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What inspired you to write Ruby Blue?

I've actually had this story in my head for about six or seven years. It’s hard to remember exactly how it came to me because it’s been with me for so long. I started to really enjoy gardening (like my mom) about 10 years ago… and I have always been drawn to the magic of fairies. After my son was born in 2004, I would bring the kids outside with me while I worked in the garden (or escape to it when they were napping) and I began to get the ideas for this story. I always thought it would be a children’s book, but then I realized that the story I wanted to tell was a bit more mature… and out came Ruby Blue. I had the name of my main character years ago… it just popped into my head one day and stuck with me.

If you could pick a song that fit the mood of your book what would it be and why?

Joshua Radin’s “Brand New Day.” I heard this song just as I was in the middle of writing Ruby Blue, and I couldn’t believe how well the music and lyrics fit the mood and story. I listened to a lot of Joshua Radin’s stuff while writing Ruby. All you have to do is read the lyrics, and you’ll understand why I think it fits so well.

Brand New Day – Joshua Radin

“Some kind of magic
Happens late at night
When the moon smiles down at me
And bathes me in its light

I fell asleep beneath you
In the tall blades of grass
When I woke the world was new
I never had to ask

It's a brand new day
The sun is shining
It's a brand new day
For the first time in such a long long time
I know, I'll be ok

Most kind of stories
Save the best part for last
And most stories have a hero who finds
You make your past your past
Yeah you make your past your past…”

Indie Publishing, hard road or easy?

Hard. But, if you’re willing to do the work, it’s worth it. It’s a lot of extra hours, but I love it.

What three Indie books you would recommend to readers?

Paranormal Romance:
Mystic Café or Rock N Roll is Undead by Rose Pressey (Or any of her other books…)

Mystery/Suspense:
Skeleton Key by Jeff LaFerney

Horror:
Asylum Lake by R.A. Evans

I know there are a ton more out there… my TBR pile is GINORMOUS! ;)

What would you like readers to walk away with after reading your book?

I want to them to walk away smiling. Pure and simple. I hope they finish the book feeling satisfied and entertained after having escaped into Ruby’s world for a while. Every single person is capable of extraordinary things…Ruby epitomizes that. I want readers to believe that magic exists all around us and that we are never too old for fairy tales.

Can you share any future plans?

Well, I'm currently writing book 3 of the Ruby Blue series and there will be four books. I have plans for another series that I hope to start writing early next year, but I’m keeping that one under wraps until I get it going.

And now...the boring "professional" stuff about me. (Snore.) I grew up the youngest girl of six kids in Livonia, Michigan. (That's a little suburban town just west of Detroit.) I'm a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and earned a Bachelor Degree in Fine Art specializing in Graphic Design. I've worked as a production artist for a sportswear company, a graphic designer for non-profit publications, a freelance designer and painter, and I now currently work as a legal assistant for an attorney. (I know, it's an unexpected employment twist, isn't it?) I am currently working on several new paintings and photographs and have a young adult fiction series in the works.