CLOUDS was the first five years of my writing career. It was used as a healing tool more than anything else after the death of my dad. My anger toward God is abundantly clear throughout the entirety of the story. I hated Him, and yet, I needed Him, and I knew it.

CLOUDS paved the way for Death is Not the End, Daddy, and any other future stories I publish. I had to purge myself of the poison that was inside of me before I could truly glorify my Savior through my writing.

When I start a story and establish my characters, I then let the story come to life in front of me. I have a basic idea of where I want it to go, but the journey usually is much different than how I saw it when I started. I usually know what the ending will be within the first twenty to thirty pages, so I'm not writing with no end game in mind. Instead, I am filling in the details.

The Bible for me is the only book that brings something entirely unique to the table. It is the foundation of my faith. It transcends the medium of written word. It is Truth, it is a Love Letter, and as they say, it truly is The Greatest Story Ever Told.

With that being said, three of my favorite books come from C.S Lewis: The Great Divorce, The ScrewTape Letters, and Mere Christianity. He has been dead for years and yet his voice speaks louder today than it did when he was alive, because his message is timeless. He was a defender of the faith, a man who proved that Christianity and brilliance can go hand in hand.

I suppose I don't have a fifth favorite book. Not off the top of my head, at least.

I started my first book when I was sixteen, early Summer. I had been unsuccessfully writing poetry and songs before that. And then one night inspiration struck, and I've been working toward it ever since.

The next story I am working on is The Counterfeit. The premise: what is paradise without God?

I grew up in Minnesota, in a town known for SPAM. The setting itself didn't influence me all that much though; it was my dad's battle with cancer and passing that made me who I am today.

I always want to challenge my readers when I'm writing. With Death is Not the End, Daddy I wanted it to be an experience, not just a story. It is a double narrative, told in present tense, from the view points of two men. One is the father of Marcy Mills; the other is the man who kidnaps Marcy Mills. The idea behind it is unconditional love, hope amidst hopelessness. I wanted to show how God can use tragedy to change lives.