Sample interview

I, admittedly, am very bad at writing short stories. They always seem to progress from something small to something much larger! However, with this novella, the idea came compact and remained compact. The idea originated from a large trilogy, which it was eventually cut from. However, I liked the idea of a stranger budging in on a cozy, close nomadic home. Though the characters now resemble nothing like the original, a few elements have stayed the same: the feisty female, younger sister, and the wolves. This story always felt complete in and of itself, and though I have entertained glimpses of what would come for our two main characters, I feel very content with the journey we get to see them go on.

What did you enjoy writing most about this novella?

Before writing this, I had published my debut novel, Seven Lives Saved, and was actively working on my second novel, The Bound. Those two books are roughly 75k and 80k, and it takes so much time to comb through that many words. I had begun both of those novels in High School, so it had been a very long time since I had written anything from scratch! Setting out to write this novella, it was daunting to start with a blank document. Roughly ten years had passed since I had, and I almost feared that I would forget how to write! But, I didn’t, and I found working on this novella was a helpful reminder that I still knew how to write. It was nice to work on something that went so quickly, after so much time spent on those other large books.

Why a winter setting?

I live in Northern PA, and my favorite time of year is Fall and Winter. I love the cold, and though I never experienced it like Leiv and Eirlin, the winter setting holds a special place in my heart. What better weather to force two people close together?

There are two main characters in this story, which of them was easier for you to write?

Both presented some challenges, but Eirlin certainly came more naturally. I am rather the opposite of Leiv: I don’t have a mind for math and I’m not nearly so analytical! It was a fun challenge to develop two distinct voices, especially one so different than my natural one!