I researched all the needs of writing for a publisher and read several stories from new authors hitting the publishing scene. When I was done with a few months of research, I remember scratching my head and thinking: "If the author has to find the market, come up with a plan, and pitch to a publisher....what does the publisher actually do?"

Even more research led me to many unsatisfied authors stating their loss of their copyright for no gain, except a small advance from a large publisher. So my motivation was to keep the only thing a writer has: their creative license, or better known as the copyright.

The worlds. I absolutely love the fact that I can write anything I want and I don't even have to apply a logical breakdown of HOW such things exist. Like Lord Fineal's chamber entrance in Aphrodite's Acolyte, with rising air serving as a staircase. Or in my forthcoming book, Apollo's Apprentice, a city floating in the woods no larger than a horse.

The magical realms are what excite me. And battles! I really like to write the battle scenes!

Apollo's Apprentice is my next book. For awhile, I was thinking that almost doubling the size of my first novel was a bad idea because it was slow going. But that slow going in the writing has really led me to a greater depth in my characters!

I like spending my time with my family. I don't have to do the cool stuff like go on camping trips or travel all the time. Just having the people I love around is enough to make me happy.

As for stuff I actually like to do outside the house: Disneyland is definitely the top of my list every time. I can't get enough of that place!

I found no "one" process works unchanged from beginning to end. In my first book, I had no process. I let the words flow and just kept going, making the story work as I went. I learned that method has a lot of revisiting previously written items so I am changing it up by using an outline to guide, but making sure I do not limit to the guide itself. When a cool idea hits, you should always embrace it.

But I will say this: I keep a spreadsheet. That spreadsheet has characters, kingdoms, timelines, treasures, and all kinds of other things in it. I refer to that spreadsheet every day and I log my progress in it as well. I am finding it is the one consistent method I use to keep all the various items intact. I was surprised the other day when I realized I have over 40 major characters referenced!

The first story I ever read by myself was David and the Phoenix. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the book took me to a whole different world. The magic of going to a whole new world led me to reading a lot of books. I started with the Choose Your Own Adventure franchise and worked up to longer and more grown up books.

Kindle. Mostly because it's what I'm used to. It was the first one I tried and it fits all my needs, so I never desired to look into the others! I've always been the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" type of person.

You won't believe this. A small red writing desk with a single drawer. Nothing on top of it but the laptop I write with.

Back in high school, I wrote several small stories in a "Stand By Me" style. All my friends and myself went on many adventures through places in Europe in those stories. I never shared those stories and I don't believe they have survived the many moves.

The story of the book itself can be seen in the description, but the story on why I wrote it is a little more interesting. I am a very black and white person. My co-worker said something like: "I can see you writing non-fiction. But fiction? Naw, you don't have the mind for that."

The challenge was accepted.

Three months later, I pushed out Aphrodite's Acolyte.