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There were a few factors that helped inspire the THIRDS series. One, my need to see a gay couple in a mainstream media type setting. Two, my love for all things geeky and fandom. Three, my desire to work on something completely different to what I’d done so far, and on a larger scale. I already had a smaller shifter series (Little Bite of Love), but in this series the shifters are husky shifters with magical origins subtly based in Russian mythology. I wanted to write a shifter series with a large ensemble cast. With a team. I also wanted it to be as close to contemporary as possible. Where the explanation for the shifters seemed plausible. My shifters wouldn’t be hidden, but part of society. Once I knew what I wanted, I asked myself all kinds of ‘What if’ questions. And from there, the world building started

The characters of Dex and Sloane….besides the cute and sexy eye candy that inspired you…what about these two characters drew you to them?

I wanted a couple who could be equals in everything, despite one being an Alpha. Dex was the first character who came into my head and he was pretty much fully developed. The guy knew who he was, had a big smile on his face, and was always ready with a one-liner. I wanted Dex to be able to kick as much butt as his partner, in his own way, but I also wanted him to be this regular guy. He’s not perfect, but he does his best every time. I love tortured, broody heroes, and Sloane was like that from the start. Because of this, and because he had enough problems, it sealed the deal on Dex’s personality. I didn’t want both my MCs to be broody. Sloane needed someone who could lift his spirits, a genuinely cheerful guy with little baggage who was always smiling and knew how to bring out the best in Sloane. I wanted them to be different, but complement each other. I have a lot of fun writing those two and thinking up of new ways Dex could drive Sloane crazy.

 

The THIRDS World is so intricate and complex and yet, it’s also so similar to the world that we live in…how did you go about thinking up this world?

When I set out to write the story, I wanted it to feel as real as possible so readers could connect with the story and characters. I built the THIRDS organization from the ground up, but at its core is a familiar base, a combination of US military, SWAT, and US law enforcement agencies. I took these concepts that we’re familiar with, deconstructed them, and put them back together. The THIRDS organization is law enforcement but they’re funded by the military and operate as part of the federal government. Units, teams, agents, uniforms, tactical vehicles, and equipment are set up similar to a large city’s SWAT unit. The laws the THIRDS enforce are similar to those enforced by our cities’ police officers. Everything had to be considered. The moment I decided shifters would be part of society, society had to change. I had to think about what new laws would be put in place. What new prejudices and fears would Therians (my shifters) bring about? How would Humanity deal with this new stronger, more resilient species? What were the medical advances? What about kids? Genetics. Schools. Jobs. Everything had to be looked at.

Ash is just such a fun character for me. A perfect foil for Dex. How did Ash’s character come about for you? Did you have the idea that he’d be a great counter for Dex? What about him and Cael?

I love Ash. Of all my characters, he’s the one who’s surprised me the most. In the beginning, he was the best friend. Sloane’s best friend. He was going to be the one to give Dex a hard time. There’s always that one guy who’s just a jerk, to put it mildly. I hadn’t cemented his role. I usually don’t with my characters. I like to give them room to breathe and grow. While I was writing, I had my first scene with him and Cael. Suddenly, Ash was different. He wasn’t a jerk. I put it down to Cael’s personality. Cael is such a sweetheart. Who would want to be mean to him for no reason? Apparently, not even Ash. And then things started developing. Ash wasn’t just different with Cael. He was sweet and protective. He smiled with him, laughed with him, teased him, and was actually playful. Something was going on. The more I wrote Ash and the more scenes he appeared in with Cael, it became clear to me that there was a lot more to Ash than I originally believed. Soon, he’d become a hero in his own right with his own story to tell and his own love interest.

 

Your Fans base has blown up regarding the THIRDS books. How has their love, loyalty and expectations for these wonderful characters affected you? If they’ve affected you in your writing and how fast your books have come out?

I’ve been amazed by the love shown to these guys since Hell & High Water was first released. I never expected it. I set out to write something fun. Something readers could get lost in for a while. I never imagined all the amazing support. It certainly has affected my writing, because there’s a certain amount of pressure. It’s a big series with a lot going on with different characters. I have to step things up with each book, keep the series going strong. Like any other author writing a long series, there’s the fear the momentum will die down. I love writing these guys, and the series has already grown from the initial number of books planned. I have a set number of books in the main series planned, but beyond that, who knows?Expectations have also affected me and my writing. I want these books to be the best they can be, and in a way it’s helped challenge me, make sure I don’t slack on the story. With each story, I wanted readers to feel the book they just read was even better than the last. Then it came time to write Against the Grain—Ash and Cael’s book. It’s no secret that readers are dying to get their hands on this book. I submitted Against the Grain two months after deadline. There were several reasons for the delay, but one of the reasons was a fear of letting readers down. There are such high expectations for this book. I had to really pull myself together and push forward, write the story without thinking about what folks might be expecting, or I never would have finished it. That kind of thing can cripple a writer. I just couldn’t let the fear stop me from writing it. I’m really pleased with the end result. One thing it hasn’t affected is how fast I write. Obviously I would love to get the books out there in readers’ hands soon as I can, but I don’t want to rush the books. Also, the quicker they all come out, the sooner it’s over, and I’m not ready to let these guys go just yet. I think the timeframe of release is just right. Roughly two to three months in between releases. Against the Grain will be a slightly longer wait due to the delay, but after that, we should be back on track.

So, as you can tell I’m such a sucker for Ash, what call you tell us about what’s coming up for him? Will we get more into his past and his and Cael’s relationship?

I’m really looking forward to sharing Against the Grain with everyone. I found the transition from Dex and Sloane’s voice in Rise & Fall to Ash and Cael’s voice in Against the Grain to be a smooth one, so hopefully readers will feel that too. I think fans of Ash will be pleased. They get to see everything from his point of view. You get to see the way he sees things, and you’re inside his head. Ash is a master of saying one thing and thinking another. He knows how people see him, what they think of him, and by now, he has a certain imagine to maintain. It’s not easy for him, and I think readers will get to understand him better. This will show readers why he is the way he is. Against the Grain was almost as emotional for me to write as Rack & Ruin. I got teary-eyed in a few places and cried once. We delve into Ash’s past, are confronted with the heartache he’s carried with him all his life. We become privy to Cael’s secret past, and it’s heartbreaking, especially since he’s such a sweet and good guy. There are certain revelations and events that finally come to pass in Rise & Fall which kicks things off for other couples, one being Ash and Cael. In Against the Grain, we continue on that path. We also get more of a look into Cael’s family life. The timeline leads us to the holiday season. The team’s still on leave as they recover from the events of Rack & Ruin and Rise & Fall. So we get a look into the Daley-Maddock family dynamics around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Bonus Question: Calvin and Hobbes….I about laughed my bottom off when I heard their names, thank you for that BTW. When is their story coming? I really want to know more about them. Please?????

I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been a big fan of the comic strips since I was a kid. With Calvin being a blond spiky haired guy and his best friend/partner being a tiger shifter, I couldn’t help having that little tribute. Of course Hobbs is his last name, so it might take folks a little while to get used to seeing him addressed as Ethan in Catch a Tiger by the Tail. Calvin and Hobbs’s family call him Ethan. Hobbs is his last name, but also the nickname he was given at the THIRDS. Their story is coming after Against the Grain. Hopefully it’ll remain on schedule, so hopefully Oct/Nov of this year. We get to know a little more in Rise & Fall, along with some exciting developments. But it’s in their book where we’ll get to really know them, how they work as a team, their families, their friendship, and their romantic relationship. With these two it’s different to the other couples, because Calvin and Hobbs already know everything there is to know about each other—or so they believe. They’ve been best friends since they were kids. They grew up together, lived in the same housing complex, and then moved in together when they went off to college. After college, despite joining the THIRDS, they didn’t feel the need to move out. Their teammates joke that they’re like an old married couple. Little do they know, things are just starting to heat up.