Q
Readers get to know you through your books, but there’s always more to a person than an author bio. How would you describe yourself to someone who knows you only through your writing?
A: There is so much of my soul in my writing, including the things I can’t say out loud. It’s one of the reasons it’s so important to me that my closest friends read my books. Apart from that, I’m often described as “the nicest person,” which is an absolute honor. I can definitely be pretty snarky, though, (sorry hubby). I was also an only child, so I’m pretty stubborn, but we were very low-income, so I wouldn’t describe my younger self as spoiled.
Q
What’s a completely random fact about you that might surprise readers or make them say, “Wait, really?”
A: I was a middle school math teacher for 6 years!
Q
When you’re not writing or working on book-related things, what do you enjoy doing with your time?
A: I’m a mom of three, so my kiddos and book-related things get all of my time.
Q
You’ve mentioned that you have two little ones. What’s it like balancing motherhood with your writing career? Do you have a routine that works for you, or does it change from day to day?
A: I have a twelve-year-old, almost 4-year-old, and a one-year-old, and OH MY GOODNESS, three kids is a lot!!! Thankfully, my husband quit his job, so we’re finally getting used to having three kiddos. I don’t have a very good routine since I’m still nursing through the day and night, but I try to fit in bookish stuff whenever I can.
Q
Is there something you loved as a child that you still love now?
A: I absolutely loved reading and writing. It was my escape from poverty and feeling like I didn’t belong.
Q
What’s something you could talk about for hours, even if it has nothing to do with books?
A: I could easily talk about my own books, math, my kids, and music for hours!
Q
When you’re reading for fun, what kind of book grabs your attention fastest?
A: I like fantasy books with a lot of yearning!
Q
What do you remember most about publishing your first book? What was going through your mind when readers could finally find it?
A: What was going through my mind the most when I published my first book? OH MY GOSH! WHY DID I INCLUDE SPICY SCENES?!?!?! MY MOM AND MOTHER-IN-LAW ARE GOING TO READ THIS!!! I was also not used to hearing criticism about my writing, so DNFs were a huge hit to my confidence. I’ve come to learn that it’s mostly just people with different outlooks on life, but it still hurts when someone doesn’t like the thing you’ve poured your heart and soul into. Thankfully, I’ve had waaaayyyy more people express to me how much they love my books.
Q
What part of becoming an author turned out to be very different from what you expected?
A: So much marketing. So little writing time.
Q
What are you proud of yourself for accomplishing, even if it might seem like a small thing to someone else?
A: I’m super proud that over 41,000 people have followed me on TikTok simply because something that I wrote sounded intriguing to them! I’m still blown away. I’m also proud that I never gave up and was successful enough to become a full-time author.
Q
After all the work that goes into writing and publishing, what has been the most rewarding part of putting your stories out into the world? What has been the least rewarding?
A: The most rewarding part is when readers reach out and tell me their favorite parts of my story and how much it meant to them. The least rewarding part is when people don’t like my book just because of my MMC’s name. Hahaha! Seems so silly!
Q
What’s something you know now about being an author that you wish you’d known before your first book came out?
A: I wish I had known the secret to having thicker skin hahaha!
Q
What part of being an author happens behind the scenes that readers might not realize takes so much time?
A: Prepping book goodies! Do you know how long it takes to design, order, cut stickers, wax seal envelopes, tassel bookmarks, and get character art? A lot!
Q
Do you read reviews of your books? How do you handle the ones that are hard to hear?
A: I do, and I really shouldn’t hahaha! 0/10. Do not recommend! My bestie banned me from reading them, but I’m soooo nosey! It sucks because one 3 star review with constructive criticism can plague me and outweigh ten 5 star reviews.
Q
What advice would you give someone who has a story in their head but feels nervous about taking that first step?
A: Get it written down even if it’s bad! Your first draft is supposed to be bad. It’s where you get the story out and problem-solve. Self-editing is the time to make it good!
Q
When a new story idea comes to you, where does it usually begin—with a character, a situation, a setting, or something else?
A: It starts with a problem and blossoms from there.
Q
What does your writing process usually look like? Are you a planner, a discovery writer, or a mix of both?
A: A lot of daydreaming and then frantically typing things out so I don’t forget.
Q
Has a character ever refused to follow your plan and taken the story somewhere unexpected? What did you do with that surprise?
A: Oh, definitely! My characters do whatever the F they want!
Q
When you get stuck on a scene or can’t quite figure out what should happen next, what helps you find your way back into the story?
A: I skip it and come back to it.
Q
Have you learned anything about yourself through writing that you might not have discovered otherwise?
A: I’m a big baby lol
Q
What part of the writing process do you enjoy most?
A: The daydreaming part and hitting publish!
Q
Is there a writing habit, tool, or routine that makes your life easier?
A: My critique partner! I don’t know what I’d do without her!
Q
What’s the funniest or strangest thing you’ve had to research for a book? Was it the kind of thing that made you think, “I hope nobody checks my search history”?
A: Honestly, just all the phrases I’ve been using wrong my whole life. Guilty confession: I thought “albeit” was “I’ll be it!” *hides face in shame*
Q
How do you know when a book is finished and ready to let go of?
A: Once I’ve read through it fifty million times and get sick of it. And when my editor deems it worthy, of course!
Q
How much did the story change between your first draft and the version readers can pick up today?
A: I am, unfortunately, a perfectionist, so my first draft is very similar to the final draft. The story’s the same, but the wording is tighter.
Q
When you’re making a big choice for Azalea, do you think ahead to its consequences across the series, or do you discover them as you write?
A: I say, “Oooo, that’s a problem for future Jade to figure out…”
Q
How did I’m Still Alive first come to you? What was the first thing you imagined—a character, a scene, a question, or something else—and how did that early idea grow into the series readers know now?
A: I came up with the idea for I’m Still Alive when I was 16. I was obsessed with Twilight and Harry Potter, but thought, “There are soooo many things that don’t make sense to me. I want to fix them!”
Q
Beneath the vampires and supernatural world, what do you see as the emotional heart of Azalea’s story?
A: At the heart of Azalea’s story is finding her inner strength to escape the person who thinks he can control her, and finding the love she truly deserves.
Q
At what point did you realize Azalea’s story had become bigger than one book?
A: I always knew her story would be a trilogy. :)
Q
Azalea wakes into a life she didn’t choose and has to piece together who she is and what happened to her. What made you want to begin her story this way?
A: Since she has amnesia after her transformation, I wanted her past to be a mystery to the reader. I also wanted to start off with an exciting scene!
Q
For readers just discovering the series, how would you describe I’m Still Alive without giving away the big surprises?
A: She’s a new vampire. He was supposed to be her first meal. They never meant to start a war. This is an emotional story of finding your inner strength, where the bad guy is actually the bad guy (not a love interest) and it’s filled with magic, trauma, mystery, and humor!
Q
What’s something about I’m Still Alive that readers might not realize from the blurb or the first few chapters?
A: It’s a new adult book.
Q
Do the books need to be read in order, or can readers jump into the series at different points?
A: People need to read the trilogy in order, but could read the spin-off as a standalone. I am biased, though, and believe they should read all of them!
Q
Without spoilers, what should readers expect from the series in terms of tone and intensity?
A: Dark and mysterious, but loving and sweet!
Q
The series brings vampires together with a wider supernatural world. Which parts of that world were the most fun for you to create?
A: The magic!
Q
What do you think makes your vampires different from the ones readers may have encountered in other books?
A: The main coven has great morals and only feed on humans who deserve it.
Q
Readers come to vampire stories with their own expectations. How did you decide which familiar vampire lore to keep, change, or leave out?
A: Well, I definitely didn’t want the vampires to sparkle lol. I wanted them to turn to stone like in Interview with the Vampire. And my critique partner had the great idea to incorporate the “pull” towards their sire.
Q
Azalea’s relationships with Chad, Florence, and Lilith each shape her story in different ways. What did you enjoy most about writing those dynamics?
A: I liked that Chad was a green-flag guy, that Florence got what he deserved in the end, and that the reader will get to find out more about Lilith in a spin-off!
Q
Azalea changes a great deal across the series. What part of her growth has been most rewarding for you to write?
A: The ending! She becomes the woman she was meant to be.
Q
Is there a scene or moment in the series that was especially challenging for you to write? You can keep the details general if you prefer.
A: One scene that was hard was the ending of book two. It wasn’t hard to write as far as coming up with it, but hard as in “OMG! My readers are going to be soooo mad!” But it had to be done lol
Q
Was there a scene you especially enjoyed writing because you knew readers might have a strong reaction to it?
A: The reveals! Especially in book 3!
Q
Do any of your characters’ mannerisms, personalities, features, or tempers come from people you’ve known in real life?
A: Yep! Florence, but I won’t say who for legal reasons lol! And Azalea is 100% me.
Q
What’s been the biggest challenge in writing the I’m Still Alive series?
A: The biggest challenge was losing my honorary sisters because of my books. I won’t go into detail, but OMG, it sucked!
Q
Is there a piece of the series’ history or worldbuilding that exists in your notes but hasn’t made it onto the page?
A: I changed a lot between the 16-year-old-Jade version and the adult-Jade version.
Q
Is there a small detail, character moment, or connection between books that you’re especially fond of and hope readers notice?
A: I put in a lot of Easter eggs, so I hope people re-read the series and have fun finding them.
Q
When feedback on a book is hard to hear, how do you decide whether to use it or trust your original choices?
A: Well, I can’t change Chad’s name hahaha! It’s a bit too late for that. And then some people get mad that it’s a slow burn, but that’s the way I like it.
Q
Memory, identity, power, and survival all play a role in the series. Did those themes come to you at the beginning, or did they grow as you wrote?
A: They definitely grew as I wrote it.
Q
With characters, history, and supernatural details to keep straight across several books, how do you keep track of everything?
A: I re-read the books A LOT. I’m a problem solver, though. I like to hunt for plot holes and come up with fun ways to fix them.
Q
When readers first meet Azalea, what might they misunderstand about her? Is there something you hope they’ll see as they get to know her?
A: Some readers have described her as weak, which I hate because Azalea and I are so much alike. She is anything but weak, but she is trapped.
Q
Is there a character besides Azalea whom you think readers tend to misunderstand or underestimate?
A: People meet Florence and instantly think, “Oooooo! Enemies to lovers!” Nope! Hahaha!
Q
How do you decide what to reveal in each book and what to hold back for later?
A: I followed my heart lol. I really wanted most of the reveals to come out in book three, though.
Q
Is there a relationship or character pairing that developed in a way you didn’t expect?
A: I thought Cristin and Florence were going to be friends, but it didn’t feel right, so I cut that out of the final draft.
Q
Is there a character, relationship, or part of the world you wish you could spend more time writing?
A: Definitely! Ergo, the spin-offs!
Q
Without giving anything away, was there a moment in the series that surprised even you as you wrote it?
A: Yes! Especially the ending of book two.
Q
What’s one thing you hope a new reader feels or wonders about after finishing the first book?
A: I hope they feel like they can leave red-flag people in the dust.
Q
Once readers finish the series, what would you love to hear them discussing?
A: Anything and everything! I’d love to hear from my readers and have them discuss the books with the world!
Q
If I’m Still Alive were adapted for television or film, what part of the story or characters would you most want preserved? And just for fun, which actors would you choose to play your main characters?
A: Oh, I’m definitely going to fight to get cast as Azalea, or else, no deal! She is me lol. I hope they don’t change anything drastically.
Q
A long road trip can be a great test of anyone’s patience. Which of your characters would you choose as your travel companion, and what makes them the right pick?
A: Chadwick because of obvious reasons lol
Q
If you were in real danger, which character would you want beside you?
A: Azalea!
Q
If you needed advice, which character would you call first? Would you actually take their advice?
A: Abigail
Q
What’s something you’re surprisingly competitive about? Is it all in good fun, or should people be worried?
A: I’m really competitive about everything. People shouldn’t be afraid, but they should expect me to go far!
Q
Do you have a useless talent or an oddly specific skill?
A: Math and being stubborn!
Q
After a long day of writing or mom life, what’s your favorite comfort food or treat?
A: All food. I love food! Feed me!
Q
If your life had a theme song that played whenever you entered a room, what would it be?
A: Satisfied from Hamilton
Q
If you could instantly become good at one thing, what would you choose?
A: Time management
Q
What’s one household chore you’d happily banish forever?
A: I actually really like doing chores lol, but I’d banish organizing my garage because my husband likes to keep everything. It’s impossible.
Q
What book, movie, or show could you read or watch a dozen times and never get tired of?
A: Hunger Games
Q
What’s something you’ve always wanted to try, learn, or experience but haven’t gotten around to yet?
A: I’d like to become fluent in French.
Q
You’re given $500 and told not to spend it sensibly. What are you buying?
A: Character art!
Q
If your characters could rate you as their author, what would your rating be—and what would their funniest complaint be?
A: They would rate me a 9/10 because I’m a great listener and let them do whatever they want. They’d probably want me to parent them better, though, and say no to them sometimes.
Q
What are you working on now, and what can readers look forward to next?
A: I’m working on a spin-off to this series! It’s called As Long As I’m Still Alive, and it’s in the editing phase. I’m also in the daydreaming/outlining phase of a pirate x merman story!
Q
Is there a kind of story or character you haven’t written yet but would love to explore?
A: I’d like to write a book that’s more adult than new adult.
Q
Are there other genres or formats you’d like to try someday, such as a standalone, novella, or a story outside the I’m Still Alive world?
A: My pirate x merman story is a standalone!
Q
When you picture your writing life a few years from now, what would you like it to look like?
A: Filming I’m Still Alive and ten books published!
