Questions and answers about the writing process
Q: What inspired the central mystery in The Shrouded Omen?
The story developed from an idea that was inspired by a romance in a call center theme. I wondered out loud, there aren’t many stories based on this. While I turned it over like eggs on a griddle in my mind, I found myself more attracted to it, wanting to combine another idea, which stayed for ten years in my head. It was the idea of a murder mystery on a cruise.
Q: How did Levi and Zaria develop during the writing process?
They both developed as normal call center employees, which took on a life of their own. Then I thought it would be better if I added more wit, and slowly the darker murder mystery story turned into more of a lighthearted vacation, taking a terrifying turn with tragic consequences.
Q: Was there a moment in the story that surprised you as the author?
I will get into this more with the next question, but after the second draft, I knew I needed something to upgrade the emotional suspense, so I made the heartbreaking decision to pace the story after the tragic demise of Levi’s fiancé. I wanted it to be lighthearted, but I liked it. It opened up other doors into what was happening with Levi, something that would take most of the story to overcome, becoming a large part of him in the end. When I did similar things for Zaria, then I knew I was on to something that would stick with people for a long time.
Q: How did your own experiences shape the emotional tone of the book?
Just before I started on the third draft of the book, my father passed away. I knew I needed to dedicate the story to him. It wasn’t until this moment that the story grew from a light-hearted murder drama, like a Scooby Doo mystery, into an emotionally packed adventure with the characters carving their own ways through grief and pain. It was a moment of clarity, and I knew my father would approve.
Q: What does the Nithing Pole symbolize to you personally?
For me, the Nithing Pole would be a symbol of greed, hate, envy, abandonment, and absence of love. In the story, it was a symbol of the terrible things the cult would do to get revenge, like a calling card planted to mark the murder’s targets. It takes on a mystical presence, appearing mysteriously after it got destroyed. It was as if it had an unquenchable thirst for revenge, and I wanted it to take on a legend of danger. The characters who knew it looked upon it with terror, knowing it spreads hate and corrupts its victims. This will be explained further in other books.
Q: If this book had a soundtrack, what would be its theme song?
I don’t know. Perhaps it would be the Star Trek: Lower Decks theme, since I’ve inspired many of my characters on this style of wit and humor, though more appropriate for a family-friendly audience.
Q: What do you hope readers feel when they finish the last page?
Well, I feel this was a journey of discovery of my way through some of my saddest days. Yet, I hope people will feel enlightened and perhaps a great weight lift from their shoulders. I want them to feel happy and full of hope and laughter.
Q: What was the hardest scene to write? Why?
Probably the first chapter when Levi struggled with the loss of his fiancé. For me, my loss was fresh. I kept going back to those pages and had to relive some of the tough emotional climaxes as I did. It wasn’t easy to put into words, some of which took on darker shades. But I understand the need for chapters like this, so the light can shine much brighter in the end.
Q: How does this book fit into your broader creative legacy?
I want this series to be more for the family, something they can feel comfortable reading to their children, and to learn about love, sacrifice, and friendship. I’m proud of my other series, which is more for older children or young adults, but this one needed to be light-hearted and a bit of fun at the same time. Not that it won’t have things that are sad or frightening, but how the characters deal with the circumstances.
Q: What’s next for you as an author?
I have several more stories in this series, but I know it takes a while for books to develop—more than a year to plan for most. I want to put this series aside for now and go back to the science fiction universe, which is about the Nexus.
Add comment
Comments