Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My first produced project was a stage play in a “New Works and New Genres” series at Chicago’s Organic Theater. I loved the experience and enjoyed watching the show come together. In Los Angeles, I turned to screenwriting, won an award, and eventually wrote a handful of thrillers that were made for film and tv. The fantasy genre, however, is one that I decided to tackle in book format, so after authoring two children’s picture books, I dove into my novel, The Gondoliers.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Gondoliers: The Secret Journals of Fanticulous Glim, just came out as an eBook (in addition to the hard cover edition). It was inspired by my own visits to Venice when I was young, and then again when I returned with my daughters years later. My father was born in the region so the history and the local folklore was always something that I found interesting, and it was a world that I thought could be full of mystery, intrigue and magic.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Hmm…trying to create characters that will take an unknown reader through a fantastic story that only exists, for the moment, in your mind…
Nope, nothing unusual to see here, moving on…
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I always look back to Dickens and Austen, because I love how they paint pictures and characters with words. I appreciate the detail of the worlds created by Tolkien and George R.R. Martin, and I was intrigued by how Suzanne Collins used first person present tense in The Hunger Games. So many interesting choices…
What are you working on now?
I’ll have a new children’s book, “A Most Curious Winter’s Night” out later this year, and I’m working on a new fantasy/adventure novel in addition to a few film projects.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion is a challenging part of the process…always more to learn. I do appreciate, however, the many online sites (like this one) that offer their platform to help books and authors reach a wider audience.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write because you have a story to tell, not because you want a story to sell.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Writing is finally about one thing: going into a room alone and doing it.” William Goldman
What are you reading now?
I finished rereading “Game of Thrones,” (I aim to finish the entire series), and I recently enjoyed “Cup of Home” a poetry collection by Patricia Barnes.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Another word, another sentence, another paragraph…
What is your favorite book of all time?
Different books for different times, but “Pride & Prejudice” is right up there.
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