Q&A's

1. Q. How did you get the idea for writing The Chosen and how did you pick a setting?

A. I have been working with some form of computers since the eighties and I have noticed how computers have changed for the good and the bad. When I was in high school, I read books like Orwell's 1984, and others like Future Shock and Brave New World. I have always been facinated with technology and future events.  I'm really worried about the increased use of cell phones in cars. That is why I added the scene where talking on the cell phone causes an accident.  I picked Cincinnati as the setting since I spent the first half of my life there.

 2. Q. Did you like writing your second book, The Burglar?

A. Yes. I enjoyed writing this short novel because it was told from two different points of view. The real Max is my dog, Shooter, who is a lab mix. The real Penny is my cat Polly. I enjoyed telling much of the story from the pets' points of view. Anyone who has a pet knows that there are some serious conversation going on there! I also enjoyed writing about police officers Peachtree and Gordon. Could Gordon do anything right?

3. Q. What do you like most about writing?

A. Writing is a good way to escape from reality.  It is fun to develop characters and then to control their destinies.  I like to take real life situations and then incorporate them into a fictional story.

4. Q. Do you know the ending before you finish the manuscript?

A. Usually not.  I generally write a rough outline of the story to keep the story on track.  However, I don't always follow the outline. When I was writing The Chosen, I altered the ending at the last moment. The ending was completely different than I had originally planned.  I have received many compliments on the twist at the end of the book. 

5. Q. When did you believe that you could be a published author?

A. About a week after I published The Chosen.  I had to pinch myself before I could believe it. Now that I have written two books, I want to keep on writing. My goal is to write one book per year. I've got about 2 or 3 more book ideas-- I just need to get my thoughts down on paper.

6. Q. How is your third work, Paydirt, coming along?

A. I am about half way through the story. Right now, one of my main characters, Jeremy Staymour, is in a coma. He is patiently awaiting for me to determine his fate. The setting of the story will be in Centerville, Springboro, and Cincinnati Ohio. I'm toying with the idea of having a major scene in downtown Cincinnati. I hope to release the book in early 2008.

More Q&A's coming soon.....