1. How did you get started writing?
As a last resort. I realized I had an overwhelming desire to create in college. Originally I thought I could achieve that in biology but we’re not there yet unless your happy with creating viruses. The day to day aspects of research didn’t scratch that itch so after burning out I started looking for an outlet. I spent years attempt to teach myself various things, drawing, 3d modelling, a small bit of programming. Nothing really stuck. I wanted to make comics but couldn’t draw so I attempted write comics and hiring an artist to draw them. That worked alright for a few years but that comic didn’t find much of a following and once I lost my job, I lost my artist and the comic went dead.
That was about eight years ago. I realized that the only thing that had been a constant through all this exploration in one way or another had been writing. The kindle and the independent author movement was just getting started at that point and I decided to focus myself on novels. I’ve been working on novels ever since.
2. Out of all your books, which one is your favourite and why?
High Steaks, the third Freelance Familiars book. Its got high action, large stakes, a good balance of new and old characters. I’m immensely proud of how I managed to pull off and balance its multiple character arcs.
3. What is your favorite thing to do outside of writing?
I tinker with one thing or another. Right now I’m poking around with videogame development.
4. What do you love most about the genre you write?
I love urban fantasy because its right with us. You can tap into the common language of the modern would without the need for much world building. You start with the reader’s current reality and show how its different.
5. What do you want readers to take from your books?
A laugh, a smile and an occasional tear.
6. Describe yourself in 3 words.
Very Loud Laugh.
7. What made you decide to write in your current genre?
Honestly it was a bit of an accident. I was working on a big Scifi book but burned out and needed a break. Nanowrimo was coming so I decided the ridiculious idea about a guy who got turned into a mountain lion and didn’t want to be a witch’s familiar. Wrote it in two months and actually finished it. Figured I might as well put it out there (after some heavy editing). Turned out folks liked it and the Freelance Familiars series was born.
8. Tell us about your current release/or new release?
Working hard on the fifth freelance familiars book, Pride Fall. Thomas gets pulled into a magical civil war that could endanger both his family and an entire city of mudances.
9. What does your writing space look like?
*Looks over his desk* You don’t want to know. I’m a pretty disorganized and messy person.
10. What’s the one piece of technology you can’t live without?
I need a word processor, I can’t write without it. My handwriting is dreadful.
11. Do you find it hard to kill off your characters?
Not really. My audience has threatened me if I kill off certain ones.
12. How much of your characters are based on your traits or someone you know personally?
I don’t do that.
13. What are you working on now? Can you share a teaser of it with our readers?
There is a scene in Pride Fall where it literally rains lions.
14. Is there one genre that you have not written in yet, but would love to try writing?
I would like to get back to that scifi space rock opera.
15. What do you do when a flash of inspiration hits you at an inopportune moment?
Try to remember it for later?
16. What keeps you going while writing?
Adderall. I have ADHD. 😛
17. What’s next for you?
I’d like for Oregon to be less on fire so I can go outside. I can handle this social isolation thing fine but its really not fun coupled with Covid. Can’t do anything now.
18. Where can we find you on the internet?
