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What’s your most memorable Halloween experience?

My favorite Halloween memories are with my children. We go all in with costumes, spooky decorations, scary movies, and traditions we have built as a family. Halloween lets me bring together storytelling, creativity, mystery, and a little darkness. Now I even get to share that love through my books and characters.

Tell us why you would make it to the end of a horror movie.

With my law enforcement background, I trust my instincts, stay calm under pressure, and pay attention to what others miss. I’m also a mom of three, so giving up is not an option. I’d keep thinking, keep moving, and do everything possible to make it to the final scene. And if someone says, “Let’s split up,” absolutely not.

What would you do with the unlucky $13,000?

I would donate $3,000 to the Impact Emergency Crisis Center in Shepherd, Texas, to support families and victims in crisis. The rest would go toward purchasing and donating children’s books through Monarch Story House to schools, families, and community events. I have always believed in giving back, whether through service, advocacy, or stories. And from the unlucky $13,000, I’m keeping exactly $13 for coffee.

Who is your real-life hero who you would want to survive a horror movie with?

My husband, Jesús. He is my best friend, my safe place, and the person I trust most when life gets hard. He protects our family, keeps me grounded, and knows me well enough to stop me from doing something stubborn. In a horror movie, we would stay together, protect each other, and figure it out side by side. And under no circumstances are we checking the basement.