Interview

Who are your favorite authors?
My favorite authors are Walter Farley, Mack Maloney, Mark Twain, and Paige Tyler

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
The fact that it is a new day so anything can happen that day.

When you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
When I’m not writing I’m looking after the house cat, working at my job, and spending time with the man I love.

How do you discover the e-books you read?
I find out about books through Bookbub and also I find out about e-books through Amazon, Books a Million, and Barnes and Noble.

Do you remember the first story you ever read and the impact it had on you?
The first thing I wrote as poetry and that was when I was in elementary school, and no I don’t remember what I wrote that far back. As for the first story I wrote, I vaguely remember the story. It was a failed romance story I tried to write, it turns out I don’t have a talent for romance stories.

How do you approach cover design?
I think about the story of the book and what I feel will compliment the book.

What are your five favorite books, and why?
That’s really hard to answer. I love the Wingman series by Mack Maloney, I have every Black Stallion book Walter Farley ever wrote and even the ones his son Steven wrote. I love “The Hobbit” and the Lord of the Rings series, one of my brothers turned me on to them years ago. I even enjoy the SWAT series by Paige Tyler which is romance. So for those trying to figure out what my book type is, I just listed Action-Adventure, Young Adult, Fantasy, and Romance. So I like a bit of this and that, as long as it’s fiction.

What do you read for pleasure?
Please read the previous question.

What is your e-reading device of choice?
I have two, Kindle and Nook apps. Both are apps on my computer and on my phone.

What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Since this is my first book I’ve published I’ll let you know later.

Describe your desk.
It’s a lap desk. So my laptop can go with me anywhere I want.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in a town near Raleigh, NC. It had a lot of different types of people around me which may have no doubt influenced my first book in a way.

When did you first start writing?
Like I said, in elementary school.

What motivated you to become an indie author?
I’ve had an active imagination my whole life. Also, I’ve been a bookworm my whole life too, so I wanted to see what I could do when I put the two together.

How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
They have helped me find a way to follow my dream of getting published which I couldn’t find a way to do as a first-time publisher. I was strapped for money so publishing paperback wasn’t an option so I was looking at e-book formats, but I didn’t have any knowledge of publishing or selling in the world of e-books. Smashwords has been wonderful in teaching me and helping me in getting published and helping me learn about the world of e-books.

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Being able to share my imagination with other people. Though that can be both a good and a bad thing.

What do your fans mean to you?
Fans are the most important thing for any author, any artist. No matter what a critic says, in the end, it’s what the fans and readers say and believes about your work that gives the artist’s work power. If anyone wants proof look at science fiction movies and tv shows. A lot of them have cult followings and that’s not because of critics but FANS. So I truly believe in the power of fandom.

What are you working on next?
As of right now (July 3, 2017) I’m working on the sequel to my first book “The Drak’tdon’s Survival”

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
My first book I ever wrote was over 20 years ago. I was making an attempt to write romance and I was terrible at it. I have a copy of it somewhere, my parents may have it. Would I ever publish it? No.

What is your writing process?
There’s no procedure for art. Everyone is different. For me I start with an outline on paper, then I type it up so if I can, I can add bits and pieces to the outline while typing it up. After I’m done typing the outline then I start writing in prose. That takes the longest time because what starts out on the outline and what ends up as the final draft doesn’t always end 100 percent. My imagination always ends up adding and altering stuff.

What’s the story behind your latest book?
Without giving out too much, the next generation of my first book continues what the first generation started with new problems when they find a group of planets.

Write your own question here!
‘Your own question here!” JK