In Infiltrate, the sequel to Exposed, Raven is once again fighting for the underdog. When a desperate wave of teen suicides threatens to overwhelm her school, Raven does some digging and learns that all of the victims have one thing in common: issues with anxiety. With help from Team Retribution, Raven links the deaths to an unauthorized drug trial at a shady medical center. To find out more, she goes undercover, but things quickly get out of her control. Soon she’s not sure what is real and what is a drug-induced fantasy.
What planning and research did you do for you book?
Raven deals with some heavy issues in this story. Teen anxiety. Suicide. Illegal drug trails and corruption within the medical community. Even though I don’t spew a ton of facts and statistics within the novel, to get the details I included as accurate as possible, I researched these topics by reading articles in medical journals and tracking down relevant case law. Unfortunately, there was more than enough documentation on illegal drug trails to offer a basis for my fictional pharmaceutical company. For the emotional impact, I drew on my own experiences with anxiety—I’ve suffered from panic attacks at various times, and I’ve seen family and friends struggle with anxiety as well. I know how overwhelming it can be and wanted to bring awareness to an issue that affects many young people today.
What is your favorite part of being a writer?
Getting to dive into a new world and live in someone else’s skin for a while, even if they are put through the wringer. My characters are far more adventurous than I am, but I still get to go along for the ride.
What’s your favorite movie or TV show?
My all time favorite would be Buffy the Vampire Slayer—which is really a story about a team of kids taking down evil…pretty much the premise for the Retribution Series—minus the vampires.
What’s your biggest indulgence?
I have two—coffee and chocolate. There’s no better combination.
What do you admire most in a book?
I’m a sucker for flawed characters. Anti-heroes. The underdog. It’s so rewarding when they rise to the occasion and achieve what they thought was the impossible.
You’re stranded on a desert island and are allowed 3 books—which do you choose?
1. How to Survive on a Desert Island: The Ultimate Guide (I don’t think this title exists, but it would sure be handy!)
2. The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
3. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery
What’s your favorite genre to read? To Write? What draws you to these?
I read a ton of horror / thriller / paranormal / mystery / romance stories and I try to incorporate elements of all of these into my writing. I’m drawn to the unexplained…the stuff that gets you asking questions and sets your heart pounding.
What has been your most unlikely adventure?
Sometimes it hits me. Hey, I write books for a living. How extremely cool is that? I’d say my writing career never fails to take me down unexpected paths. I love it!
What is your favorite book from your childhood?
Anne of Green Gables—I used to live in Summerside, PEI as a child and all things Anne seem to have stuck with me. Plus, Anne is a dynamic, strong female character with heart.
Infiltrate is available now!
Award-winning writer and screenwriter Judith Graves loves tragic romance, werewolves, vampires, magic and all things a bit creepy. A firm believer that teen fiction can be action-packed, snarky and yet hit all the right emotional notes, Judith writes stories with attitude. She lives in northern Alberta. For more information, visit www.judithgraves.com.