I first wrote in high school during halloween for which I dressed up as a journalist. For weeks after I filled the small notepad with words, front and back of every single page. I've been throwing words into notebooks and screens ever since. Studying real dialogue, watching classic British drama, imitating my favorite writers and figuring out just how to state the absolute. Not as I see it; as it is.

The joy of watching a complete character in motion, surprising and second guessing you. When Aaran, Buddy or Masurani throws my best laid plans to the wind I know I'm a good place. I am a firm believer in the life of a character who may only stand for a few moments in front of your lens. Everything else is hard: Characters are awesome.

Who do I most admire? Hastily I point to Harlan Ellison, but he's such a crass old barnacle. He'd easily admit that and bold honesty is one of those desirable qualities I esteem. Steven King taught me to say the worst out loud, to write when I thought something was terrible. That the gruesome is not unworthy of understanding. To write with hope is to accept that evil is a force we constantly contend with. Anne McCaffery also inspired my passion for strong female leads; though I am close to the matter from life experience. Roger Zelazny's combat banter is my favorite variety, and from him came a respect for knowing your moves, even if you never had any hope of performing them.

My love for God, myself and my family, in that exact order.

I write critiques of games I wish others to play, play games with family, read and basically keep moving.

Yeah, I still think it's pretty good. I like my work more often than I regret/loathe/question it, and I know that attitude encourages me to value what I was trying to accomplish. Still working on it. Nothing in the past should be discarded; instead, understood.

I've heard that others draft until they're nearly sick of it. I don't want to be sick of my own work. I love the characters, and I believe the time spent with them should be welcoming in every sense. I ponder and plan. I research when I need to, talk to people more knowledgeable than myself and never stop learning. I trust my message, I trust my characters and what they're saying. I don't plan every chapter, but I know what I'm exploring.

Then I go back over what I've written and flesh out what I've missed. I recite dialogue in my head and listen for additional information. I make sure I know who's talking. I check if my influences are skewing my narrative. I watch television that contributes to what I'm projecting. Then I reread again. Then I write some more. Ad nauseam. It's amazing I ever complete anything.

Usually some research, a few sketches and my favorite vector program: Inkscape. I've been at this long enough I know what I'm after.

A personal experiment to see if people wanted to read my books. Apparently they do.

This is varied over the years, but presently my interest is in history, particularly politics.