• When were you born?

  • I was born in 1993 at the Langley Airforce Base, because my dad was in the Navy at the time. He finished his enlistment soon after and we moved back to West Virginia, where we were closer to both sides of my family. Fun fact: I was born the day before my older sister’s first birthday, so for one day every year we’re “the same age.”

• Do you have any pets?

  • Our family enjoys the love and companionship of two pets: a black lab mix named Luna and an ornery orange cat named Simon. Both can be prone to causing trouble, but they make up for it with their snuggles.

• Where do you live?

  • Currently, we live in Maryland, about an hour north of Baltimore. Before moving to Maryland in 2024, we lived in West Virginia. Part of my heart will always be among those rolling hills, but we love the life we’ve been building in Maryland.

• What were your favorite books as a kid?

  • I wasn’t a great reader in elementary school, but the summer after sixth grade, my family was preparing to move and in all the chaos of that time I found myself reading Harry Potter. I connected with the moments where Harry felt isolated and alone. Soon, that evolved thanks to a friend I made in 7th grade who introduced me to Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle (Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance). Soon, I was delving into more than just fantasy, enjoying books like Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares, and later Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. Before I found a book that pulled me in, I struggled to enjoy reading at all, but once I found something to love I have rarely gone without reading since. My love for the underdog tends to be forefront in my favorite book choices.

• What inspired House of Hazards?

  • Rosie’s story grew out of my own experiences as a middle child navigating bullying and complicated family dynamics. Like Rosie, I often felt caught between wanting to be understood and not knowing how to ask for help. While Rosie faces higher stakes than I ever did, her courage to take risks, form meaningful friendships, and speak up reflects the growth I wish I had felt at her age. Writing this story allowed me to explore the conversations I longed to have with my parents—conversations rooted in trust, understanding, and facing challenges together. My hope is that Rosie’s journey feels familiar to readers while also reminding them they don’t have to face hard things alone.

• Did you like writing as a kid?

  • Yes and no. I wasn’t always writing stories, but my interest in writing was initially an outlet to get out feelings that I felt I couldn’t keep inside anymore. By the time I was in middle and high school, I started to enjoy writing more as a creative exercise and ended up placing in a local Young Writer’s Contest one year. In college, I engaged more in writing - getting involved in the school’s literary magazine, writing poems, and connecting more with writers on campus. Getting to the point of writing a complete book has been a long journey.

• Are you writing another book?

  • Yes! I have a few different books started at the moment, but I am most looking forward to completing the sequel to House of Hazards, which will follow Rosie into seventh grade.

A few pictures from childhood, growing up in the 90s and early 2000s. The picture of three girls is my older sister, younger sister, and myself. The final photo is a family photo not long after my younger sister was born.