His first novel, a mystery titled, Even Dead Men Play Chess, was published in 2007. There are two more books in that series, The Grandmaster’s King, and Till Tomorrow.
His newest novel, We Be Dragons, is a coming-of-age story set within a small rural community in 1986 and features fantasy elements (Dungeons & Dragons).
Do you have a writing routine? Where and when do you write?
Once I start a project I try to write after dinner at my desk, but since I write in a notebook, I will write wherever I am if necessary.
Do you have any patterns or rituals associated with your writing time?
I’m old school and it seems to shock people when they discover I do all my writing by hand. I’ll buy a thick notebook and a pack of Bic pens and go to town. I put each chapter into the computer as I finish it though so it’s not a big slog of typing at the end.
What do you do when you hit a wall with your writing?
I try to end a writing session at a point where I know what’s going to come next but yes, sometimes that wall looms. In that case I go for a walk, go over my notes, and think about any scenes that may be in my head. But no matter what, I write something, even if it’s one sentence, that way there is always forward movement.
Do you plan your book in advance (plotting and outlining) or are you a “discovery writer” (AKA “writing into the dark”)? Or are you somewhere in between?
I let the idea roll around for a while and write a lot of notes prior to beginning but I’m not an outliner. Once I have a beginning and an ending in my head, along with a general idea of the story I want to tell, I’ll sit down and begin. Doing it this way works for me because my characters often do things I’d never thought about!
What’s the last book you read that made you go “wow!”?
I found Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz-Zafon much later than most (it was published in 2001) and I thought his writing style was amazing. It drew me in very quickly with the choice of language and imagery. Loved it.
What book or author do you find yourself recommending and why?
My go-to recommendation is If on a winter’s night a traveler… by Italo Calvino. It was assigned reading in a college course, and it blew me away, it was so different from anything I’ve ever read. Still is.
What’s on your To Be Read pile?
I read a lot of series, so I have books by Louise Penny (the Inspector Gamache mysteries), and Ann Cleeves (the Shetland mysteries) on my list, along with The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and anything at the library that looks interesting.
What advice do you have for writers?
Once you start your project, write every day without exception. Don’t edit anything until you’ve finished the first draft. Get the story out, then edit it.
What author, past or present, would you wish to have a long conversation with? Why?
I would love to talk with Jules Verne. What kind of life did he lead, what dreams did he have, what questions did he ask of the world to come up with the stories he did? For the time he lived in, his books were extraordinarily imaginative. And his language was challenging. Have you read some of the scientific descriptions in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?
Do you have early memories of reading or writing you’d like to share?
I’m lucky to have parents that encouraged me to read very early on. My favorite book when I was young (2nd grade) was Agent K-13 The Super Spy by Bob Teague and illustrated by Geoffrey Moss. The story stuck with me my entire life and I finally tracked down a copy so I could read it again!
As for writing, my first novel was called the Adventures of Zenon. It was a full-blown rip off of Star Wars that I wrote when I was 8 years old.
What books and/or authors have most influenced you as an author?
I don’t think there’s been any one author or book I’ve been most influenced by. Having been a reader my whole life, I think I was very lucky to read many styles and dip my toe in a variety of genres. I read a lot of Stephen King in high school, but I also read Jean Auel, Terry Brooks, and Robert Ludlum.
I really enjoy the art of storytelling, and the variety of styles is what has influenced me.
What do you most enjoy about being a writer? What do least enjoy about being a writer?
I enjoy the challenge of writing a story that only I know anything about – and even then I don’t always know the whole thing! I discover things about the story while I’m writing it.
What I don’t like, most of the time, is how long it seems to take. I’ve caught myself thinking, “just be done with this so I can start editing and make it better!”
What would you tell a new writer?
Read anything and everything. When it comes to writing, write what you want, not what you think others want to read.
Write the story you want to write.
