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1. Paperback, hardback, audiobook?

I love all of them, but I prefer paperback when it comes to reading.

2. Pick a genre, any genre!

Urban Fantasy.

3. What is the first book you remember reading?

Who Put the Pepper in the Pot by Joanna Cole.

4. What book shaped your childhood most?

I read a lot as a child, but the Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey were particularly important to me at the time.

5. When did you first start writing?

In early grade school, I wrote a lot of short stories. In high school, I started writing for a local newspaper, which resulted in me becoming a journalist.

6. What made you want to write? Does it still hold true?

I just had a lot to say. I think that’s still true now.

7. What book/poem are you most proud of creating?

My first book The Pyre Starter. It took the most energy to write and is the longest thing I’ve written. It taps into my mental health issues and introduces my favorite character Dakota.

8. Did you publish your first book or is it for your eyes only?

I did! I published it with a small press called JMS Books.

9. How many books/collections have you published so far?

Eight. A seven-book series called The Talisman War, and a stand-alone sci-fi called Visions of Iotan.

10. What genres do you write in (or hope to)? 

Urban fantasy, sci-fi, and epic fantasy. I may dabble in horror eventually, and all my books are LGBTQ+ oriented.

11. Do you do research for your writing or is it all in your head? 

Gotta do research. I can’t imagine doing no research at all for a story.

12. To plan, or not to plan your plot?

I never plan. I pants the whole thing. I let the characters and events tell me how to proceed.

13. What route of publishing have you chosen? Do you plan to stick with it?

I’ve done small press, but I intend to go traditional if possible.

14. If you could live inside another author’s universe, which one would you pick? (Ex: Middle Earth, Narnia, etc.) 

Probably Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar. I like the talking horses, magic, etc.

15. Do you currently have a WIP?

I do! It’s called A Melody of Chaos, and it features a lesbian bard as the main character. It is an epic fantasy, and it is currently being beta read.

16. Tell me about the character you’ve created who is dearest to your heart.

Dakota Crossley from The Talisman War series. He has clinical depression and is suicidal for part of the first book. He also has a chronic illness, and is disabled for much of the series. He cares deeply for the people around him and is willing to do anything to protect them.

17. What do you consider your *current* magnum opus? 

Probably my seven-book series, because it took so much effort to create.

18. Do you have a favourite romance in your books? Or, if yours features no romance, tell us about your favourite character friendship!

I do. It’s Dakota and Terrell from my series. They split up and get back together (spoiler alert), and while it is not Dakota’s best love, it is the most enduring. They fit together. They are the endgame of the series.

19. Do you listen to music as you write? Recommend a favourite writing song.

I actually don’t. I put on the Weather Channel as background noise. BUT, my favorite writing song has got to be ‘The Book of My Life’ by Sting. It’s a great song.

20. Do you have any character art for your books, whether by you or another artist? (Be sure to credit/link if you can!)

I made some picrew drawings, but since I don’t have the links anymore, I can’t credit them.

21. If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?

Don’t listen to writing advice. It’ll make you doubt your writing, which kills creativity. Let an editor fix errors after the fact.

22. Have you entered any writer contests? Tell us about your experience!

I entered writing contests for print journalism and won a Gold Communicator Award for a piece on LGBTQ+ people in engineering education. I have not entered any writing contests for fiction.

23. Who are your top 5-10 favourite writers?

Stephen King, Mercedes Lackey, Robert Frost, Michael Crichton, William Ernest Henley, and many others I can’t think of right now.

24. Link us your book/twitter/goodreads or wherever we can best connect with you!

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