How long have you been writing for and how much of that time have you spent writing fiction?

I’ve been writing for 12 years, all of that time spent writing fiction with some breaks to write nonfiction.

What’s the average word count for the books you write and how long does it take you to write your average book?

I’m a “short” writer in that my books tend to be punchy with shorter sentences. So, my average novel hits anywhere from 60 to 90-thousand words. It takes me about two months minimum to write a book. If I wasn’t so easily distracted, I bet I could write a book in 4-6 weeks, no problem.

What is your writing routine (Do you have a daily word count goal? Do you write whenever the spirit moves you?)

I write full-time which means I need to treat writing as a job (it just happens to be a job I absolutely love). My alarm goes off at 5 am every morning, though my dog tends to wake me up somewhere between 4 and 5 am to go outside. I take care of administrative stuff first (e.g., email, social media & discord check-ins), then I have the rest of the day to plan/write/edit. I use a spreadsheet to track deadlines (whether contractual or a personal goal), and it auto-calculates how many words I need to hit per day to reach deadline. That helps keep me on track.

How much do you research for a book before you start writing?

I spend a full week planning out the high-level story arc, major plot points, major settings and props, and (most importantly) the character bios. I try have my characters feel three-dimensional before I start writing chapter one.

What do you find most difficult about writing a book?

Starting a new book. Chapter One is always the slowest chapter in the book.

Which of your books are you most proud of and why?

Shoot–they’re all my darlings! If I had to pick personal favorites, I could narrow it down to three: 100 Days in Deadland because it was the first book I self-published and wrote exactly how I wanted to write a book rather than what a publisher wanted (plus, zombies are a blast to write). Bounty Hunter because it’s a wild mashup of science fiction, post-apocalyptic, and western, and was too much fun to write. And Space Junk because it was a science fiction story that’s been percolating in my brain for years, and I really wanted to do it write, and I feel (hope) like I did.

Which of your books was the most difficult to write and why?

My very first novel, Knightfall, because I was clueless. I wanted to be a writer, and I just started writing without any regard to knowing what it really took to write a novel. Because of that, it took my over a year to finish, and I can’t tell you how many times I rewrote chapter one, which, ironically, my editor cut, anyway!

Which self-publishing platform do you like the most and why?

Amazon KDP since most of my self-published books are exclusive to Amazon right now. It has everything I need. But if/when I publish wide, both Kobo and Barnes and Noble have cleaner, more user-friendly interfaces. For audio, I used ACX my early years because that was the only self-publishing platform in town. But Findaway Voices is hands-down, my favorite audio platform for self-publishing. Their site is so user-friendly, anyone could use it without feeling intimidated.

Would you publish with a traditional publisher if they contacted you? Why?

I’m a hybrid author, so I both self-publish and traditionally publish. That approach gives me a more stable income and helps my books reach more readers. So yeah, I absolutely will publish with a traditional publisher if they contacted me AND offered a solid contract.

How many unfinished or unpublished works do you have?

Right now, I have 1 unpublished thriller that I need to decide what to do with, 6 unfinished novels, and a handful of unpublished/unfinished short stories. When I write a novel, I tend to focus on that novel, but a scene will often come to mind that fits a different book/genre, so I’ll switch gears and jot it down so I don’t lose it.

Do you prefer creating stand-alone books or series?

I prefer standalone, but the market demands series, so I’m writing series write now. One of these days, I’m going to write a hearty standalone and to hell with the market.

What’s one character you wish you would have created? What do you find compelling or interesting about this character?

Murderbot (by Martha Wells) is a fantastic android character who’s more human than most of us. I felt like Wells knock it out of the park with a nontraditional hero.

What book do you wish you would have written? Why?

Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry is one of my all-time favorite novels. Joe Ledger is a fun, classic hero with plenty of layers hidden below his tough guy exterior. He and his team take on some really crazy, bizarre cases, and as a reader, it seems like there’s no way Joe can survive, but somehow he does and saves the day.

Do you find it challenging to write characters of a different gender, race, or culture than you? Do you do any special research for these characters?

It depends. I try to treat every character first and foremost as an individual human being and their unique trait or demographic second. With that said, I do research whenever possible. Throttle (hero of the Flight of the Javelin series) is a paraplegic, so I needed to do some research on how that impacted her life. I had it easy in that this is a science fiction, so I could have some handy tools to assist her, but she still had challenges that a non-paraplegic doesn’t face.

What does success as a writer look like for you?

This answer changes based on where I’m at in my career. For the first ten years, I was constantly moving the carrot: success was to get published, success was make 10k ebook sales (or 100k sales), success would be to write full-time, and so on. Being able to quit the day job was the biggest measure to me, but honestly, now I see success as simple as finishing a book that I’m proud to call mine.

Writing can be a lonely job. Do you take any special steps to ensure you remain part of the world?

I’m a hardcore introvert, so I can handle the alone time better than most. But I’m also human, and I’m on several Discord “writing group” servers along with a weekly Zoom call with some writer buddies. I also do conferences to connect with kindred spirits and meet friends for writing retreats. These things refill my well and keep me connected.

Constantly sitting and writing can be physically debilitating. How do you take care of yourself, physically?

My dog saves the day here! First thing we do is start the day with a 3+ mile walk. Then, throughout the day, she lets me know if I’ve been sitting (i.e. ignoring her) for too long. There are writers who are a lot more fit than me, but I feel like I do a decent job at keeping myself from being too sedentary.

Do you read your reviews? How do you deal with bad ones?

I read reviews right after a book launches… usually for the first 3 days or so to get a feel for how the book is resonating with readers. I’ll also read a review for anyone who sends me a message with a link to the review they posted on one of my books. Otherwise, I try to ignore reviews–they’re meant for readers and customers, and not for me. I think a lot of authors take reviews personally, like the reviewers are judging the author rather than the book. But I see it that if a reader bought my book and took the time to post a review, they have the right to say anything they want about that product. The bad reviews really don’t bother me, but sometimes I find them entertaining!

What books have you read that were particularly inspiring?

Neil Gaiman’s View From the Cheap Seats. I’m a huge Gaiman fan in general, and getting a glimpse into how his life experiences shaped his writing career was both insightful and inspiring.

Do you have a favourite author? A favourite book?

My favorites change based on my mood and season. But for the past couple of years, Sam Sisavath’s books have been on my auto buy list. I love his approach to post-apocalyptic fiction. He aces the character development (Keo’s a personal favorite).

Do you plot your stories in great detail before starting to write, or fly by the seat of your pants?

I plot my stories in “decent” detail before writing. I usually have a ~2-page outline of plot points, which is enough for me to get started. As I write, I then bullet-point key plot points/scenes/actions that take place in each chapter. I try to work ahead some, but I’ve learned I can’t outline all my chapters before writing because my characters will take control and change the storyline on me.

Of all the characters in your stories, which is your favourite?

Captain Jack Hale (Space Junk). He’s a classic, larger-than-life (anti)hero, but he has a lot of depth and a ton of faults. But he’ll always do the right thing, no matter the cost to him or even to his crew. Yeah, he struggles with his humanity sometimes.

Have you based any characters on real people? If they found out, how did they respond?

Aside from an anthology project that required real-life characters (Tom Hardy), I’ve never fully based a character on a single person. I’ve used real people’s names, sure. But I mix and match character traits to create new characters. I don’t think I could write a genre story with someone I know in real life stuck in there. It’d be too jarring to the voices in my head.

What’s the best thing about being an independent author? The worst?

The best: The freedom to write and publish anything I want. The worst: The freedom to write and publish anything I want, regardless if there’s a market for it.

Do you make a living selling your books?

Yep! And I’m super excited that I get to do something I live for a living.

What advice would you give to a new author?

If you love writing, keep writing, no matter what. Don’t let life smother what your heart needs. Write that first story. Then write the next. It doesn’t matter if that first hits #1 on the charts or misses the charts entirely. Every story is a new opportunity to find your personal definition of success.