1. Tell us a little about yourself and your background? 
I grew up and still live in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. I was bullied a lot when I was younger so I turned to books for my escape. I did a lot of reading and dabbled in writing. By the time I was in high school, I was writing X-Files fanfiction and went everywhere with a notebook and pen. The idea for the War of Destiny series came to me then. I also enjoy swimming and getting out into nature.

2. What would you say is your more iconic novel and why?
Honestly, I am not sure how to answer this question. I would say Lost Soul because it is the first book in the series and therefore more well-known, but honestly my iconic novel might not have been written yet.

3. Which writers and genres inspire you? 
I have a long list of writers and genres that have inspired me over the years. Early on, it was Nancy Drew and The Babysitters’ Club. As I got older I found inspiration from Christopher Pike, Anne Rice, Fred Saberhagen, Stephen King, and Jim Butcher. In recent years I have also discovered other talented Indie authors as well. E.M. Kaplan, Jo-Jo Tabayoyong Murphy, Arthur Daigle, Lachesha W.B. and Alex E. Carey are just a few of these authors whose genres range from memoirs and mystery to fantasy and horror.

4. What do you find more interesting when writing thrillers?
I’ve never written a thriller. Most of my writing is in the paranormal genre, and although there may be thriller aspects in there, it is not the overall genre.

5. When did you decide to become a writer?
I have been a writer since I was a little kid, but I decided to pursue becoming a published author in high school.

6. Do you write full-time or part-time?
I write part-time. I still need another income(s) to make ends meet. At this point, my writing is a labor of love, nothing more. I hope that at some point I can dedicate most of my time to writing.

7. Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? 
I use an outline to frame out main events in the book, but after that I just go where the characters take me. Sometimes it can be somewhere unexpected. I usually say it is the characters telling the story, not the other way around.

8. Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers? 
I cannot say I have a tried-and-true strategy. I have tried a few different options with varying results.

9. What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
I welcome all reviews. Every reader’s preference in books is different and what one person may think is awesome, another may think is terrible. Of course, a good review makes my heart soar and a “bad” review stings a little, but that is life. What is important is that those readers have taken time out of their busy days to leave their thoughts (negative or positive) for others to read. I humbly thank each and every one.

10. How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Readers can find out more about me and my books by heading online.
At Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Theresa99
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarofDestiny/
My webpage: http://tvanspankeren.wix.com/author-blog