The end of the vine

Nine years ago an image came to me–a young woman, discharged from a prison for super-criminals, trying to start a new life, and being approached by those who wanted her to use her superpower and return to her own life.

That was the start of Mathilda Brandt’s story. She was once a rogue Empowered, nick-named vine, because of her affinity for creating mutant blackberry vines. She was captured and sent to Special Corrections at sixteen, paroled at twenty one, and only wanting to take care of her ailing grandmother, Ruth, and her two younger twin sisters.

But, the world wouldn’t let her.

After several tries, I finally wrote the first novel, Empowered: Agent, in 2016, along with the sequel, Empowered: Traitor. In 2017, I published those two novels, along with the third in the series, Empowered: Outlaw. In June 2018, I published Book Four, Empowered: Rebel, thinking at the time that I’d close the series with that novel. Only, truthfully that was not the end of Mat’s story.

It took longer than I’d planned, but the final novel, Empowered: Hero, is now finished and out in the world. I’ve learned so much during my time with Mat. I’ve learned the importance of trusting in your imagination, and in listening to feedback from beta readers and editors, knowing how much to plan ahead of time, and how much run comes to me as I write. (Quite a lot, in fact).

Most of all, I learned to listen to Mat, and tell her story.

Empowered: Hero