Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Grand Rapids, MI and I still live in the area. My family were and are readers, and the Grand Rapids community has always supported a robust library system with several smaller neighborhood libraries, a huge downtown library, and well stocked school libraries. Growing up, reading was encouraged and supported in nearly every aspect of my day-to-day life, underscoring the importance of books in our society, and the authors that write them. Going to the library as a small boy and being able to pick out stories like Harold and the Purple Crayon instilled a love of reading at an early age. It is my hope that my books can instill the same sense of awe and wonder in today's young readers, and awaken their imaginations.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
There are so many different models and makes of e-readers and tablets out there and most of them I've only seen on-line and haven't had the opportunity to try, so I can't recommend one over another. However, I did receive a Kindle from my wife as a Christmas gift a couple years ago and it's been my constant companion ever since. I got an inexpensive tablet for my wife and have enjoyed using it as well, but between the two, I prefer the Kindle's e-ink screen for reading.
Read more of this interview.