I really enjoy story telling the most, whether or not I get to write it down. Even if it's just telling a story to my friends over dinner, I get the most joy out of seeing and hearing people's reactions to what I create. The best feeling is knowing you elicited a desired response from someone, be that laughter or tears, by using nothing but words.

Fans are everything. I will write no matter what, I can't help it. But I get so much more joy out of it knowing people are enjoying it too. Without readers, I would basically be talking to myself...

I'm working on a young adult sci-fi novel set 100 years in the future.

Hands down Gary Paulsen is number one. He's probably influenced my writing more than anyone. After that it's got to be S.L. Rottman, no other author can cut me to the heart quite like they can.

If I'm not writing fiction then I'm probably working on some non-fiction content writing. Or doing dishes. So so so many dishes...

1. Talk to myself while driving
2. Talk to myself while in the shower
3. Scribble illegible words like a woman possessed into a $1 composition notebook
4. Put off typing up said illegible notes until I've almost forgotten about the story entirely
5. Type
6. Edit it
7. Realize the manuscript is completely hopeless
8. Give it to my alpha readers
9. Edit it to death
10. Close my eyes, hold my breath, click 'Publish'

Very carefully. With a stick.

I love indie music and indie movies and it occurred to me my book and I didn't have to be held down by the MAN. I realized there was nothing the traditional publishing industry could do for me that I couldn't do for myself with a lot of work, a lot of research, and a lot of trial and error. I liked the idea of having total control of my work. There's definitely disadvantages, but I think the advantages outweigh them.

Now that is a loaded question. I must say, I enjoy the convenience of ebooks. I like taking my library with me wherever I go. But there's something to be said for the way a book feels in your hand, the way fresh pages smell...what do you mean you don't smell your books? You should. They smell like time and ink and dreams come true.

I have a collection of rather embarrassing "books" I wrote in elementary school that my mom was kind enough to preserve for me. They feature an inordinate number of twins and triplets as the main characters, every prose mistake one can make and hand-drawn cover art to boot.

I did try. When I was growing up indie publishing wasn't a thing. There was only self publishing, which wasn't taken seriously, or traditional publishing, which was as notoriously difficult to break into then as it is now. I did submit 'I'm On Your Side' to a few publishers as a teen, I even had private daydreams of becoming a bestseller and being interviewed by Oprah (but who doesn't). But like so many others, my query's were rejected. After that, I just got busy with things like school and work and marriage. Not to worry, though, it's never too late. So here I am.