When Midnight Hour was released on Oct. 31, 2016, this interview appeared on Jennifer Mary G’s blog.  I thought you might enjoy my interview with her. I think it will mean more to those of you who have read Midnight Hour.

1. Midnight Hour is the last book in your Shadow Falls series. On your blog, you talk about the difficulty in saying goodbye to the characters. With that in mind, I wanted to ask…Which character(s) are you the most attached to and why?

It’s like in real life.  I’m attached to the characters for different reasons.  They all have parts of me in them, they have some of my traits, even some of my flaws. I spent five books with Kylie Galen.  I can honestly say, she’s more like me when I was young than the other girls.  Like Kylie, I’m an internalizer.  Even when young, I had a tendency to think something to death before I acted on it.

Della, however, she’s more like the person I’ve grown into, and often the person I wish I was more like.  She’s speaks her mind, calls it like she sees it.  I love that about her.  Ahh, but the very thing I love about her is what sometimes drives me crazy.

Miranda is smack dab in the middle of these two.  She’s kind, but can speak her mind when pushed.  But deep down she’s so insecure.  Dyslexia can do that to you.  I know, because we both share this trait.  I feel a special bond with her for this reason.  I loved watching her find herself in Midnight Hour.

But I must say, when I think about the three girls, I can’t help but to think of the boys they love.  Lucas, Chase and Perry. They all stole a part of my heart.

Then, there’s Burnett.  I love, love that guy.  In every book, I felt like I learned more about him.   If you think I have a soft spot for guys who are hard on the outside and marshmallow in the inside, well, all I can I say is guilty.

Every one of these characters feels like family.  I know, even though I won’t be writing about them, I’ll find myself mentally taking short visits to Shadow Falls.

2. The book trailer for Midnight Hour is so cool. Did you come up with the concept? Who worked behind the scenes to make the trailer come to life?

My behind-the-scenes person is R.M. Brand.  She’s a gamer, a graphic artist, a writer, an amazing and talented person and a friend.  We always begin working on a video by spending time talking about the book.  I’ll tell her the feel, the vibe that I want expressed in the video.  She takes that, uses her magic and always comes back with a winner.  She’ll pull something together and show me.  I usually offer suggestions to add an image or take an image out.  Then, we work on the script together.  And I can say, I’ve never been disappointed.

3. Miranda’s growing tattoo in Midnight Hour appears after a near-death experience. Is the symbolism of the tattoo more magical or spiritual…or is it a mix of both?

I think a little of both.  The tattoo symbolizes the birth of confidence, of acceptance.  It signifies the greatness we all have in ourselves when we move past our insecurities and learn to embrace what makes us different. It’s about discovering our inner strengths and moving past the stigma of how others perceive us.

Honestly, I do not write stories to send messages or teach lessons.  I don’t think of symbols while I write, and I don’t write to preach.  I write to entertain.  But when you get into a character’s skin, their character arc, their story always comes with an underlying message.  For Kylie, it was struggling with an identity crisis.  For Della, it was acceptance of change and dealing with those who can’t accept who and what we become.  Miranda’s message is finding self-esteem, discovering confidence and accepting our flaws.  This dyslexic witch learns that every flaw can be turned on its head and when dealt with properly, it can offer us gifts and talents.

You heard me talk about my characters and why I love them. So tell me, who is your favorite Shadow Falls character and why?