This month I had the opportunity to interview USA Today Bestselling author Emerald Dodge.
SJ: What gave you the inspiration to write the Battlecry series?
ED: I've always adored superheroes. In fact, my first pieces of creative writing were superhero stories--Teen Titans fanfiction, all the way back in 2004. I combined my love of the genre and my fascination with cults, and the Battlecry series was born.
SJ: Who is your favorite character from the book and why?
ED: The narrator's cousin, Marco, is based closely on my late brother. When I write Marco, my brother lives again.
SJ: Why did you choose this specific genre?
ED: Urban fantasy is just so much fun! It's challenging and exhilarating in equal measure. So much potential. I suppose you can say that about every genre, but there's something special about urban fantasy.
SJ: What is your favorite part of the creative writing process?
Talking to my fans.
Who has influenced you the most as a writer?
Stephenie Meyer, who introduced me to the detailed, emotional version of urban fantasy that I enjoy most. She also used to be closely in touch with her fanbase back in the day, and I've modeled my own career on hers.
SJ: Did you always want to be a writer or did the inspiration come later in life?
ED: I've wanted to create fiction as long as I can remember. My mother is an author, so the career path has always been, perhaps, a little more realistic to me than it is to other people. It was easy to start.
SJ: What have you found to be your biggest hurdle?
ED: I'm a terrible self-editor. I'll spend a day writing a chapter and then a week editing it before continuing on. This is why NaNoWriMo is so difficult for me.
SJ: Tell me about your book covers and the inspiration behind them.
ED: I wanted covers that communicated the tone of the books. Battlecry's cover shows Jillian high above the city, standing in a storm. Storms are a thematic element in the book, meant to be a metaphor for the turbulence of Jillian's inner and external lives.
SJ: I noticed you enjoy cooking. What is your favorite dish to prepare?
ED:I have a brownie recipe that requires beating the batter for ten solid minutes, but the result is a pan of brownies so thick, so decadent and rich, that you'll melt into a puddle of goo when you eat them.
SJ: What are your writing goals for 2020?
ED: I've really slowed down my writing in the last year because of my obligations as a mother. I'd really like to finish one of the projects I've started.
USA Today bestselling author Emerald Dodge lives with her husband and two sons. She enjoys studying esthetics and plans to obtain an esthetician license at a future date. Emerald and her husband enjoy playing with their children, date nights, hosting dinner parties for their friends, and watching movies. They are a Navy family and look forward to traveling around the nation and meeting new people.