I write YA gothic mysteries for those enjoy tales about magic, power, & destiny. Stories are influenced by so many things, including... 

     Music, all music, all the time. Trained as a classical pianist, the roots run deep, but I'm inspired by so many genres. In the 90s, I was a raver -- tech and acid house hit a sweet spot, but so do hip-hop, country, blues, funk, classic rock, salsa, disco, pop, gospel, opera, Celtic, punk, metal, and the list goes on. When I work on a novel, I create a soundtrack for it. Specific songs serve as the the backdrop for my scenes.

     Authors and poets: Where do I start? I read every f*ing day -- the rhythm, linguistic patterns, stories, and characters absolutely influence my writing. Roxanne Gay, Sylvia Plath, and most recently, Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places have all rocked my world.

     Places and people: And not necessarily in that order. Relationships of all kinds impact how and what I write about. As for places? I wish I could travel the planet to the end of my days. It's a crazy wonderland out there. Come fly with me.