Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I do! It was "The Berenstain Bears and The Spooky Old Tree." I was totally intrigued that what was basically a haunted house could exist in the trunk of decrepit old tree. From there I kinda naturally gravitated to spooky and horrific fiction.
How do you approach cover design?
I think of it as a movie poster, and what would grab my attention if we still lived in the (AWESOME) days of video rental stores. After that I go to a professional artist. This is one area that I don't mind spending the money on. A professionally designed cover versus an amateurish "template" design is no contest at all in my opinion.
Read more of this interview.