Interview with the Author

What book do you think everyone should read?

I believe everyone simply needs to find whatever book or story captures them as a reader. I taught middle school grades for many years and struggled with getting kids to read anything, until we found that one book that spoke to them. Once that happened, they became readers.

How long have you been writing?

I began writing about six years ago. It took me a while, maybe two years to learn how to write a story that others might want to read, and that was a struggle, but I eventually got the hang of it. At least the feedback I have gotten from reviewers has been positive.

What kind of research do you do before you begin writing a book?

Since I write scifi, I do like to base some of the technology or the worlds around my characters based on at least something not totally against the laws of physics. Although I do take something that is at least physically possible, and then turn it on its head as if it is something perfectly normal in their universe.

Do you read yourself and if so what is your favorite genre?

I am a reader and often have two or three books happening at once. I read actual paper books, ebooks and listen to audiobooks. It all depends on where I am and what I am doing at the time.

Do you prefer to write in silence or with noise? Why?

I must have something going on in the background, usually classical music. I can’t focus without background noise.

Do you write one book at a time or do you have several going at a time?

I absolutely have to concentrate on one book at a time. Otherwise I will get the characters and polotts confused. It could definitely result in a very confusing story if I suddenly jumped a character from one book into another.

If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?

Probably Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. I absolutely love that story and have read it many times. Although I wish I could have written some of the books by any of the classic science fiction writiers like Asimov or Bradbury.

Pen or type writer or computer?

I write down ideas and concepts on paper first because I am not always at my computer. But to write the story I have to be in front of the computer and typing away.

Tell us about a favorite character from a book.

One of my favorite characters in my books has been Maripa in Hegira and Recusant. She is a real badass individual, but with a vulnerability she tries to hide from others. Life was not easy for her, but she overcame and became a powerful individual whom others trusted and followed. She also has a great sense of humor.

Advice you would give new authors?

Never give up. I received over a hundred rejection emails and letters from publishers and agents before I landed with Solstice Publishing. The market is packed with thousands of would-be writers all vying for a few spots in somebody’s corral. Hang in there, keep revising your novels and your pitch. Learn what the agents and publishers are looking for. You don’t need to write to please them, but you do need to highlight the aspects of your work that best fits what they are looking for.

What makes a good story?

I love stories with great characters. Of course, it never hurts to have those individuals inhabiting fascinating and strange worlds with cool technology and bizarre antagonists, but the characters are what drive the reader forward. You must have individuals readers care about. They must be real enough to feel some empathy for them, to identify with their struggle.

What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?

I am a combination of plodder and seat-of-the-pants writer. I do have to have a basic outline of the story in my head and in notes before beginning. I also need to have a list of each character and their description to keep everyone in place. Once that is accomplished, I simply sit down and start hacking away at the keyboard . I often have a good idea of how the story should progress, but then the voices / characters in my head take everything in a completely new and unexpected direction. I am often surprised to see what I have written in the heat of the moment.

Author Bio