Hello! I thought you guys might enjoy an in depth insight to the Me that is a writer!
What music do you listen to while you write?
Nothing, actually. I can’t focus when there is music playing in the background. I can handle the ambient noise of the office or a Panera but music is a no-no. When I’m not writing I enjoy music from groups like The Lumineers, Bastille, Vampire Weekend, Hobo Johnson, and Billie Eilish.
What interests you about the fantasy genre?
I’ve always loved the world of make-believe and I think fantasy appeals to me specifically because the only rules are ones that you create. Writing fantasy opens up so many doors that may otherwise be closed to you when writing something like romance or mystery and I enjoy using my imagination to peek through as many as possible.
How do you decide on a title for your book?
For my first book The Sword & Shield the reasons for the title are pretty obvious once you read the book, so I got lucky there. For Seer and Skye though, those are just placeholder names and I’ll trust the publishing company to decide if they want to use something else.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Nope. I used to want to be an astronaut. When I was a kid my Dad took me to a talk that was being led by Sally Ride and she signed a little model space shuttle for me (one of my most prized possessions). Sadly, they don’t take astronauts who are bad at math and get violently motion sick so I had to set that dream aside.
At what time of day do you like to write?
Any time I can. Working 40+ hours a week, attempting to maintain a social life, keeping my condo from devolving into something akin to a less cluttered form of the show Hoarders, and taking care of my cats takes up a wee bit of my time. So when inspiration strikes and I’m not actively working on something that can’t be put off then I open a word file and type like the wind. Lately I’ve been coming in to work 1-2 hours early and using that time to write. Like right now. God I’m sleepy.
How much ‘world building’ takes place before you start writing?
It depends. Sometimes when I start a book I know little to nothing about the world the main character inhabits. Sometimes it’s exactly the opposite and I know everything down to the socio-economic implications of a drought in the eastern plains and the effect that would have on wheat production. It’s a toss-up.
How many books have you written? Which one is your favorite?
As far as the number of books I have finished, the answer is two. I also have two works in progress with at least 10k words each and several ideas on the backburner. In total, I probably have about ten books rolling around in my noggin. As far as a favorite? The Sword & Shield is my first born and will always have a special place in my heart but I love them all.
That’s all for now, thanks for reading!
Bye for now!