What is your writing process like?
I collect my thoughts. Put on my headphones and inundate my mind with HOUSE music and write myself senseless.
How do you come up with ideas for stories and characters?
I'm constantly imagining "What and how will this story affect people" and "How scary will it make them after reading". The majority of my stories come from a sentence I heard someone say, a lyric from a song, or a thought careening around in my head. My characters are usually a blend of family members, friends, or acquaintances from my past or present.
What do the words “writer’s block” mean to you?
Nothing, I'm filled with ideas daily.
How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
Use them as a growing and learning feature.
What is the most challenging part of your writing process?
To be unique and capture my "own" voice in relaying my stories.
How long have you been writing, or when did you start?
I've been writing since 1995 but became serious about it in 2017 and self-published my first book. A horror tale about a present-day Werewolf in the city of Baltimore titled "The Shepherd Into Hell"
What advice would you give writers working on their first book?
Research, research, research. Outline your story and its characters. Don't get rattled by anything during your writing process.
How do you develop your plot and characters?
I first say the premise of the story out loud to myself. I then add onto that premise with what, who, why, and believability. The characters usually come to me as the storyline develops.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I've written two books. My first book, "The Shepherd Into Hell" is my favorite but there are several short horror stories in my latest book, "They, Are Always Watching: things that go bump in the night" that are very close to being my favorite as well.
What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
Not making the Werewolf storyline a love story.
What inspired the idea for your book?
Me thinking about how a disabled person would handle being a Werewolf. However, he's unaware of what he truly is, and the terrifying realization he gets when he realizes his new disability is killing people.
What was your hardest scene to write, and why?
The ending. Many readers loved the ending but were not too happy with it. I personally felt that the ending was an epic ending for a Werewolf story.
What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
HOUSE music.
If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose?
James Baldwin
When was the last time you Googled yourself and what did you find?
Today. I found that my books are doing well on Amazon, Barnes And Noble and Independent book stores.