What sparked your idea for your novel?  

To sum it up, it’s my family, my faith, and animal rescue. My children are my world, and this story involves a mom, like me, and her two children. Felt through the mom’s character is a strong emotional pull to protect her children at all costs, and that [pull] is deeply personal.  

I’m obsessed with [animal] rescue videos, and we foster. I wanted to subtly move readers to think about how the world treats animals. That’s where the inversion idea emerged, with humans becoming the aliens’ “pets.” Some of the hardships and indignities I put the characters through draw from both the kindness and cruelty [that happen] to animals. That same sense of responsibility carries into the environmental themes of the book. The notion that an alien invasion is needed to restore the planet is a deliberate exaggeration to highlight the disparity in how the world views these issues. Another inversion is the alien invasion itself. Eco Reign is less spectacle and destruction and more indoctrination and oppression after the aliens easily conquer [the Earth].  

Threaded quietly throughout the story are elements of my faith. My intention is not to lecture others about environmental responsibility, animal kindness, or spirituality. But these influences impact me and, in turn, shape the world and characters I create.  

What was your editing process like? 

Eco Reign has been years in the making. Some of the early ideas were developed in the Notes app on my phone while I waited for my two kids to finish their after-school activities. Other times, I wrote draft passages in emails to myself and later dropped them into what was a very rough manuscript.  

At a time when I was unsure about the story, I met an editor through a networking group I joined to develop my law firm. His encouragement convinced me to continue writing it. On a whim, I submitted [the manuscript] to Greenleaf Book Group and followed their editorial process to completion. Their team was supportive, encouraging, and professional throughout.   

Now that I know how I intend to end this series, I find that I write backward. I’m building the story to reach that final destination while filling in the emotional and plot details to get the reader there.  

What are you working on now?  

I’m finishing Book 2 of the series and developing the remaining storyline for Book 3. Book 1 was not originally meant to end where it did, but the word count became too long for YA. I love the content and the twists of Book 2 even more than what I created in Book 1. Book 1 lays the foundation, but Books 2 and 3 really bring the world to life. I cannot wait to share what’s coming next and wish it were all ready to be revealed. But I balance writing with being a mom and a full-time attorney. Even so, the story remains on my mind, and I fully intend to see it through. 

Portions of this Q&A were edited for clarity.