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1. What do you think would happen to the world if the demons from The Demon Trappers series really were to invade us?

Heaven help us if that happened. Should that occur, I suspect there would be groups of intrepid souls battling those demons, both the highly armed specialty attack squads (much like the Demon Hunters) and the guys who have no budget but still manage to get the job done (Demon Trappers). I know I’d be stocking up on Holy Water, that’s for sure.

 2. Assuming you’ve read the Harry Potter books, if you went to Hogwarts, which house do you think you would get sorted into?

Hufflepuff according to a poll I took online. It was a near thing though as I was only one point off from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. I *so* wasn’t Slytherin.

 3. What do you think inspired you to come up with the idea for Riley’s world?

I read Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens years ago and it intrigued me because of the machinations of Heaven and Hell. (The story is about an angel and a demon trying to prevent Armageddon.) I thought it would be cool to write about the cosmic chess game, examine the roles of good vs. evil.

That idea resided in the back of my mind until 2008 when I attended the World Fantasy convention in Calgary. At the art show, I happened to see a piece of artwork by Todd Lockwood. The piece was the graphic battle scene between angels and demons, but it was depicted as being on the back of a man. I found that fascinating, as that’s exactly the struggle we face every day – the fine line between the light and the dark. Once I returned home from the convention, Riley Blackthorne was born.

 4. Can you give any advice to any aspiring authors, and also tips on helping yourself to get published?

Despite rare exceptions where really poorly written books find their way into print, the bottom line is that you have to write well. Write a lot. Read just as much, because you’ll learn from those who are better than you. Finish those stories you start and then submit them to a critique group to gain feedback. Then revise them until they shine and at that point you can try to find someone to publish them. Cutting corners only means that you’re not looking at this as a profession and the work you do is going to be shoddy. You’ll be rejected. Get used to it. Just keep writing and submitting your stories to the appropriate editors or literary agents. Committed persistence will pay off in the end.

 5. What do you find is your favourite part of writing and of being an author, as well as the worse aspects?

Best: Readers. They’re great people. They invest time to read my books, see different aspects to my characters I never considered. They make the stories come to life. I also love conducting research. I can lose whole days reading about obscure stuff that never makes it into the books. All of that is “author backstory” as I call it, the foundation I need to write a convincing tale.

Worse: There is a lot about this business over which I have little control. For a Scorpio, that’s tough to take so I have learned it’s best to chill when things are not going right. Most of the time my editor can fix the problem, but sometimes it’s beyond our control. That’s when I don’t like the job that much.

 6. Do you get writer’s block? And if you do, how do you move on from it?

I don’t tend to get writer’s block, per se, as in the kind that keeps me from writing for days on end. My deadlines don’t allow me that luxury. I do get confused every now and then and just don’t have a clue where to go next in the story. That’s when I do something completely different—clean out a closet or a cupboard, organize my spices, something totally unrelated to writing. If I stop pushing so hard, the next scene will come to me and I can move on.

 7. Imagine that from now on, you could only read 5 books, and nothing else – what would they be and why?

Only five books? Lord, that would be a form of Hell for me. I would most likely take The Complete Works of Shakespeare, the Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe and the same of Sherlock Holmes. I’d throw in some Pratchett (probably Night Watch) and the fifth would be a blank journal, so I could write my own book.

 8. If the series were to be made into films, which scene so far would you be most anticipating seeing on the big screen?

I think seeing the big battle scene at the end of Forgiven would be awesome. Between the magical folks casting spells, the hunters and trappers fighting the various demons (the Archfiends would be SO wicked) there’s the showdown between the forces of Heaven and Hell. All set in a Victorian cemetery. I’d buy a ticket to see that, for sure.

My second most anticipated scene is in Foretold. It’s set in Hell with Lucifer and his demons, but I can’t say much more about that or it’d be a spoiler.

 9. Which set of book covers do you prefer – US or UK, and which one of those?

I *love* that the UK chose one cover model and continued with Elizabeth May throughout the series. The covers feel so amazing, like satin. Each of them is like fine art. The US covers have changed along the way as the publisher got a better feel for the series. I have to admit that the fourth US cover is probably my favourite. So Best of Series to the UK and Best Cover to the US. How’s that for diplomacy? (LOL)

 10. Did you know from starting the first book, Forsaken, how the entire series would map out or did it come to you as you progressed?

Originally I saw three books, but the story grew on me. They usually do. The final scene I originally dreamed up is not the one at the end of Foretold. I’m pleased to say the one that made it into the book is infinitely cooler with twists and turns that I discovered along the way.

 11. Do have any plans for any other books or series at the minute?

I’m currently working on a couple of proposals for new books. These would be standalones (single novels) rather than a series. Those offer a different challenge and will allow my brain to cool down from all the gymnastics required to sustain a full-blown series.

12. If you were forced to go on a desert island, and could only take three of your possessions with you, what would they be?

Since you limited it to my possessions, that rules out taking a Tardis along. Drat. I’m thinking the book on survival techniques would be vital, one of my knives and a gallon of water. With some luck, I could find lizards to eat, dig a hole in the sand to get more water and read fast enough to stay alive.

 13. Who is your least favourite character in The Demon Trappers series and why?

I have to admit that Lucifer fits the bill. Oddly enough, you would think it would be Sartael, but he is very single-minded. Lucifer switches from cunning to friendly in a heartbeat and that creeps me out. But then what else would one expect from the Prince of Hell?

 14. Can you give us any hints as to what the final book, Foretold, will involve?

The previous book (Forgiven) helped Riley and Den deal with a lot of their emotional baggage. Unfortunately Beck decided at the very last to back away from her, afraid that his past would hurt Riley and/or make her hate him. Foretold is the story of them coming to terms with the legacy of Beck’s horrific childhood. It is very much their story. For those readers who love demon trapping, not to worry—there’s lots of Hellspawn in this one as well.

15. And finally, tell us a random fact about yourself?

I easily memorize long strings of numbers and letters. It drives my husband to distraction until he is in need of a password or frequent flyer number. Then it’s cool. ;-)