Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I was born in Georgia, but I've lived in North Carolina since I was old enough to remember. Rural North Carolina is a lot like any other rural place, but there are little things that set life here apart from the rest. Plainspoken, honest people lead to a culture based in frank and open talk. That translates to my writing. I don't shy away from a subject, but instead I face it head-on. That creates fiction that isn't fettered by niceties. I prefer instead to offer the reader an experience that often has a raw edge. But, that honesty in fiction is what creates believable tension and facilitates the suspension of disbelief.
When did you first start writing?
I've been writing fiction for the entertainment of others since about the 6th grade. That was when I discovered how powerful (and fun) it is to connect with someone through writing. Having that emotional impact and being able to affect readers deeply is an amazing thing.
However, while I considered writing as a potential career throughout my school years, in particular in high school, after graduation I drifted away from writing for a time. I would come back to it now and then, but kept putting it off.
Eventually, I decided that if I was ever to get anywhere as a writer, I would have to take it seriously. In 2011, I set out to do just that. Now my first novel (Frostwalker) is out as well as some of my short work, and more is in the pipeline!
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