Yes I actually do! I was in the sixth grade and it was an English writing assignment. It was about a dog that is left behind by his family and his struggle to find them again. It was an epic story written in less than a 1,000 words.

I think the writing process is different for each project but for me it usually starts with a basic idea and I allow the characters to take the story where ever it may go. I'm not one to have a rigid outline to follow although I usually have notes that lead me through the story. For a couple of my novels I didn't know how they were going to end until I got there. It really does reflect my passion about characters and allowing them to grow and develop on their own. They are the biggest drivers of my stories!

I don't remember the first story I ever read but I do remember the first book that had an impact on me. I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton in my early teen years and that book has stayed with me ever since. I try to read it at least once a year. Great characters, great plot. It was the first story I remember having an emotional connection with and not wanting the book to end.

Cover design is one of the most difficult aspects of publishing. If readers don't find a cover appealing they likely will move on without giving your book a second thought. Most of us don't sell books based on our name, at least not yet, so we have to put a lot of effort into the presentation of our book just to get attention. I will always have my covers created by professionals. I work with a designer who listens to my thoughts and I am always open to hers and other people I trust. I think I've been fortunate so far in creating book covers that are appealing and enticing.

I love thrillers and supernatural stories. I love Anne Rice. Every aspect of her stories I respect. Her attention to detail and her ability to humanize the most inhuman of characters appeals to me. I'm open to reading anything really. I think it's a necessity for writers to read not only for the pleasure of reading but as a means of training.

I have a Kindle. It was given to me as a Christmas gift. I will always love hardback and paperback books on my shelves but the convenience of e-readers is undeniable.

I think marketing is an ongoing learning process and there's no right or wrong answers as far as effectiveness when in actuality sometimes it's a matter of timing that helps. I've found Twitter and Facebook to be effective means of connecting with people. I don't use these tools only to promote my books but also to interact with people. I don't just post ads and links to my books but I show my personality. When people see the real you and connect with you then they are more inclined to read what you've written.

One laptop, my iPod playing my favorite Pandora station and a mix of all kinds of papers stacked up. Have you seen the movie Twister? Sometimes it reminds me of that.

I grew up in the small country town of Ten Mile, Tennessee. It is a place of great natural beauty which tends to hide the realities of rural America. It is farm country. There tends to be a higher drop-out rate from high school, there is tremendous poverty in some areas. Religion can border on fanaticism. Prejudice, racism, bigotry, homophobia all still exist there but there are wonderful non-judgmental families. The old saying is true: "blood is thicker than water." It does influence my writing in many different ways. I can tap into my own experiences with homophobia and racism and use them today in what I write. I frequently use the hospitality culture of the south to describe many of my characters. Despite all of its faults it's still home and is changing, just slower than other places.

I feel like I've always been a writer but it was after the compliments I received in the sixth grade from my teacher that I thought maybe I could have a career in writing.