Can you share the inspiration behind your love for writing and when you first realized that it was your passion?
I’ve been telling my little brother stories for as long as I remember. I have a vivid imagination, which can be hard to turn off sometimes… even at work. When I realized putting my wild ideas onto paper was an option, I didn’t want to waste time. When I was 8, I begged my mom to sign me up for a creative writing course. I wrote my first book about kittens named after candy. It is safely hidden in the recesses of my closet, and will never let see the light of day.
How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life, such as school, hobbies, and personal relationships?
Balance is something I struggle with. I work part-time to keep funds trickling in, but it is a huge energy zapper. After dealing with people and, ick, reality, I find it hard to sit down and concentrate. If there’s a warm blanket, cuddly cat, and a movie waiting to let my brain relax, writing flies out the window. When inspiration strikes, whether for 8 hours, or 30 minutes, I dive in. I try to remember that it's not a race, I want my story to mean something rather than just pumping out words.
What challenges did you face while working on multiple books simultaneously, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge I face is trying to avoid repetition. I have a nasty case of OCD, so I push to come up with new ways to describe my characters and plots… but sometimes paragraphs, or even pages out of my book are more complicated than necessary. Thank God I have a patient editor…
Could you share some insights into your writing process, especially with regards to how you manage to maintain creativity and momentum across multiple books?
Music plays a huge part in my writing process. Even now, there is a Panic! At The Disco song playing in my ear. I get distracted easily, and dead quiet is a recipe for disaster. My neighbor’s dog barking, my cat knocking things off shelves, the chatter of the TV… I need something to drown it out. Does someone walk past the bedroom door and see me dancing rather than writing? Occasionally yes… but I also associate certain songs with characters. If I am listening to “Power Over Me” by Dermot Kennedy, I think of Demo, and his thoughts and feelings flow through my fingers onto the page. Sometimes I fall into a rut and struggle even thinking about what a character says. Maintaining a schedule, even a small one, is very important. If I sit there and type 4 words, at least I tried.
What inspired you to start writing "Isle of the Dark," particularly for your little brother?
Since my brother could crawl I created stories that we could turn into games. I was good at it, and he loved it. As we got older I still wanted to share my stories with him, and I created some based on his favorite video games, TV shows, etc. For his 13th birthday, I started writing him a short story called Isle of the Dark. A mighty warrior catches a monster but soon realizes he isn’t the enemy. Their adventures led them to become family, with lots of action and sword fights. The more I wrote, I realized that I wanted the characters to become alive for him, wanted him to feel like he was in the story himself. 400 pages later I missed the deadline for his birthday and gave it to him for Christmas.
Can you tell us about your decision to publish "Isle of the Dark" on your 19th birthday?
Launching a book on my birthday wasn’t something I planned. My publisher started editing Isle of the Dark in early October. I had no idea how long it would take to complete, and foolishly began planning for a Christmas release. When the holidays came and went, I struggled to come up with a suitable date for the book to come out. I thought a holiday would be better for advertising purposes, but as we skated past Valentine's Day, I was concerned. My mother suggested we release it on my birthday, which was right around the corner. Take that 18- who cares about becoming a legal adult? I got to release my first novel at 19, changing my life forever.
How did the experience of guest-starring on your brother's YouTube channel influence your writing journey?
Guest-starring on my brother’s YouTube channel helped me significantly. Becoming an author didn’t prepare me to be social. I was painfully shy, and that quickly threw a wrench into the whole selling part of my job. Being on his channel led me to get invited to other YouTube interviews, and helped me get over my stage fright. It boosted my confidence and allowed me to further my career.
What motivated you to continue the story with "Acceptance In Ice" after publishing "Isle of the Dark"?
I knew that Ranger and Isle’s story wasn’t done. Becoming a family didn’t mean their days of defeating evil were over. I realized Isle of the Dark was the gateway to a whole new world, rich with supporting characters falling in love, bickering, and making me happy. I wanted to visit with them again, see what they were up to, and continue the journey. It has spiraled into four novels with a second series rattling around in my head!
How did watching "Columbo" and indulging in other hobbies like hiking and spoiling your cat contribute to the development of your characters and stories?
I love Columbo. He is so quirky, and behind the frumpy exterior is a keen mind that misses nothing. I wanted my characters to be as layered and intriguing as he is. I don’t write mysteries, but I hope they capture people’s hearts. I want you to root for them. Hiking is for my mental health. Although I enjoy being a couch potato and hermit, getting outside into the forest helps my sanity. I never know what I may see, fields of wildflowers, deer, we even saw a bear cub once, from a distance. As for my cat… she does nothing to help my writing, in fact, she drives me crazy when she lies across the keyboard. She makes an excellent pillow when I need to scream from writer’s block. So, she helps me there.
What led you to write "Sinner," and how did it fit into the overarching narrative you were building?
Sinner was a story I had rattling around in my head since I was twelve. It started as a cross-breed of Marvel’s Hellboy and Avatar the Last Airbender for my inner imagination to run rampant with. Though Isle of the Dark had been my main focus, I found myself wanting to revisit the characters I had created so long ago. Demo overcoming self-hatred and learning to embrace the other characters' love for him was important. It also felt nice to visit another world. So far, I have made it a point to have my books contain a character that becomes accepted, either by someone important or by society. I believe everyone should get to feel this way, no matter where they come from or what their circumstances are. Themes like this are as important to a story as the fantastical elements.
How did your love for "Lord of the Rings" influence the creation of "Truth at Sea"?
Oh, man. How has Lord of the Rings NOT affected my books? Fantasy, magic, monsters, swords, horses, soldiers, friendships, good vs. evil… I was doomed from the start.
How do you approach world-building and character development in your novels?
Usually, I have a basic idea of how the world/character should be, then expand on the details later. “This world holds dangerous monsters! … What kind?” The detail work is my favorite though. You start with something outlandish and fun and then get to make it more realistic.
What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your writing?
As I mentioned before, I like to weave something important through my books. Acceptance, love, family, friends, courage. These are all things I believe in, and so, I think my characters should too.
What can readers expect from your future works, and do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
The Isle of the Dark series will be completed soon! (I can’t believe it!) Isle and Ranger’s lives are changed dramatically at the end of Truth At Sea, I was cruel and ended the book on a huge cliffhanger. A sequel to Sinner is brewing. However, there are more stories I want to tell. I have a list of two dozen ideas and rough drafts stashed all over the house that will be turned into novels.
When did you join AllAuthor? What has your experience been like?
I have been part of All Author for years. I have had a great time participating in the Cover of the Month challenges, I never dreamed I would win first place for Isle of the Dark! I made short videos with my brother to get votes on social media. I’ve been the captain of a starship, Frodo in Lord of the Rings, channeled my southern belle from Gone with the Wind, and rose to the peaks like the Lion King… it has all been great fun. All Author has helped expand my reach to readers and writers alike. With great tools like the Tweet scheduler and mock-up banners, I have been able to level my advertising up.
