Monthly Archives: January 2026

What’s in a name?

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Although this post title is tethered to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, it has much more meaning for me.

My dear friend, Pammy, passed away from cancer on March 16, 2024. She was one of my biggest champions. She was an avid Beta reader, and she would not hesitate to call me out on things that would annoy her as a reader. I will never forget her strong opinion about the scent of jasmine in my first book. She was enraged. “Why does everything have to smell like jasmine?” I immediately changed the scent to lavender.

She had the biggest heart, and she was funny to a fault. During a fundraising benefit, we were reduced to fits of giggles in a church and had to do our best to reign in our laughter. Her biggest wish was for me to create a character that was an albino. It was our running joke. Fast forward to the new book I have begun to write. Originally, the lead character was to be named Storm, but that changed as I plunged further into the story line.

In my other books, characters names came quite quickly, but with this book, I felt a slight hesitation. I had to do my research. Although Silas was the first name I came across that I liked, I had to do my due diligence and test drive some other names. After typing Silas ‘movie names’ into my search bar, this photo from The Davinci Code flooded my screen and I knew it was a sign from Pammy. Although she is not here to read this book, in a roundabout way, she finally got her wish for an albino in my book.

While my Silas will not have albinism, his namesake will be a tribute to my dear friend. I miss you, Pammy, and I hope this book doesn’t piss you off in any way. xx

Revving my engine

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Writing a new book always makes me feel like I am a race car driver at the starting line just before the gun goes off. I’m constantly double checking everything is set to go before I press the gas pedal to the floor and hold on for dear life as my story careens around corners more quickly than I imagined. But as the exhaust sputters out of the tail pipe, waiting for the split second the flag will drop and the race will begin, I know this moment, this anticipatory moment, plays a crucial role in setting the tone for the whole race. I must be ready.

Much of my readiness comes from listening to my characters, but I must also do my due diligence to research anything that may affect the plausibility of the story. I’m sure I must be on a watch list somewhere after writing six novels about serial killers and researching a myriad number of ways to commit murder. But I am compelled to keep revving my engine and prepare for the race that is imminent.

I am in the proper position. My strategy is logged in my brain, and I am mentally prepared for the experience that is about to happen. The characters are using their prowess to push my foot down on the accelerator. Plumes of exhaust are rising above the back of the car. The voices in my head are loud. The familiar track lays ahead. The flag will soon drop, and the screech of my tires will recklessly send me into a world I have yet to discover. I am ready.