Born in Flint, Michigan, which is your favorite childhood memory? When did you move to the nearby town called Clio?
I was born in Flint because that's where the hospital was. My hometown, Clio, was very small and had no obstetric facility. I lived in Clio from the day I came home from the hospital with my mother.
What developed your passion for reading? Who was your favorite author?
I developed a love for reading very early on, mostly because y mother was a voracious reader, herself. She also read to me, and I can't remember a time when I didn't have books in my life. The first writer I can say was truly a favorite was William Shakespeare. I read all of his plays when I was five years old and was entranced by his use of language.
What made you fall in love with poetry and storytelling?
Poetry and storytelling are in my blood, I think. My parents encouraged me to read and to learn, and I had an absolute need to absorb new information. Stories about people and adventures thrilled me, and it was also a means to escape some of the unpleasant things that happened around my world at the time.
Out of all the genres that you have written, which one is your favorite? Why?
I love fantasy best. It's limitless. If you can imagine it, it can happen in a fantasy story. It's also my favorite because a fantasy setting gives you the chance to explore essentially alternative histories. I've always been a huge history buff, but if you take almost any historical event and tweak one thing - the Aztecs having immunity to European diseases, for example - and you create a fantasy world that you can explore.
What is the story behind "The Four Powers"? What do you enjoy most about writing fantasy?
"The Four Powers" is about a young man named Pedar who finds himself in the middle of events he could never have imagined involving magic, dragons, and his own nature. The thing I enjoy most about fantasy is that it gives us a chance to examine our own world and societies through a slightly skewed lens, which reveals the absolute truths about humanity. Change the environment, change the circumtances, but human nature is essentially immutable.
What do you love most about writing paranormal romance? Where do you get your research material regarding information about the paranormal world?
I enjoy writing paranormal romance for the same reasons I enjoy writing fantasy. In my mind, it's much the same - it's human nature couched in a set of "what if" propositions. I've been researching the paranormal since I was a child, so I have a vast collection of folklore, superstition, and public domain stories that form the base skeleton of the monsters and creatures in my paranormal worlds.
What inspired you to write a collection of stories that spans 10 years in your career, "Collected Stories"?
I had all of these stories sitting around with nowhere to go, and I thought several of them were quite good. I wanted them out in the world, and a collection seemed to be the best way to do that.
How was your experience of writing "Awakening: Alien Menage Romance" with Amelia Wilson?
I never actually met her. I've never spoken to Amelia Wilson. I was contacted by a gentleman who is her representative and he gave me three extremely broad checkpoints that they wanted in a novel, and then I was free to write whatever I wanted. I had complete autonomy. I was able to create as I pleased, and I was paid an upfront fee. Miss Wilson's name was added to the book, and she collects the royalties. It was an interesting arrangement.
How did you get started with the Rune Series? Do you find it more challenging to write the first book in a series or to write the subsequent novels?
The process of starting the Rune Series was the same as with "Awakening". I was contacted by Miss Wilson's representative, told that they wanted a book about vampires and ancient magic, and then they turned me loose. I got an upfront fee, wrote the whole book, and then turned it over to them. Miss Wilson's name was added, and she gets the royalties. As far as challening, I think it's harder to write the later books, because you have to keep track of all of the minutiae that arose in the books that went before. The first book is much easier because you're laying the initial groundwork and you don't really have to check yourself for continuity as much as you do in later books.
Collected Poems is a collection of raw and emotional poems. Was the writing process different and what challenges did you face writing poetry?
Poetry for me is catharsis. I find that when I'm at my most emotional, words pour out in the form of poetry rather than as prose. It's almost involuntary.
What is the Clans Saga about? Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?
The Clans Saga is a series about a pair of vampire twins who were the first of their kind. The Saga tells about how they find their place in the immortal world, and how they claim their right to existence among the other kinds of vampire who want them dead. There's a lot of allegory in the Clans books, which I try not to talk about too much, because it scares people off.
Besides being able to do what you love for a living, what are some other perks of being a writer? Is there anything you particularly dislike?
The perks of being a writer are that you're allowed to daydream without repercussions, and you're virtually expected to be eccentric, so there's no need to try to hide my weirdness. The part I hate is marketing. I'm bad at it, and I hate the repetition that's involved in stumping for a book, because I feel like I'm bothering people.
What advice do you have for any budding writers out there? What are some ways you try to keep growing as a writer?
My advice for budding writers and the ways I try to keep growing are the same. Never stop learning. Don't give up. Pay attention to the world around you and learn from news stories, histories, and other people's mistakes. Be open to inspiration wherever it comes, even if it seems "silly". Last but not least, be kind to your own mistakes. You can learn from them.
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?
I'm continuing with the "Arthur Rex" series, and books two and three are written and edited. I'm working on book four now. I'm also working on other books, including a couple of stand-alones in the Clans universe.
What are some websites you like to use for your book promotions and how do you think AllAuthor measures up?
I think AllAuthor is the best out of the websites I've encountered.
