What is your favorite writing and reading genre?
Fantasy and monster books. A lot time monsters are listed under horror, but I feel in recent year's horror has changed to mean slasher. I like monster under the bed, killer out your window, not meaningless slaughter. Overall magic, monster, and legends, in a world outside of our own, is my cup of tea. I particularly like the fantasy worlds that are hidden within the one we live in (behind the curtains.)
Where and how did you get your idea for your books? I got the idea one day driving my car from here to there. I love to crank the tunes and daydream while driving (Sorry if I cut you off) and one day I came up with an idea. The idea involved a vampire, and how to explain forgiveness, VS revenge, and why revenge cannot bring no true justice. One little story blossomed into a three part series.
If a movie or TV show would be created for your books, which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead roles for your books? Chole Grace Moretz would make a great lead has Melabeth. I really think Dylan Minnette from Goosebumbs would make a great David. Raffia Cassidy would be Alice, a young vampire with wicked powers and attitude to match. When did you decide to become a writer? My little brother had always wanted to become a writer. Myself, I was more of a reader, and idea guy. We worked on stories together, and spent many a night working over different ideas. He was my best friend, and these conversations were important to me. Unfortunately my brother was unable to finish any of his works, at first he thought it was just ADD, but we found that in fact, it was a brain tumor. He passed away, too young, thirty one. A year later, I came up with an idea. I thought I should write a short story in his memory, using a couple of characters we had worked on together. It was a wonderful journey, a way of spending time with my brother, bringing back old memories, the good memories. In fact, my brother became a character in the book. What can I say? I found that I loved writing, loved creating stories. How did you get your book published? How long did it take for you to get it published? I started by self publishing, and then I was picked up by a small publisher. I wrote and published my first book in one year. The same with the second. It was shortly after the release of my second book that got picked up, and you can tell by a few changes. Better covers, and more editing. My third book took a year and a half to complete. I don’t know if there is a right path in this ever changing industry. I do know that I have learned a lot, and would have done things differently, but I have no regrets. Sometimes the best way to learn, is just to do it.*
Do you ever get writer's Block? If so, which book did you get the worst while writing? Yes, I think every writer gets blocked, we run out of ideas. I never really got stuck in one of my books, I don’t write in order. In fact, I finished the end of the second book before the first book was done. In this way I don’t get stuck. If I get blocked, I just switch and write about something else. Sooner or later, an idea will come to me and I'll go back to what I was blocked on. What is the average time for you to write a book? My first book was done in eight months, 114,000 words. Second was about the same, the book ended up about 118,000. The third book 145,000 words, took me a solid year to write. I'm not counting editing or time to print, and by the way I am working on a new series and this book has been taking me forever. I find this to be the case because I found myself now, working, writing, and marketing. The more work you put out, the more work you find yourself doing. I love it, so it doesn’t matter.
For your own reading, do you prefer kindle or paperback books? I prefer Kindle, but I want a paperback. I have hundreds of books in my pocket, ready to read at a moment's notice. Easy to move, and never collects dust. At the same time, there is nothing like paper, or finding a soft paperback on your face when you wake up. The smell, the feel, yes, I want books, but I prefer kindle. I love technology, yet, I would not mind if some of it went away.*
How are the covers made for your books? Real photos, then digitally remastered (Graphic design). My third book my daughter model for the cover, and it is my favorite by far.
What advice would you give writer wannabes and future/young authors? Three things, one, Writing is like exercising. Write every day, even if its one hundred words. If you don’t your fingers will get fat and you will be unable to type. Also, you’ll never get it done. Second, before you put the final edit, get some beta readers. (Honest readers, not your mother.) prepare yourself for the bad news, and learn how to listen. If only one reader does not like an element of your book, ask the others. If more agree, you might think about how to improve it. (Also, be ready not all will like your work. You cannot write for everyone in the world.) Third, finish your book. I won't ask you how to set my safety brake on a Porsche. Why? Because I don’t have a Porsche. So why should others tell you how to publish? It's a changing industry, and you will find plenty of opinions on how to do, but you need a book to pursue any of them and it is impossible to tell what will be right for you in the future.
What do you do during your free time, how do you relax? I am a man of many hobbies, woodworking, restoring my old Jeep and sail boat, reading, movies, and arts and craft. In all that I do, only hiking and sailing do find that I can fully relax. I love music and find that most of my ideas come to me while listing to classical music. I think it’s because there no words, no distractions, only the sound.
