Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m the quiet kid with his secretive wild side. The outcast in school. The metalhead. The boy who wrote comic books in fifth grade and always envisioned his stories adapted onto the big screen.
I’ve written many short stories since I was a kid. Like Lizard Man, a paranormal thriller inspired by a mythological beast I read about. Or Luna, a future sci-fi I wrote for my astronomy class that focused on a bitter astronaut stationed in the moon who was faced with a choice of saving earth from greedy politicians or cleansing the earth from its disease: humans.
When it comes to books, however, I’ve written two. To Tame a Dame, a crime thriller set in LA in 1928. And Void, a book I like to describe as, A Wrinkle in Time, but for adults.
I’m obsessed with unique and adventurous stories that blend multiple genres and explore the human condition; stories that place emphasis on the emotional ties of the characters rather than anything else.
Like Joel and Ellie’s growing bond in The Last of Us.
Or Zuko’s character arc in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Or Ciri and Geralt’s reunion in The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Or Cooper literally outgrowing his son and daughter in Interstellar.
These are the type of stories I aim to make.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
To Tame a Dame: A Novella Set Within The Void Universe.
To Tame a Dame stemmed from a subplot part of my other book, Void. In particular, the relationship between two characters. I wanted to explore the beginning of that relationship, so I went from there. The writing process for Tame a Dame was definitely letting it all unfold. I had no plan, unlike Void.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t think so. I mean, I talk with my characters every now and then, but what fictional author doesn’t, right? RIGHT?
I’d say my writing habits are pretty normal. I don’t, let’s say, go all Buffalo Bill in order to channel the mindset and emotions of a certain psychotic character. But now that I think about it… that’s not a bad idea.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stylistically wise, George R.R. Martin. He inspired me to write in third-person limited and make my books somewhat of an ensemble. He also influenced my books to be more realistic and dark. How so, you ask? By not making things black and white. By making the heroes commit vile deeds and by making the villains commit holy ones. And by not being afraid to kill off characters. Than you, George, you evil son of a gun.
In terms of influencing me personally, J.K. Rowling. Now, I may have not read Harry Potter yet, I know, I know, take it easy on me, BUT! I have read about her story. Her struggle to publish Harry Potter whilst raising a daughter on her own and leaving behind an abusive relationship. She’s a strong woman who sticks to her guns and doesn’t let the public inlfuence her. I love that about her.
What are you working on now?
Void. It’s about a man making a journey through space and time in hopes of bringing his wife back from the dead. I love blending mulitple genres and Void is a thriller, a fantasy, and a sci-fi.
It was never my intention at first, but Void is my way of stating to the public and my readers that I will not tie myself down to one genre.
What stories will I write?
A little bit of everything. I don’t like tying myself to just one genre because I don’t want to be known as a fantasy writer, or a thriller writer, or a romance writer. Much like Christopher Nolan, my interests are just way too vast and expansive.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Since I’m new at the promoting and business end of things, I don’t have a set answer for this. However, I do feel like cinematic book trailers are a hell of a way of promoting it. At the end of the day, a ton of people prefer visuals over reading.
I believe my books will reach a new audience: those that don’t like to read. The cinematic book trailer is the hook; the book is what will make them stay. It’s written differently. How? It’s an ensemble and it’s written in present tense.
Present tense tends to be frowned upon with writers, but I see the benefit of it. If done right. It can instantly transport the reader into the world they are reading. Everything that’s going on, is going on right then and there.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
In the wise words of a wise young man named Shia Labeouf, just do it.
Just kidding. Kind of. Not really.
Look, there’s a ton of advice I could give out. But seeing as I still need to master the business side of things, let me focus on the creative aspect of an author.
Keep writing. Don’t give up.
If you have an idea for a story that you feel great about, follow through with it, and finish the project. Don’t worry about how the final product will look.
Your first draft will not be great. I wish I saved my first draft of Void so I could show the world how horrible it was, but I deleted it out of shame. It had issues with tense: I would switch between present and past; it had issues with POV: I would switch between third person limited and omniscient; and it had issues with dialog: I would rely too much on it to carry the plot forward and delve into a character’s psyche.
The point being, it had issues.
But, with each revision, it got better and better and better. So, never surrender, my dear lads. You’ll get there.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
J.K. Rowling has a page on her website that gives writers advice on honing your craft. What I loved about this post is that it isn’t a, “The Secret to Becoming a Better Writer,” type of article, but rather, an introspective one that forces the writer to seek the answer themselves.
There are no secrets in life, kiddo. No path that will instantly lead you to glory. That takes time and perseverance. And the better you know yourself, the better you can attain whatever it is you desire.
What are you reading now?
Because I’m still working on my books, I don’t have much time to read. I’m still finishing the Witcher series (The Time of Contempt sure is making me contemplate if I can finish this book, ba dum tss. Thank you, I’ll be here all night.)
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have a game plan set for the next ten to twelve years. I can delve into each book I have, but I’ll take up too much space. So, to summarize…
I’ve got four books lined up, each a different genre. I’m also thinking of releasing a collection of novellas, all of them will tie to Void (the sub-plots of characters whose story was left unfinished. It had to, the focus is on two main characters named Perseus and Idris.)
After that, I plan on taking a long break from writing. I’ll be in my mid-thirties, and I think I’ll be ready to start a family around that time.
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?
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
1. The best book on how to survive living on a stranded island (uh, duh!)
2. The Holy Bible (should I run into a tribe, I can use the book to get them to do my bidding and become their leader. Hey, it’s been done before, kiddos. I gotta survive! DON’T JUDGE ME!)
3. An extra empty bible that can carry my flask. (Gotta be resourceful while pretending to look busy as I give orders to my tribe.)
What? Did you expect answers like, A Game of Thrones? A Series of Unfortunate Events? What good are those books gonna do on a deserted island?! HUH?!
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