Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a California Bay Area writer, author, filmmaker, and adventurer. Adventure is in my blood, and is embedded so deeply into my life that the writing and adventuring cannot be separated. I’ve explored shipwrecks, climbed icy peaks, camped out in torrential storms, backpacked Europe, rock climbed with world record holders, surfed up and down the California coast, learned french, explored ghost towns, and became a SCUBA Divemaster.
I having this saying that boring living equates to boring writing. I want to be the most adventurous writer because I believe that, in doing so, I will be able to write honestly about a myriad of places and subject matters.
I can’t separate the adventuring from writing because the two are seamlessly intertwined. To be able to write honestly requires curiosity and exploration.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Day One Was published in December of 2015. It’s about a couple who are shipwrecked on an island and have to learn how to survive the elements and the tension building between each other.
At its core, it is about identity and where the modern woman fits in. Can a woman be both nurturing and tough? Can she take on a leadership role and still keep her femininity? Often in literature, women are portrayed as an alpha female or as weak and submissive. I wanted a character who treads the line between the two.
So much of survival is about utility: find food, filter water, seek shelter. I wanted to explore what that looks like for a woman. We often have a knack for making things beautiful and tend to look at the world through the eyes of beauty and not mere utility. Food, water, and shelter keep the body alive, but beauty nourishes the soul. Each are vitally important. The body is actually quite resilient. It’s the mind you have to watch out for.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to turn on soundtracks to epic films like “The Lord of the Rings” when I write. There’s nothing like letting writing a gunfight to Hans Zimmer.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy introduced me to the spy genre. In terms of character development and building a compelling antagonist, the Bourne series have been monumental in my love for the genre.
As a screenwriter and film enthusiast, film tends to influence my act of storytelling more than literature. I love reading, but I also love watching and becoming a character in the story. Film is very point-of-view driven and really puts you into the eyes of the character in a way that literature can not. When I write, I visualize the “film” of my story and then write what I see.
Right now, I’ve been deeply impressed by some of the very narrative and character-driven television shows. The way they play with time, build character arcs and use literary devices makes them closer to traditional literature than their sitcom predecessors.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a spy thriller titled “The Takeover” about a Russian plot to infiltrate the US presidency.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Writing books that people love and refer to other readers is never a bad strategy. I do a little online promoting, but most of my time is devoted to writing.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t write what your English teacher wants you to write. If you do that, you might make it into a literary journal. If you’re lucky you’ll get a free copy out of the deal. Is that really what you want from your writing career?
Write what keeps you up at night. Write what makes you type until 4 am without looking at the clock. Write what brings you to laughter or tears. Just write for yourself and the readers will come.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I had a film professor tell me that story is conflict. Without conflict, you have no story. I wanted to write about nice things, nice people, and nice experiences. Nice doesn’t create a story, conflict does. All plots can be boiled down to this: a character wants something that is hard to get. Boom! There’s your story.
What are you reading now?
A book on self-discipline. I’m trying to train myself to be systematic about how I approach daily activities so that I don’t waste time. I’m also reading “A Cold and Broken Hallejuha” by Tyler Dilts. He was one of my English professors at Long Beach State. I recognized his name when I was book shopping and decided to give him a try.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m hoping to finish “The Takeover” this summer, then start on the next book. I’ve got several potential sequels to work on and a short story that I’d like to expand into a three-part series. Also, there’s a sci-fi plot I’m working on. Basically, I’ve got several years of material to work on.
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?
Day One because it’s practically got a roadmap for survival built in.
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