Dark writing with Kristine Bainbridge

Citing the popular social networking Web site MySpace as the biggest inspiration behind the novel, Bainbridge conceived her plot after a stranger contacted her.

"One day I checked my MySpace (page) and I had received an e-mail from someone I didn't know that had no personal information or photo on their profile," she says, "I rolled my eyes and deleted it, but it got me thinking: What would happen if a young girl was naive to the trouble that lurks on the World Wide Web and got sucked in by a master manipulator?"

From there, "dark_god" was born.

"I wanted to find a way to stress to young people the importance of being safe on the Internet;" she says, "to be careful and aware of whom they might really be talking to."

While composing "dark_god," Bainbridge avoided using formal writing techniques such as plot outlines. She let the novel grow organically and pieced together characters inspired by friends and family.

"I put bits of people I know into these characters, which really helped me bring them to life," she says.

Bainbridge says she has begun a sequel to "dark_god," as well as a mystery novel that illustrates the horrors of domestic violence.

"I absolutely intend to keep writing," Bainbridge says. "It's very much a part of me."

"Dark_god" can be purchased online at www.publishamerica.com , www.amazon.com , or www.barnesandnoble.com .