What was your childhood like? Tell us your fondest memory.
Let's just say my childhood was hard. The best memories involved my own imagination and the stories in the adventure books I read.
How do you think parents and teachers can develop the interest of reading in children?
The positive impact of an introduction to reading in the young child cannot be overstated. A talented, encouraging teacher or an enthusiastic parent early on can make all the difference. My fourth-grade teacher kept a small personal library in her classroom and she let students borrow any of them they wished. I had a particular fondness for her "Hardy Boys" collection and I read through them in an excited pace.
What inspires you to create immersive, entertaining storytelling?
I believe the reader should connect with the story and it should deliver real human emotions.
Do you remember the first suspenseful thriller book you read?
The "Hardy Boys" series.
How do you, as an independent author, build your audience?
It's hard. I'm not able to devote the hours and attention necessary to do this single handily. I have a full-time job and family commitments like everyone else so I rely on those readers who are willing to give my work a read and then leave a review.
How did you come up with the idea of your book, Life Inches?
Like many of my ideas, they are all based loosely on observations and events that happen in my own life, from settings and experiences that usually happen when I'm riding my motorcycle. A story can grow out of the both the mundane and the extraordinary things we encounter in life.
Who was the inspiration behind the character of Raymond in "Autumn Choice"? R
aymond was a combination character--based on more of a set of dark, swarming emotions rather than an actual person. We can all feel overwhelmed sometimes and if you have too many setbacks all at once, it can seem hopeless. The message or point of the story was suicide prevention.
The Mill Trap is a thrilling journey of non-stop action and suspense. What inspired the plot of the story?
The Mill Trap was inspired by an old steel mill, I encountered on one of my rides. I attempted to capture the vastness and sudden loneliness of the factory. I am fascinated by abandoned places and the setting was too intriguing not to put into a suspenseful thriller.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
I would have told myself not to stop writing. I wrote my first story when I was in second grade. I was intrigued with the quotation marks surrounding dialogue in the books I read and I just had to try it out myself. Because life often gets in the way, I didn't find writing again for many years. Lost time can never be recovered.
What has it been like spending a lot of time with your family during a lockdown?
Even though I have kept working as normal, my children have been learning from home. It's been a positive experience overall because everyone is together and safe. It has been more of a challenge for them because of the social interaction experiences have been reduced.
With all the dangers that go with motorcycling, what keeps you riding?
It is the exhilaration, the freedom, and the connection with the world that cannot be experienced in any other form. An hour-long ride can be the best therapy for me to decompress and I have some of my best thoughts and ideas. It is a great headspace clearing mechanism. My decades of riding experience are invaluable with managing the risk and my caution that comes with age keeps me focused.
When you feel lost and lonely, and spending time with family and friends doesn't help, what do you do?
I always revert to riding or writing.
What is the most effective way to promote your writing as an independent author?
An abundance of online reviews rule the world today.
What are your plans for the future as a writer? Are you working on anything new?
I'm currently working on four different stories right now (It's normal for me and other writers to capture ideas as they come so they won't' be forgotten. The full stories develop later). All are in various stages but the one more than halfway complete is a thriller centered around a mysterious kidnapping.
When were you first introduced to AllAuthor and how?
I first heard about AllAuthor earlier this year through social media. It sounded like something that would benefit me as a struggling, independent author. Many thanks to the work that you do for the indies!
