Where were you born, and what was your childhood like?
I was born in Trenton, NJ and moved at a young age to a small town called Carney's Point, NJ.
Carney's Point is a small town in southern New Jersey across the Delaware river from Wilmington, DE.
How were you first introduced to writing?
I first started writing poetry. Most of my early writings were dark. I tried several times as a youth to write a novel, but most of the time, it would just end up being a short story due to not having the patience to do prolonged writing. I have learned as I got older that writing is an art of patience as well as literature.
Who all are a part of your family? How critical are they of your writing?
I currently live with My Wife, Three (of four) children, and two cats. My oldest child has started her own career and has moved away.
They all are tremendous supporters of my writing. My wife has taken on a role as my first draft editor and Beta reader.
What are your hobbies apart from writing?
My wife runs a candle business from our home and I coach Flag Football with my son.
Who is your target audience? What are some things you wish your readers would take away from your books?
I write for an adult audience, although I do think my writing would be suitable for younger adults or even older, mature minded, teenagers.
I hope that the readers come away entertained. I hope they connect with some of the characters, and care about what happens to them. If anything, I hope to inspire.
How did you come up with the title of your book, Clifford's War: The Bluegrass Battleground?
Clifford's War references the struggles of the main character and protagonist, Clifford Dee. I wanted to add a subtitle to reflect where the story took place. This book was mostly in Kentucky, USA, and the nickname for that State is "The Bluegrass State". The sequel, which should be released Fall of this year, is also going to be called "Clifford's War, but have a different subtitle. This is going to become a series.
What is the important essence or ingredient to writing a literary fiction?
I think the most important thing for a literary fiction is character development. Being character driven, it's important to have realistic characters who can be likable and/or unlikable enough for the readers to develop a rapport with them.
Who inspired the character of private investigator and military veteran Clifford Dee?
Clifford Dee is a manifestation of several friends I made while I served in the military. I sampled a few traits, even from myself, to create him.
How much amount of research, if any, was done while writing your first book?
I believe that I did a moderate amount of research. I am not very familiar with Kentucky, so I had to look into what the weather was like there, and other things like, how people from there would talk or dress. I did a lot of image searches and reviewed maps of cities and landscapes to get an idea of how life would be like living in or near these areas.
What is the great question you do not understand from your childhood until now?
The world is filled with great questions and a lot will never have an answer in my lifetime.
What are some common mistakes young writers tend to make?
Don't give up. Patience is important for writing. Thoughts and ideas are like rain. Some days it can be dry, other days it can sprinkle or drizzle, and some days it will downpour. Don't worry if the rain doesn't come right away. People have survived through flood and drought.
Do you ever leave book reviews on other author's books? What do reviews mean to you?
Reviews are great! I think its awesome when people take time to share how they liked, or even disliked your story. I love to review other works. Reviews are important because a book with a hundred four star reviews is much better than a book with two five star reviews. The more people talk about a story, will convince others to see what they are talking about. But, the more important thing is word of mouth. When people tell you about a story, you get more feeling and emotion than just reading a few good words on a page.
Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
Of course. Writing has many forms and some of them require no emotion.
What is your next book and when is it coming?
The Sequel to Clifford's War will be ready this fall. Keep your eyes peeled for "Clifford's War: Without End"
When did you join AllAuthor? What do you think of the experience so far? Do you have any feedback?
I found AllAuthor on Twitter last year. I decided to check it out and found they have many great services for authors. I think it would be great if you expanded into other social media platforms besides twitter, like Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook.
