I knew I wanted to use the visual of the red eyes. I put myself in the position of the brothers. They are on their own, at night, in the woods, and searching for the beast they believe is a killer. That by itself is unsettling. I wanted to capture that moment when they realize that the beast is real. Not only real, but quietly watching them. I think we all have felt that - when we know something is out of place, or that we are being watched.

I also wanted to use the color green. The Red Buffalo Relic gives off a green glow. So, the glow is present in the text and as the clouds in the starry night.

Of course I read a number of children's books, but the first story that I fully felt engrossed - a part of the world - was the classic, Tarzan of the Apes. As a young person, middle school aged, I was really drawn to the child ripped from a family, but still drawn back to a world. He grew to be the leader in two different worlds - that of the apes and of the men. I really liked the duality of the character. He was strong, fast, and smart. He valued education and family. He fought for what was right and to protect those who needed it. I think I really like that he set and followed high principles.

Well, where I write and where I work are very different places. I write all over. I have favorite places, like a small nook in the kitchen. That area is clear of clutter. My desks, on the other hand - regardless of which office - those are cluttered and piled. Sometimes I wish I could say I felt a desire to file and put things in order, but I don't. I have a system, but it looks like a junk yard. Piles of books, stacks of papers, sections of envelopes, etc. I know where I can find the stuff, but the stacks are not helpful to other people.

I was born in Vincenza, Italy. My father was a Staff Sargent in the US Army. We moved back to the States when I was an infant. At the age of four we moved back to my parents' home town in southwest Michigan. We lived outside of town on a few acres. I felt like I had the run of the place. I could wander hay fields, walk in apple orchards, sneak through corn fields, and climb in the forests. I felt very at home outside. My writing reflects that connect to the outdoors. I continue to weave nature into the stories. I think the basic elements are such a powerful force and with a single act, can change the course of a person's life.

I started writing in 2012. It was the first time I decided to create a fictional account. Since I was young I created stories, but this was my first decision to actively try to share with other people. I learned through my psychology practice that placing children, my children, as the heroes of a story could influence self awareness. Seeing themselves as a protagonist helps young people foster the vision that they can do great things. That they can act heroic.

I am working on the second installment of the Brothers Stone. It picks up a few months after life returns to some normalcy for Cassius and Caulden. However, they face certain destruction of their loved ones and choose to use the Red Buffalo Relic. Although they avert disaster, their lives begin to unravel.

I come from blue collar roots. Getting out of bed everyday is what I am supposed to do. It's a duty to my family and to those I have obligations. If you want to know when I do my best work, how I find inspiration, that comes from working through a block. I like to take action. I like to create my own path. I feel the best when I work through a tight knot and find that the story line makes sense and the characters evolve in the process.

I am a full time professor at a small, liberal arts, college in NW Indiana. I also have a private practice as a psychologist. Those are my professional positions. I love my work as a basketball coach. I coached for a few years at the college level and now am working with high schoolers. I really enjoy the competition and athletic expression through physical work.

I think the first time I wrote something and received a response, other than from a parent, was in middle school. It was a project where we were given a random picture and then asked asked to write a story. The picture I pulled was of a handful of young children on a playground. Most of the children were smiling and goofing off for a photo. In the middle of the throng of kids was a single boy who looked serious. He stood with his arms crossed and scowled at the lens. I wrote about how his power on the playground was undermined by the new kid and he was going to put an end to it. I really liked the brief attention I received from the teacher and a few of my classmates. I liked that my ideas opened up a new way that they looked at the picture.

I started with the snowflake method. It was a straight forward method that starts with a single sentence and then slowly circles out into a full outline. I needed a structure. I needed something to let me know that the creation is not a result of total spontaneous words, but of starts and stops. Finding a core and then building the branching pieces was an understandable project.

I like control. Okay, that may be a bit overstated, but I do not enjoy asking people for permission to do something that I think I can do. This project is the result of months of planning and diligence. I worked with good people to help polish, edit, and correct the output. I am not opposed to the traditional publishing approach, but I did not want to wait for someone to deem it worthy. I am a huge music buff. I love to listen to good grooves whenever I can. I liken this experience to a small, unknown band getting it's music out there for people to hear. Sure, it would be great if a label signed them and did all of the work, but it's a long shot. A band can be very successful without the traditional label. The trick is to find the audience. The right audience is faithful and loyal. I hope to make my readers proud.