I like teens. Spending time with them, listening to their discussions, and watching the twists and turns of how they explore life is fun. And anything paranormal and mystical fascinates me. Oh, and romance. Love is what makes us human. And I’m a writer. So, a Young Adult, paranormal romance? What could be better?

Choosing a mythological background for my characters slipped into place when I was loitering in the Young Adult section of the local bookstore. Although the Fates have long been a part of human existence, as I read back cover blurbs and flipped through pages, I found nothing that involved their mythology. In that moment, the background for LIFETHREAD was born.

The Fates provided the perfect setting for my young adult heroines to question and challenge established beliefs. The power and depth of ancient legend created a strong and multi-layered tapestry in which to weave the threads of my story, and the Fates’ responsibilities—creating life, determining destiny, and ending life—represent human transitions perfectly. The weight of their responsibilities also provided my characters with excellent opportunities to break the rules. Teenagers vs. the ancient and established tradition of the Fates. It worked for me. My heroines, McKenna, Shea, and Merritt, continually surprise me with their ingenuity and humor as the pages of their stories unfold.

I’m a complete pantser, so when I started writing I only knew my character’s names, which Fate they were apprenticed to, and that McKenna demanded I write her story first. Understandable since she’s responsible to Atropos and severs the lifethreads of demons. I wasn’t about to argue with her blade. McKenna’s story flowed from my imagination to the keyboard almost effortlessly. We had such fun getting her into, and out of, trouble that I barely realized it was work…until I started on the second draft. That’s when the complexity of her personality started to shine, and make me sweat. One of my more stubborn characters, McKenna.

Not to be outdone, Shea and Merritt have demanded their own stories. Currently, Shea and I are writing Lifethread: CREATION, and are discovering that of the three priestesses, she’s not really “the good one” after all. Merritt has been tapping her foot in the background of my mind, impatiently waiting for Shea to get out of way so that I can begin the more important task of writing about her in Lifethread: DESTINY.

Guess I better get back to it!

What makes you select one book over another when you’re wandering the aisles of your favorite bookstore, or cruising the selections of ebooks at Amazon and Barnes & Noble looking for the perfect read?

Lucie j.