Behind the Scenes of The Afterworlds

This was a tough book to finish for reasons beyond the page. I was in the middle of editing The Afterworlds when I was told I had cancer. At first, I thought I could keep going, like many of us try to do. But cancer is a demanding and all-consuming beast. A year of brutal treatments including six months of chemo followed, and writing had to wait.

But here’s the thing, The Afterworlds actually benefited from that unexpected hiatus. I came back to it with new perspective, new insights, and a deeper understanding of what matters. I’ve come to believe nothing is random.

No worries, I’m fine now and cancer free. The treatment sucks, but it works. So keep that in mind and get your screenings. Be brave.

This book is the culmination of everything that happened in the previous books - the trials, the losses, the grit, the hope. My characters, who went through so much, finally get the happy endings they earned. I had a different final scene planned, but as I was writing, Craze turned to me (yes, my characters talk to me) and said, “That’s it. This is the end.” And he was right.

We had said our goodbyes, I had given them their nice futures. It was time to part ways.

One of the things I love most about being a writer is these imaginary people become real to me. I build their worlds, walk in their shoes, argue with them, and root for them. Getting to share those worlds and people with you makes the whole journey worth it.

More stories are coming…