What’s your happiest memory from childhood?
I loved hanging out in my father's garage or my grandfather's workshop, watching them and helping when I could. Every Sunday, they would mow their lawns, work on cars, then either go fishing or have a round of golf. The smell of fresh cut grass and motor oil still makes me smile.
Were you a big reader as a kid too? If so, what were some of your favourite books then?
Oh, yes! From the time I learned to read until adulthood, I always had a book with me wherever I went.
Some of the books that I remember best are:
The MacDonald Hall series by Gordon Korman
The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Choose Your Own Adventure books
At what age did you begin writing your first story? What was it about?
Around 1st grade, our teacher encouraged us to start writing simple stories. That summer, I wrote my first multi-page story about a group of kids who turned their rusty old swingset into a new type of car so they could go on adventures. I remember you had to swing very high to power it and the chin-up bar was used to steer.
What is there to see and do in Iowa?
It's a beautiful state if you enjoy spending time outdoors - camping, boating, hiking, etc. Most people don't realize how many cities we have, so it's always a short drive to see a minor league baseball team or a touring off-Broadway production. As a history buff, I love visiting museums and other historic spots.
As a Newspaper Webmaster, how much do you charge for your work, per article or word?
I didn't write for that newspaper. My job was to pull all of our articles together onto the website in a way that was entertaining and easy to use. That involved graphic design, HTML coding, and also coding through an open-source language that allowed me to automate the process, since the paper printed at midnight every night.
We won an award from the Associated Press for Best Website the first year that I took it over, beating out the larger papers in the state, so I'm quite proud of that.
What is the significance of the title of your novel, In the Sleep of Death?
The phrase itself is from Shakespeare, Hamlet's soliloquy. He is comparing death to sleep and asking what dreams may arise. I've always been fascinated by that idea.
I also love the character of Death as someone with thoughts and emotions. So if Death was a man, what would he dream about?
Who inspired the character of Lorena Whittaker in "In the Sleep of Death"?
Her appearance and attitude are directly modeled on my great-great-great-aunt Missouri. I heard so many stories about her from my grandmother and great-grandmother growing up that I always felt like I knew her, even though she died 60 years before I was born.
I have a tintype portrait of her that I kept by my desk while I was writing.
Why do companies use brain teasers and logic puzzles as an interview screen?
Actually, I've never encountered this. It does make sense, though, because those puzzles have taught me to use logical steps to figure out a problem.
What life lessons have video games taught you?
Growing up, video games were a way to socialize - first in arcades, then in friends' houses, then with younger family members. Now I use them as a way to clear my mind from the stress of the day, so that I can reset and be more positive for my family.
What is the most elegant line of code you've developed and why?
No one has ever asked me about my coding before! Thank you!
I'm not sure which bit of script I was most delighted by, but one thing that I enjoy is leaving notes for myself as I go. It's good practice to annotate a script, describing what each section is so that anyone else who picks it up will be able to navigate it more easily. I go one step beyond that by also describing why I am doing it a certain way, and sometimes adding jokes. I have made myself laugh out loud by finding hidden nuggets like that years later.
I also have fun with my variable names. It isn't at all uncommon for me to use names of characters from the last great novel that I read.
What is the best piece of advice you could give someone about life?
My grandmother once told my mother (who passed it on to me) that when life gets to be overwhelming, you can always find beauty in nature and take a minute to appreciate it. I've made myself put that into practice for the last year and it has helped to keep me grounded and finding ways to stay positive.
What TV programme have you rediscovered and started watching since lockdown?
I've had to work at the office every day, even when most of my city was under quarantine, so I haven't had to change my lifestyle as much as most people that I know. However, during the worst periods of 2020, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Disney were lifesavers.
I mainly focused on bingeing comedy shows like "WKRP in Cincinnati," "News Radio," and "Gilmore Girls."
We stumbled on Jimmy Carr's "Little Quiz of the Lockdown," and found every past episode of "The Big Fat Quiz."
And I finally got to see "Hamilton," and I am obsessed with it.
What are you currently working on? May we know when we can expect a new book?
I have two different novels in progress right now. My goal is to have one of them ready to publish in two years, with the second one following after that.
What do you think of AllAuthor? Has this website been helpful to you?
I am so glad I found AllAuthor! My favorite part has been the graphics creation areas for quotes and reviews. That alone has been worth the price of the subscription.
