What is one lesser-known fact about your childhood?
Even as a child I would stop to smell the flowers.
How did you find the courage to flee the big city life at the age of ten?
I was lucky with my choice of parents and they had the good sense to leave Los Angeles when I was young. I was a tag-a-long.
Which was the first book you read and how was it?
The first adult book I read that I remember is The Hobbit at the age of 6 or 7. It was, and is, fabulous! It was that or possibly Be Here Now by Ram Dass at the same age.
What finally motivated you to write your own book after decades of dreaming about writing a book?
Boredom during the COVID Lockdown of 2020 and the desire to be creative and bring a smile to others. On a deeper level, I have always felt books are the ultimate way to share a concept or story and that I have a lifetime of philosophical and creative thoughts I was inspired to share.
Your thoughts on conventional vs. self-publishing? What route did you choose and why?
I chose self-publishing for the following reasons. Allowed me to publish quickly when the market felt ripe for a book such as mine. It allowed me to retain full creative control, though I still had a professional designer and editor for the book. And finally, it retained a larger portion of the royalties for me. But this is something each writer needs to decide for themselves.
How long does it take you to write your first book?
Just under a year.
What was your experience writing and publishing your first book? What was it about, how long did it take to write and publish, and what were some of your best and worst experiences?
I was able to find two other writers in the sci-fi genre, as well as a handful of others, as alpha-readers during the writing process. I had a blast writing this book. There were times it was frustrating to be sure, but overall, it was both fun and certainly improved my writing skills. Still, looking back there are things I would have done differently. Not being able to change certain elements is the worst of the experience.
How much time did spend researching while writing your novel, Greetings, Planet Earth?
I didn't track this, but it did require a lot of research. Certainly more than a hundred hours.
How many books have you planned in the Jack Gripper series?
It is planned as a trilogy.
What is better, writing a blog or writing a book?
A book!
If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
The Way I See It
How do you explain the reading experience?
I don't. It's different for everyone.
If you had to drop everything right now and write a novel, what would it be about?
The future of humanity and earth
Which is the next book you are working on? Give us an insight into it.
The second book of the trilogy, Help, I Lost My Planet! In the sequel, Jack must cross the galaxy and realize his full potential in order to save galactic culture, while Tanisha must rally the forces back home to keep earth and humanity from disaster.
How were you first introduced to AllAuthor? Do you have any feedback?
From another author. Nope, thanks for sharing literature!
