To what do you owe your love of storytelling? 

I’ve always been a daydreamer - spending countless hours making up worlds I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met. When I snap out of it, there’s this guilty feeling that lingers because of the time that’s just flown by. Creating stories feels like the most practical way of making sense of all the time I spend daydreaming.

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What were your all-time favourite childhood books or stories?

Fruits Basket. Gosh, the first time I ever read manga - more specifically, shoujo manga - a whole new world opened up to me. The idea that the journeys your emotions take you on was worthy enough of getting made into a 20+ volume series comics, resonated with me so much. Fruits Basket was the epitome of what that genre meant to me and I still think about it to this day.

As an illustrator, what would you choose as your mascot or avatar?

The Virginia Opossum. Very resilient critters.  

What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

Tomato Lake in Belmont. Its mystery, the urban legends surrounding it, and the all-round beauty of the place makes it the ideal spot to daydream.

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If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be?

Good job at documenting all your daydreams and forcing your math tutor to read your first attempt a magnum opus. Sometimes you need to be your biggest fan. 

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What do you think most characterises your work?

Big Mood. I love making a big deal about emotional growth and the ride it takes us on.

What do you do when you are not creating?

Watching Star Trek Deep Space Nine with my boyfriend and rats. Then reading the screenplays of each episode of that show. Deep Space Nine is a really good show.

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Where do you find your ideas?

Daydreaming. Truly, I’m not messing around with this daydreaming stuff. 

How do you know when a story is finished? 

When I know I’ve made my point.