Two sisters, their strong bond, and the dead body that threatens to break it. A story about love, sacrifice, and questionable magic.

I think it’s more magical realism than paranormal. I’ve been calling it contemporary realistic with a fantastical, even supernatural, twist.

Why a sister story?
When I was nine, my life changed for the better. I was gifted with a baby sister. My love for her knows no bounds.

Olive, a submerged town, plays a huge role in the lore of both the story and in Ruby’s character. Is this based on anything in our world?

At 16 I stole swims in the local reservoir. Years later, I learned its history, the towns it drowned. From this, a glimmer of Olive emerged.

I wrote the story through Chloe’s eyes, so those are the eyes I see through, even now. Chloe wholly believes in Ruby’s power, and so do I.

That’s up to the reader. Maybe they’d find themselves taken up by the world of the town, and by Ruby, forgetting all else for a while.

How exciting it is to stray from reality, explore the surreal. Once the dams open and the impossible becomes possible—there’s no stopping.

I write for the girl I was, but mostly for the girl I longed to be.

DANI NOIR wasn’t written first; it pubbed first. I wrote two adult novels and started IG before DANI. After, I was itching to return to YA.

A big transition for me was more from writing for adults to writing for young readers. It felt exhilarating. It felt right. I won’t go back.

Jean Rhys showed me a voice. Aimee Bender introduced me to the surreal alive in the everyday. And Laura Kasischke inspired me to write YA.

I find myself especially taken with dystopians, so I’d have to say those writers reimagining our worlds and foretelling our futures.

“Why don’t you write a YA novel?” The editorial director at my former day job said this to me. Unfortunately it took me years to listen.

Don’t be afraid to give up. Yes. Give up on what’s not working and start something new. Abandoning novels and starting over brought me here.

I’m deep into writing my next novel with Dutton, also YA, a fantastical, ghostly story I’m holding close. I hope it will be out in 2012.

Writing every day. When I can’t—too busy, too distracted—a terrible guilt descends. Writing every day is the routine I aspire to anyway.

Music and mochas. Mochas come first thing in the morning. Music loops from my novel’s carefully cultivated playlist all throughout the day.

Chocolate chocolate chip, with chocolate sauce on top. Did I mention I like chocolate?