest of the stack…

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

Almost any scene between Cora and Kanady. I feel as though I have to up my game for their banter. But I loved writing the action sequences, too. I won’t say more on that topic, as it would be a plot spoiler, so I guess readers will just have to come along for the ride.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I have a statue of a small white rabbit and another of a very tiny toy Vought F4U Corsair painted Navy blue that occupy the base of my writing lamp. They are always with me. The F4U kept me company as I wrote The Cooper Quartet, which, though about the impact of Vietnam on a military family, begins with the actions of their legendary father, a World War II and Korean War Corsair ace. The toy helped center my writing as the four Cooper thrillers evolved.

The rabbit is but one of many; eight others watch me from atop my bookcase across the room. They make me smile, even when the page before me is blank. And, of course, rabbits are very, very lucky and prolific. And as a symbol of new life, a perfect companion for the conception of characters.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

“Know where you stand and stand there.” — A Daniel Berrigan quote. As it guides me, it guides my characters in being true to themselves and their purpose.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

A life of mystery, learning, and adventure may not be in lands far, far away, but just around the next corner. Or, to quote Mr. Kanady: “Well, my dear, you are in the middle of all three.”

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book?

Seas of Fury is my second book set in Miami and the Bahamas. I’ve always been fascinated by the sea because it can be beautiful, peaceful, and dangerous all at once. Seas of Fury grew out of that tension. After finishing my first thriller, Shadow Cay, I felt the story had to continue. Both novels deal with mysteries and local flavor. With Seas of Fury, I wanted a strong female lead. Today’s women leaders are breaking barriers, making history in unconventional roles, and defying traditional expectations. For the story of Kyla Lightbourne, I wanted a trailblazer who combined the courage, adaptability, and resilience to turn challenges into opportunities.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of your book, what would they be?

My book is an atmospheric thriller with edge-of-your-seat tension. Michael Jackson’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” masterfully conveys the feeling of being under surveillance. For Zoey Lightbourne, I would choose “Bridge Over Troubled Water” because she carries love, courage, and fear into impossible circumstances. For Declan, “Sailing” fits his deep connection to boats, weather, and the life he built on the water. For Kyla, “I Won’t Back Down” captures her refusal to let silence or grief bury the truth. For Chad, “Against the Wind” fits a man trying to keep going after life has stripped away comfort and certainty.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I absolutely love thrillers, suspense, and mysteries, especially stories with strong atmosphere and settings that become part of the danger, where ordinary people are forced into extraordinary pressure. They’re my favorite genres to read and write. I’m open to reading women’s fiction; however, I give horror a wide berth unless it’s written by Stephen King.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I always have something available. My next reads are Served Him Right by Lisa Unger, Flames In The Valley by Elle Gray, The Preacher by Wayne Bodie, and The Ship by Tim L. Rey. While my TBR pile is always growing, I am drawn to books with strong coastal or island settings and those stories with secrets, moral choices, and characters who fight their way toward the truth.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

In general, my favorite nautical scenes in Seas of Fury are those evoking the emotional toll of isolation and unexpected perils. A few times in my life, when anchored in remote areas, I felt that inherent element of danger and vulnerability. I aimed to capture that essence in my book. One of my favorite scenes to write was the prologue aboard Aboat Time, when Zoey and Declan begin the day in a moment of ordinary peace. I loved writing the contrast between their familiar married banter, the beauty of the sea, and the slow realization that something is wrong. That scene captures the heart of the book for me: love, danger, water, and the terrible speed with which an ordinary morning can become the last normal moment of someone\'s life.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

For many years, writing on boats inspired me. It took 3 months of sailing 1,700 miles in the Bahamas to write my first novel, Shadow Cay. The opportunity to focus on my writing surrounded by stunning ocean views without any distractions—no phones or electronic media—made for a truly remarkable experience. More recently, ever since we sold our 34-foot sailboat, I’m content to dream about nautical adventures and write in my quiet home office.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

One philosophy I believe in is that truth has a way of rising, even when people try to bury it. That idea is at the heart of many suspense stories, and it is certainly at the heart of Seas of Fury. Secrets may stay hidden for a season, but they do not stay silent forever. For the long haul, the life philosophy quote that inspires me and serves as my mental anchor is Roy T. Bennett’s “Don’t Just.”

“Don’t just learn, experience. Don’t just read, absorb. Don’t just change, transform. Don’t just relate, advocate. Don’t just promise, prove. Don’t just criticize, encourage. Don’t just think, ponder. Don’t just take, give. Don’t just see, feel. Don’t just dream, do. Don’t just hear, listen. Don’t just talk, act. Don’t just tell, show. Don’t just exist, live.”

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I would love for readers to remember that ordinary people can challenge the status quo by living life on their own terms and making decisions based on conviction rather than conforming to avoid discomfort. I hope readers remember that love and truth can survive even after terrible loss. Seas of Fury is a suspense novel, but underneath the danger and mystery is a story about the people left behind—the ones who keep asking questions, keep searching, and refuse to let the dead be reduced to an explanation that doesn’t feel true.