1–What is the title of your latest release? AKMARAL 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? A nomad woman warrior of the Central Asian steppes must make peace with making war. Akmaral is a foray into the ancient past, inspired by Greek myths of Amazon women warriors and archaeology that proves that they were real. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The setting for Akmaral was inspired by several fascinating archaeological discoveries made in Central Asia: the Ice Maiden found in the high mountains of southern Siberia, and the “Golden Man,” a warrior burial found in Kazakhstan that researchers believe might actually be a woman. These burials and many others prove that the legends of Amazon women warriors told by the ancient Greeks weren’t just fantasy. The landscape in this remote region is breathtaking—rugged, remote, and beautiful with emerald green pastures surrounded by snow-capped peaks. And the artifacts that accompanied the burials, rich with gold, weaponry, and fascinating bronze mirrors, presented a tantalizing window into a time when women didn’t have to fight for their rights or go against the norm to be powerful and respected. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist…