Is this going to be the start of a series?

That’s the plan! I intend to write the rest of Jay’s and Ark’s adventures in future novels. (I may even write the Darcy Harper series, which appears inside the world of Brio!)

What’s your inspiration for Brio? Why did you write it?

I wrote Brio because it was the book I’d always wanted to read. Plenty of things inspired this novel. Music, STEM topics, and 19th-century history are some obvious ones. But the biggest inspiration for this story is my Catholic faith.

Note: This book was not written to be an analogy for Christianity. But the roots of Brio stem from my encounters with Catholic thought, saints, and prayers. Here are just a handful:

• I came up with muses and dischords based on what I learned from Catholic angelology—if you want a great resource on this, check out Peter Kreeft’s book: Angels (and Demons): What Do We Really Know About Them?
• Patron muses are related to two things: 1) guardian angels, and 2) patron saints, which individuals adopt during the sacrament of confirmation.
• The First Crafter was inspired by real-life heroine St. Joan of Arc, and Brio is modeled after St. Michael the Archangel (my patron saint!).
• The idea of Echostrait was modeled after a real tidal island located off the coast of France, Mont-Saint-Michel, where St. Michael was said to have appeared.
• The talarises that Musicians wear were inspired by cassocks, which Catholic seminarians and clergy wear (talaris literally means “ankle-length coat”).
• Inspiration for some themes came from the Peace Prayer of St. Francis and the spiritual exercises according to St. Ignatius (especially the discernment of spirits). If you want to learn more about that, check out this Introduction to Discernment of Spirits from Loyola Press.

Is there a reader's guide or discussion guide available for Brio?

You betcha! Check out the Discussion Guide for Brio under the Resources tab.

Have any suggestions for how to use Brio in my classroom?

My first job out of grad school was teaching, and I still love coming up with fun activities for students. Check out the Classroom Activities under the Resources tab for plenty of fun ideas for a variety of school subjects.

Can you tell me what the next books in this series will be about?

(In my best River Song voice): Spoilers! I won’t ruin the plot ahead of time. But I can say that I’ve got plenty of new challenges, codes, and mysteries ahead for Jay and Ark!

Is Chris Cross your real name?

Alas, no. It's my nom de plume (pen name). It's a reference to the Bible verse, Matthew 16:24-25. My real name is Christina Eberle. (Fun fact: Eberle means "little boar" in German!)

Are you a musician yourself?

I am! (At least I'm a lowercase "musician.") I've studied piano since I was 10 and have learned several other instruments, including the oboe, English horn, clarinet, and baritone saxophone. Woodwinds for the win! I can sing, kinda. I get terribly nervous performing in front of people, though, so I haven't played publicly in a long time.

Are you on social media?

Yup! Find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (occasionally). Feel free to say hi!

Are you willing to visit my classroom/library/book club?

Sure thing! Fill out the contact form and I'll get back to you right away to schedule it. Depending on where you're located, we can set up either an in-person visit or a long-distance video chat.

How long did it take you to write Brio?

Writing a novel is a true test of endurance. I began scribbling out drafts when I was 14. Over the years, I learned more, read more, and wrote more — and I truly finished the novel when I was 34. (I don’t plan on taking another 20 years to write the next book, though!)

Do you have a writing routine?

When life allows for routine, I like to get up early (4:30-5 a.m.) to write before the rest of my family wakes up. Writing first thing in the morning is invaluable to me because I come to the page fresh, with no nagging thoughts about chores or to-do lists stealing my focus. 90% of Brio was written before the sun was up.

Are you more like Jay or Ark?

Oh, I’m definitely more like Ark. I’ve always said Ark is the kind of person I already am: quiet, more reserved, enjoys being right. But Jay is the kind of person I wish I could be.

What other series/fandoms do you enjoy?

Too many to list here. But here are some favorites off the top of my head:

• If I were in Avatar: the Last Airbender, I’d be an Air Nomad. Or Water Tribe. Can’t decide.
• If I were in Harry Potter, I’d probably be a Slytherclaw (Ravenclaw + Slytherin equally).
• If I were in Percy Jackson, I’d be a daughter of Apollo (music and poetry, yeah!).
• If I could pick a team in Keepers of the Lost Cities, I’d be on Team Keefe.
• If I could train a dragon from How to Train Your Dragon, I’d pick a Deadly Nadder.
• If I could travel through space and time with any of the Doctors of Doctor Who, it’d be the Eleventh Doctor.
• If there were two MCU characters that I’d like to enjoy a slice of pizza with, it’d be Steve Rogers (good ol’ Cap) and Spider-Man.

What are you up to now?

Lots of things! You can keep up with my latest projects by signing up for my mailing list. You can also follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to get the latest updates.