Other than doing things with my family, I am still thinking about stories. Random dialogue or some idea for a short story or novel is always kicking around in my head. I voraciously research technology, science, medicines, human nature, architecture, design, and pretty much anything else that comes my way. We are in a period where our knowledge is growing at an enormous pace. There is still so much to learn. I am fascinated by how these changes will affect us.

I have been telling stories since I began to speak. Once I learned to write, I was creating stories like Some Things Are Scary where a drawing is paired with an idea. One I remember was the thing under the bed looking up at me.

Often there is some idea or situation that starts growing in my mind. There is something intriguing that makes me wonder how people might be affected by it.

Often the most minor things can escalate into major life storms. It is how a character or society responds to that upheaval that is interesting.

I don’t approach a story with an end in mind. I like to write myself into corners and try to figure out some wild, plausible, non-magical way to extricate the characters from their dilemma.

I try to find some moment in the story that may make the potential reader stop and wonder, "What is going on?" With a paperback, good covers can make you stop and go back to look at it while you are reading the story.

I was always irritated when reading a fantasy or sci-fi novel where the cover didn't match anything in the book. Now that I am creating my own, I realize that the interesting cover point in the story, the character would be unappealing to potential readers.

In the Fall of Heaven, I intentionally kept the physical description of the characters to a minimal level. I want people to create their own idea of what they look like. If this ever becomes a film, I can hear anger from the readers as they have a very different idea of what Rolland, Lauren or Jessica look like.

I read a tremendous amount online. Tons of science, news, etc. For books and novels, I go through stints of reading devouring different genre. It may be thrillers, then first-person war narratives, fantasy, then science fiction, then off to adventure novels, science books, occasionally even 1970's men's adventure novels (funny).

I tend to read it on my laptop over my tablet. I like the bigger screen. The tablet is good for traveling.

On a table surrounded by notes, a large coffee mug, phone, tablet, and books, sits a laptop with a second monitor. The computer is running Word, two browsers (at least eight tabs open), and Adobe Master Collection.

Take a chance to read some new writers. In this noisy world, it is difficult to get noticed. There are many authors who are really good storytellers who are awaiting your discovery. It is exciting to find new talent. Publishers are doing far less to get new authors noticed.

If you like what a writer is doing, write a review to help others find them. This may help them afford to write more great stories. We don't want you to lie about our books, but please be kind. Authors spend years writing and rewriting, have taken loans and missed events all to get their love out to the world.

No book is perfect for everyone.