Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have self-published one full-length novel, called “Party Apocalypse.” I also have a couple of short stories, “Ronnie’s Candy Cabaret,” which is a companion story to my first novel, and “Precursor,” which is a part of a second series.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest project completed was “Precursor,” inspired by some compelling Sci-fi plots I’d been thinking over. This was a fully produced backstory for the series that follows in the Twixtaverse Canon.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing terribly unusual. I’m not very good at typing, I kind of flux in and out of capacity with a keyboard.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Some of my favorite authors include Joe Lansdale, Clive Barker, and Stephen King.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m putting the finishing touches on a story called Iconoclast. It’s a sci-fi, action-horror story about a man sent back in time to assassinate a very notable religious figure. Can you guess which one?
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I believe the best method of promoting books is to be extremely prolific and to write a long series. Unfortunately, I don’t do either of those things, so I guess I’m not the best at marketing. Maybe I don’t do it necessarily for money, though money would be an essential requirement were I to decide to quit my job and write full time. (Which is something that I would like to do).
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Read Story Engineering by Larry Brooks. A story is a living thing, like an organism. You can’t be expected to create great commercial fiction without really understanding what a story is. This book is a very long-winded explanation.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard? It’s difficult to say. I have a whole book on Stoicism that if full of great advice. No one ever told me this advice, but I would say, “Meditate once a day, for fifteen minutes or more.” Can’t go wrong with that.
What are you reading now?
I’ve been reading some business books. This latest one is called “Contagious,” by Jonah Berger which breaks down why certain media goes viral. It’s pretty clever.
What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me is to try and develop a good marketing framework for my future projects. I set up a Patreon, but so far, no one really seems interested. I’ve been thinking one of the biggest problems with being a horror writer is the format because people have no patience to sit and read in a world of movies on demand and video games. I’ve been exploring ways I could make videos of my stories, hiring an artist to make illustrations and an actor for voice work. It could double as a podcast. Could be one way to break people out of the “I don’t read” purgatory some consumers are in.
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?
Definitely the Daily Stoic.
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