FAQ’s and Book Info

What prompted you to write the Lunar Codex

It was a project that I used to distract myself during COVID. I was a physician in the height of it and would come home and look for a way to distract myself. The day The Lunar Codex started, I was on the back deck with my boys while they played in the pool. My sons Richie and Kevin, on whom the main character is based, were torturing each other, and I teased my husband that if it is a full moon tonight, I’m convinced one or both will shift! We both laughed about it, but the thought continued to bounce around in my head. After a few minutes, I had to run into the house to grab my computer and start writing the outline. Over the next six months, I finished writing the book.

Why is there such a gap between the time I finished writing and it being released?

This is my first book, and there was a very steep learning curve. My first released version of the book was not edited very well, and I was not happy with it. I joined forces with a hybrid publisher and re-released the version that you see now. The process with the publisher took almost one year to complete. Although I found the process very helpful in learning what to do and not to do, I will publish the remainder of my books myself, giving me better control over the release times and pricing.

How long does it take to write a book?

It really depends on my schedule. I take my computer with me everywhere I go and write whenever I have downtime. For a little behind-the-scenes information, writers base their writing on the number of words they have written. I aim to write 10,000 words a week, roughly 1,000 – 2,000 words/day. Since my books are averaging about 120,000-130,000 words, my goal is 2-3 months to complete each one. My current book, which I am about to release, took about six months because I was trying to release book one, my website, and multiple other projects at once, including my full-time job as a doctor. With each book, the process gets easier and, therefore, faster.

How many books will be in the Codex Chronicles series?

I anticipate five books in this series.

Do you have new series coming?

While writing the Codex Chronicles, I found that I wanted to know more about Jace’s life before everything and Deagen Pierce. With that being said, the first three chapters of the Deagen Pierce Chronicles have been started and will likely be the next series.

How do you come up with your books?

I have a file on my computer, which is accessible on my phone, with ideas. Sometimes it’s an article I read that makes me think, “I wonder if….” Other times it’s something my kids say or do. I have also taken inspiration from dreams and things that I have seen while going about my everyday life. In all my cases, I always add in the “I wonder if…” and start having fun with the outcome.

Do you have a schedule for each book to be released?

The Legend of the Lost Child is scheduled for release at the end of the summer. With the Audiobook to be released shortly after. Book 3 is outlined and about to be started.

Will there be an audiobook released with each book?

Yes, and I hope to continue having Mylo Reade as the narrator.

Was there an inspiration for each of the characters?

Yes. The basic of each character was based on someone, but there are always liberties in the characters that do not fully match the person. For instance, Jace’s basic personality is based on my now 16-year-old son, and his looks are that of my now 5-year-old. When the book started, they were 14 and 3 (sound familiar to the story?).

Marcus is a comical blend of my older two boys, while the personality traits of Uncle Roman and Aunt Cora reminded me of my parents. Actually, many of the phrases Uncle Roman uses, facial expressions, or mannerisms he uses come directly from my dad.

Zoe definitely has my sister embedded in there. She is feisty but very loyal. Brian is a combination of my cousin, who shares the character’s name, and my brother.

My husband can be seen in Kyle, Izzie’s father. He is a retired corrections officer; my husband was a Bridge and Tunnel Officer. Both are very attuned to their surroundings and question when things do not make sense. They both recently retired and are helping their wives with their creative endeavors.

Did you use specific locations because you know them?

Williston, Florida was a google search based on the parameters I had put in. Initially, I had no specific location in mind, except that it would be in the United States. When I started, I actually had envisioned Arizona but switched gears when I found Williston. You learn that Jace’s family is moving from Arizona in the first chapter of the Lunar Codex. Now you know the back story. 😉

I knew I wanted a rural area that had an old-world charm. When I saw the pictures of the town, my creative juices started flowing, and I knew I had my town. It also helped that my parents don’t live very far from there, in a house I spent many years living in when I was a child.

Millstone Landing was chosen based on the location I wanted the next level of action to occur. I wanted it somewhere halfway in their journey. It met the criteria of being close to the interstate and easy to get to. Although the town is real, the den is not.

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Lunar Codex

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This book leaves you begging for the next one!”

“The Lunar Codex was such an amazing and thrilling read I couldn’t put it down! While I’ve always loved fantasy books, this book is so much more than that. It also connects you to the real world.”

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BY ANNIE O’CONNELL

THE LEGEND OF THE LOST CHILD

Life has never been easy for Jace, but things have definitely become more complicated. Learning about his new found powers while trying to figure out where he belongs in his new home leaves him more confused than ever. With the constant threat of Elashor looming over him, Jace must learn to master his abilities to protect himself, his friends and his new home.

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