Where have you spent most of your childhood?
I grew up in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is where I currently reside.
Why do you write stories?
I have things to say about various aspects of life that I feel are best conveyed through storytelling.
What's the book that made you love reading?
J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
Who is the most supportive person in your life when it comes to your writing?
I’m fortunate to have received a great deal of support from a variety of people where my writing is concerned, so I prefer to not single anyone out in particular. Those folks know who they are.
How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
There was definitely a threshold that got crossed when I made the jump to writing long-form fiction. That’s a very different beast from the articles, poems, and song lyrics, and even the short stories and such, I wrote throughout my life to that point. To me, there’s a different level of focus and intensity that’s required to pull that sort of thing off convincingly and writing my first, published novel absolutely crystalized that for me.
What challenges did you face while writing your book, Academic Displacement?
There were quite a few. Creating an effective bridge between the worlds established in my first two novels was particularly tricky. Of course, the story also had to have its own tone and feel distinct from those other works to be able to effectively stand on its own. I’d say the other big challenge was writing something I knew was destined to be part of a larger work, “Shards,” so far in advance of the other stories that were included in that collection.
How did you come up with the idea of your debut novel, The Big Men?
There were many sources of inspiration for it but the common thread between them was that they were all ultimately tied to interactions I’ve had with various, prominent men over the years and my exposure to the versions of reality they tend to inhabit, which are undoubtedly a bit different from what the average person typically gets to experience.
Who received the first copy of your book, Mr. Perkins Goes to Hell?
Having been a part of the initial launch content for Amazon’s Kindle Vella storytelling platform, I’m uncertain as to who actually read it first but I’m pretty confident that it was likely one of my super fans, who were willing to follow me to that new storefront without hesitation, which I greatly appreciate.
What advice would you give your teenage self?
Concentrate on the things you love that you’re good at and it will all work out.
Would you rather vacation at the beach or in the mountains? Why?
Mountains, for sure. I prefer the scenery and despite being a solid swimmer, I’m not super enthusiastic about sharing the open ocean with random marine life, particularly in the dark, murky waters of most of the beaches I’ve been to.
Why do so many people want to write novels?
It’s a profoundly-satisfying experience to create, to will something into existence that wouldn’t be there if you didn’t make it. I think that’s a big part of it.
What are your favorite science fiction novels, and what is it that makes them so good?
In sci-fi, a solid, intriguing premise or gimmick is always a good start, be it the genetic engineering in Lois McMaster Bujold’s “Falling Free” or Ben Bova’s “Orion” series, or the tentpole concepts in classics by Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein. It’s all about taking a great hook and setting it with compelling characters, narrative elements, and other aspects, like a deftly-executed social or political commentary for example, to make it all relatable and engaging for the reader.
What activities cannot be missed when visiting Pittsburgh for a weekend?
It really depends on what you’re into. There are some great exhibition and performance venues in the downtown cultural district, some fantastic museums and wonderful places to eat almost any sort of cuisine you can imagine throughout the city and its neighborhoods. Kennywood is a fun time if you enjoy amusement parks and the weather’s nice. There are also lots of clubs and smaller venues for live music and such. Not to mention all the sports teams. Bottom line: You won’t be bored.
Do you plan on exploring other genres and mixing things up a little in the future?
One of my big goals as an author is to defy traditional genre conventions and push those boundaries a bit. I’m really not a fan of “by the numbers” genre fiction, so I’m always eager to make my mark and put my own spin on things like sci-fi, thrillers, horror, and such. I sometimes joke that I’ll someday write a romance novel but if I did, it almost-certainly wouldn’t be like any you’ve read before.
How has your experience of being associated with AllAuthor been?
It’s been pretty positive. I think some of the promotional efforts like the book cover mockups and the "Cover of the Month" contests definitely help to flesh out my social media presence in some fun and interesting ways. As with anything, there’s always room for improvement but I’ve been fairly happy with the experience so far.
