The first story I ever wrote was when I was in college. I took a creative writing class, but it ended up being more of a critical review class rather than something that would teach me skills I needed to become a better writer. I got a C and took it as a sign that I shouldn't write. I didn't write another word of fiction for more than ten years.

I know where I want to go, and sometimes I know where I want to start. I know the theme and parts of the plot. Then I just start writing and see where it takes me. As I write, problems and puzzles present themselves and I need to solve them. On a few occasions I've written myself into a corner and I end up having to backtrack. Most of the time, however, I let the story unfold as I solve the ultimate puzzle of getting from start to finish.

My uncle turned my on to the Narnia books when I was very young. They inspired me to open my imagination.

The old saying is "never judge a book by its cover," but everyone judges a book by its cover. I see the cover as the prime ingredient in drawing in a reader. Many covers these days are very generic in nature. I'm not a fan. I like to pick a pivotal scene, one that evokes imagination, then engage the best artist I can find to depict it for me. Look at the cover for Casimir Bridge. It shows the damaged survey ship Gaussian Surveyor as two of the protagonists float in the void of space outside. I picked that scene because I want potential readers to start asking questions even before they buy. What is the ship doing there? How and why did it get damaged? Who are those people moving to it, and why?

I read a wide variety of genres. Obviously science fiction is a favorite, but I like historical fiction, alternate history, fantasy, thrillers, spy novels, military fiction...

Messy.

My parents lived all over the world when I was very young. We have a lot of stories and some made their way into my writing. I think it gives a certain level of realism to writing when real-world events are depicted.

As I was going through the final stages of writing my first book, I was torn on whether to go the indie route vs traditional publishing. One editor I worked with was adamant that I go with a publisher. Another told me I was the first author she worked with that she recommended going indie. Her reasoning was that the tools and resources available for self-publishing had progressed to the point where in her mind it made sense for certain authors. My first book was the first of a three book series. She mentioned that publishers are less inclined to take a chance on an author when they are committing to a series.

This is a tough question. For me it's a tie between telling the story and solving the puzzles and problems that come up while telling it.

I have to finish my first series, and then I have another series in mind that takes place 50-100 years beyond the ending of the first. I can't give any clues because I'd give away too much.