Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have two wonderful children. Mikey, who is 5 and Sici who is 1 and a half. They keep me young, keep things fun and allow me to laugh every day. My wonderful wife of 8 years also puts up with my quirks and quarks, and I love her for that.
many of my story ideas are derived from my obsession with strange films and documentaries. My biggest inspiration however, is my students. I have been an elementary school teacher for eight years and I love using my storytelling ability to motivate in the classroom.
I have written 5 novels including Zombie Gang: Regenerated Earth (YA Horror), Paulie Potatoes: Gangster Crusader(YA SC-FI) and Farrah in Fairyland (YA Fantasy).
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Zombie Gang: Regenerated Earth is my latest book. Truthfully, ZGRE was inspired by fear. Nothing scared me more than Zombies as a kid. I couldn’t even watch Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. As I grew older I decided to tackle this fear by facing it head-on. I started watching and reading everything Zombie. As a result I have become sort of an aficionado of zombies.
This is my first crack at the zombie apocalypse genre and I had a lot of fun writing it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I basically become a hermit – which is hard to do with 2 kids. Kidding aside, I like to seclude myself for a few hours each day to write. My kids and my wife know not to bug daddy when he is writing, that is until I need a break. Then I’ll go out and roll around on the lawn with them for a little to take my mind off of things.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I guess it is cliche at this point, but Rowling brought the Young Adult genre to the forefront of popular culture. As an adult reading Harry Potter, it was clear that it transcended all ages. My hope is that my work will do the same, introducing readers to marvelous characters along the way.
What are you working on now?
Book two of the Zombie Gang Series – Zombie Gang: Humanity Shift. It picks up where book one left off and will be out in 2014.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Because of my video editing background, I enjoy making book trailers for all of my works. The trailer for Zombie Gang: Regenerated earth can be found here;
My website is http://brstranges.wix.com/brstrangesbooks
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write about what you know? I know that a lot of aspiring writers try to give the audience what they want, regardless of whether they know anything about that topic. My advice is to look deeply at your own world, you’ll be surprised at the stories that will be revealed to you.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Nobody is going to hand you what you want. You have to make your own opportunities.
What are you reading now?
Dan Brown’s Inferno. I love the fast-paced nature of his writing. I can get lost in his stories, astral-projecting my body away from the earth for a while.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Writing and more writing. I want to explore different genres, keeping in mind the characteristics of a modern teenage reader. In this high-tech world, teenagers move at lightning speed. I think that technology will assist both assist the writer and change the format. The digital reading /writing world excites me.
What is your favorite book of all time?
A Brave New World. This was my introduction to Sci-Fi. I am often in awe of the strange and wonderful worlds that are created in the heads of talented authors. The world that Huxley creates is off the charts.
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