Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
False Front is my first novel. I was a columnist and film critic for over ten years and have previously written for print media and television. In 2016, I created, wrote, and executive produced a ten-episode comedy for ATT’s Audience Network. Hopefully, False Front will be the first of many.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title, False Front, came after a lot of internal debate. I had kicked around titles as simple as a single word and as complicated as a Shakespeare quote. I happened upon the title while I was describing the story to a friend. I explained that both of the main characters were hiding behind false fronts. Then it hit me. It’s kind of like trying on wedding dresses; when you find the right one, you just know.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’d love to say that I write in a tree or obsessively listening to Vivaldi, but no. I’m pretty boring, sitting at a desk or table in a quiet place and letting the words flow.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Every book I read influences me in some way. The best thing law school taught me was to look at a situation from every angle. Different writers bring different perspectives, and I love reading about how authors create their characters and build the world of their stories. My favorite classic novels are Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, The American, and This Side of Paradise.
What are you working on now?
I’m writing the next book in the Bishop Security series, doing a deep dive researching Ponzi schemes and art theft. It’s fascinating.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a difficult question to answer as I’m still figuring a lot of this stuff out. I’m a writer, not a promoter or marketing whiz, so I need all the help I can get.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Oh, and unless you have a very thick skin, get feedback from people you respect and from whom you have some distance. Your loved ones and close friends should be your cheerleaders not your critics.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Wear sunscreen.
What are you reading now?
I try to alternate informative books with guilty pleasures and beach reads. I’m currently reading Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. Next up: Cold & Deadly by Toni Anderson.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m trying to stay in the moment, focusing on the book I’m currently writing. If other ideas occur to me, I jot them down to look at later.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I’d bring something that makes me laugh like David Sedaris, Naked, something that makes me think: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson, and something that makes me happy: Emma by Jane Austen. I’d probably also hide a naughty romance under my hammock 😉
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