Q: In three words, describe yourself.
A: Creative, funny, laid-back
Q: How many books have you written? How many of those are published?
A: I’ve written fifteen. I’ve published six with two more coming out, so I’m working on getting them all sold.
Q: Do you have an upcoming release? If yes, tell me the title and impending release date.
A: I have two. Orange City on March 16th and Runaway Train on April 29th.
Q: Tell me about how you come up with your titles for your stories. Do you create the title before or after you write the book, and does it ever change from the initial title?
A: Sometimes the title is the very first thing, but usually I have a spark of an idea and the title comes soon after. I think with only one of my books the title was the last thing and that was because it changed at the very end.
Q: Out of all your characters in all of your books, who/what (sometimes a setting can also be an important “character”) do you think is the most interesting and why?
A: Hmmm, I would say my character Moon from a series I’m working on now. Moon is a cult leader who have possess supernatural powers. He’s complex because he’s a villain but also the hero is some ways. He’s been the most interesting to write.
Q: If you could “create” your own genre of what you write, what would you call your books?
A: Literary thrillers that sometimes have a dash of sci-fi.
Q: Without quoting your back cover blurb, tell me about the last book you published.
A: The Ancestor is about a man who wakes up in the Alaskan wilderness with amnesia but believes he was frozen in time for over a century from when he was a Gold Rush prospector.
Q: Tell me something about yourself that is separate from writing.
A: I love to travel. It inspires me as well, so it’s something I’ve missed greatly during the pandemic.
Q: Who are your top THREE favorite authors?
A: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King, Emily Bronte. I’m all over the place.
Q: What is the last book that you read? (Not counting anything you wrote)
A: I’m reading Later by Stephen King. I’m about halfway through and it’s great so far.
Q: When writing, do you have a system or something you plan, or do you just write?
A: I usually outline with about a paragraph per chapter so I know where I’m going each day when I sit in front of the screen.
Q: Do you currently have a WIP? If yes, what’s the title, and is it part of a series or standalone?
A: Yeah a few, but I mentioned it before. JOIN US, and it’s part of a series.
Q: Do you read your own work a lot? If so, what does it do for you?
A: Yeah, I like rereading them from time to time. It makes me proud, but also inspires me with what I’m working on.
Q: I play music when I write, and depending on the setting or mood of the story depends on what I listen to. Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what genre or artist/band do you listen to?
A: I do, depending on the book. For The Ancestor, which was set in Alaska I was listening to a lot of quiet, moody music like Sigur Ros, Bon Iver and Darlingside.
Q: As an author, I find that the hardest thing to write (for me) is the blurb that will be on the back cover or book’s description. When you write, what is the hardest line to write, the first line, the last line or the synopsis for the book?
A: The synopsis. I’m getting better at it, but it’s tough to condense hundreds of pages into one paragraph for sure. Pitching my books as films has helped me a lot.
Q: If you could sit down and have a coffee (or your favorite beverage) with anyone, living or dead, from any era, any time, who would it be and why? (You can pick up to 3 persons).
A: Probably F. Scott Fitzgerald, he’s my favorite author and would just love to talk about his books and see if he’d be shocked as to how he’s still being read today.
Q: What does it mean to be a “successful” writer?
A: More money would be nice, but I’m very happy that readers just find my work and want to read more.
Q: Any final thoughts that you want to give to your fans or even future authors?
A: Stick to it if it’s your dream. Rejection happens to everyone so don’t let it get you down and use those rejections to make you a better writer!
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