Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the author of four feature-length screenplays as well as several short stories. Wonder Rush is my first novel, and I am excited to share it with the world.
My interest in writing blossomed during a film analysis class I took while studying psychology at Villanova University. In addition to a Bachelor of Arts from Villanova, I also hold a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from Boston University and a Professional Certification in Screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
When I am not writing, I work as a software developer and enjoy spending time with my wife, Rosa, and my two sons, Justin and Brandon.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Wonder Rush and it is inspired by my two teenage sons. The book revolves around a teen assassin who was stripped of her identity and is assigned a new one several times per year. She is seventeen years old and struggling with the normal pressures of figuring out who she really wants to be. That struggle is exacerbated by the fact that she never had her own identity to begin with. I see my sons growing up and becoming impressive young men, but I wondered what that journey would look like under the most extreme circumstances.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing Wonder Rush was unusual in the sense that I wrote 90% of it on my phone! I always have my phone with me, so whenever I had a few minutes, I would add a few sentences. Writing on my phone also made the process feel less formal and less intimidating. Next thing I knew, my book was done!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King has been my biggest writing influence. I honestly don’t think I would have become a writer without reading his stories. The first King book I read was The Running Man (as Richard Bachman). It was the first time reading felt fun and not a homework assignment.
While writing Wonder Rush, I started reading more YA fiction, since that’s the universe my story takes place in. I fell in love with Karen M. McManus’s One of Us is Lying series. Her new book, Cousins, is also pretty amazing.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently in the planning stages of an adult speculative fiction romantic thriller. I can’t say much else beyond that. Shh…
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I guess I’m still figuring that out. Hopefully pretty-hot.com??
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read a lot. Read constantly. Read in your genre. Read outside of your genre. My initial training in creative writing was specific to screenwriting, where there is a heavy importance placed on plot structure. That helped my novel writing tremendously. So, I would say study plot structure. Oh, and read… did I mention that already?
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never eat the yellow snow.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading The Last Flight by Julie Clark and I’m enjoying it very much.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan on continuing to write novels. Hopefully they find the audience to enjoy them!
What is your favorite book of all time?
My favorite book is Stephen King’s It. It’s a large book, which gave him sufficient room to really stretch out creatively and develop his set of characters at two distinct times in their lives. The story is perfectly paced and the characters are well crafted. It’s very difficult to take a group of similar characters and make them each stand out. King did that extremely well in this book. You can read the dialogue, ignore the dialogue tags, and still know exactly who is speaking. Each character has a unique voice, and I love that.
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