Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a recent college graduate and I just moved back to sunny South Florida. When I am not reading every book known to man, I work as a Literacy Tutor. I love being a Literacy Tutor because I get to help people find a love for books and to see them learning to read brings a lot of joy to my life. Currently, my side-job is being an Author and I love that job just as much. I have written two books. One has been published and the other is being polished up. I am hoping to get the opportunity to write many more.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my current book is titled Primordial. I was inspired to write by a paper I was writing on ancient Greece. We always hold the Greeks to such high regard and we consider them such a modern society in archaic times. Well, I was playing around with the idea in my head of creating a city-state that was little barbaric and that went against the norm of the time. So I did my homework on Greek city-states and created the world of Khronosia and then I placed my protagonist smack dab in the middle of chaos. My main character, Cyrus, is inspired by all of the teenagers out there who are unsure of themselves with low self-esteem and who have major challenges to overcome. I wanted to write a book that they could identify with and so Primordial was born.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do have some unusual writing habits. I have to write in my bed with about nine pillows all around me and my huge hand knit blanket thrown over me to keep me warm. I can only do this at night around two o’clock in the morning and I will write for about five hours before passing out from exhaustion. The room must also be freezing cold or extremely hot. I have no idea why everything is so precise but it has become my routine.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I would have to say that all authors have influenced me in some way or another. Authors like John Green, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, P. C. Cast, or indie author Penelope Fletcher, have all had some influence on me. Out of all those named, I would have to say that Penelope Fletcher influenced me the most. Seeing her success and reading all of her books has made me want to pursue writing as something more than just me and my cat in my bed at night with only the laptop screen to light up the room. I aspire to one day influence someone else to want to pursue writing. I want to write books that draw people in and keep them entranced until they finish the book. All of the Authors I named have influenced my perception of what it means to be a creator of imagined things.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on the sequel to my first book Primordial and it is titled Enmity. I am also polishing up another book that I wrote titled Truths from an Unhinged Mind and I hoping to have that out by December. So fingers crossed that it actually happens.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Currently, I don’t have a method. I have just been trying everything in hopes that it sticks.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would say put yourself out there. Even if you think it isn’t great. The worst that can happen is that someone doesn’t like it and you can use that as a way to improve. You’ll never get any better if you don’t try.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard came from a friend of mine and she said, “Who cares if a hundred people don’t like you? There are ninety other people who do like you and their opinion matters more.” It changed by perception on criticism and my writing because I was so afraid that people were going to trash it. I realized that even if some people like what I write then that is better than anything I could ever hope for. It also helped me to realize that I shouldn’t let the bad things weigh me down because in the end the good will always outweigh the bad.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, No Easy Way Out by Dayna Lorentz, and Revealed by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast. All of them are such good books and I can’t put them down.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am going to write and publish more books. Hopefully, spread the love of reading and writing to more people. I want to spread my book around to more people and just get the chance to inspire people.
What is your favorite book of all time?
I actually just sat down and narrowed this list down to one book. I would have to say that my favorite book of all time would have to be To Kill a Mockingbird. That book shaped my opinion of the world and how people should act. I think I read this book three times a year and I still love it.
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