As a paranormal romance author, it’s my goal to write novels packed with action all the way to the happily ever after endings. What can I say? I’m a hopeful romantic who loves adventure!
Recently some of the circumstances of the world building in my 2096 Shadows of Justice series have readers asking “How did you come up with that?” So I thought I’d answer a few of the most frequent questions:
Why 2096?
Blame it on 1066. It was a crazy year of upheaval in England and the first time what’s known as Halley’s comet was sighted and it ushered in the Medieval age. As I outlined a heroine (Jaden Michaels) who would live multiple lives full of upheaval and challenges, that volatile period seemed the ideal place to start her on her journey.
It comes down to imagination. For some inexplicable reason, I just love writing in the future. With an eye for the series moving forward, I wanted Jaden’s ‘final’ challenge and happily ever after to take place at the edge of the next turn of the century.
Why is coffee illegal?
Because I’m a certified coffee addict. When I wrote Justice Incarnate there were more than a few long nights at the keyboard. Coffee became essential. The elixir of my writing life, you could say. Additionally, everyone was anti-carb to the point that it was almost socially unacceptable to eat a bite of bread in public. I’m all about eating smart (then and now), but the extreme measures were, well… extreme.
The idea that one day carbs might be effectively outlawed as a food group and kicked off the food pyramid led my writer’s brain a merry chase. If we outlawed carbs, what was next? When would it stop? And so, the idea of coffee being regulated by the government was born.
As an addict, I had to have a solution for my characters who shared my passion for coffee and so a smuggling ring was born. What started as an inside joke has become a cult fan base of Slick Micky, the sexy coffee smuggler in 2096 Chicago.
Why Chicago?
That’s easy. Chicago is one of my favorite cities! It’s dynamic and vibrant and it has a very unique history. Often I look back through Chicago’s history to help develop the places and characters who populate my 2096 version. I kept the elevated trains because they rock (in every sense of the word). I kept the museums and Water Tower Place. There is some serious urban decay mixed into 2096, but that adds to the adventure!
I was fascinated by the march of Gypsy Smith through the Levee district in the late 1800s. All the stories of survival following the Great Fire gave inspiration for the short, From the Ashes, which originally appeared in the anthology Heat of the Moment.
Of course those are just a few answers to frequent questions. Feel free to post your own questions in the comments here and I’ll be happy to answer them.
Live the adventure!
