I grew up in the northeastern United States and was a pretty normal kid by most accounts. I was generally nice, rarely went to extremes, and pretty much did my best to 'keep the peace.' I had an obsession with a stuffed brown bear which I creatively named "brown bear," and spent most of my childhood talking to him--that is, when I was not, of course, digging for earthworms.
As time passed, my stomach got bigger and my appetites for other ventures grew as well. I became hopelessly ensnared in my passion for writing, in the face of all practical impediments. I enjoyed the freedom to escape whatever world I was in, to shoot off into the sky. I equally enjoyed reading.
As of now, I have degrees in English and Psychology from Dickinson College. I currently spend my time in the education system, working odd-jobs, and writing.
Please tell me about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it?
Sh** Ain't Perfect is a hybrid book. It's both satire and serious meditation on life. It touches on controversial topics from race, sex and personality, and also deals with more comical interests such as improving one's "swag" and dealing with helicopter bosses.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What was the biggest compliment? Did those change how or what you did in your next novel?
I wrote this book called Words Kill Me. I knew going in that it would be very problematic for a lot of readers. Basically, it followed the breakdown of a bullied mute child and how he came to commit a school massacre. A lot of people found the story appalling, and I got my share of 'this is disgusting' and 'this author should be ashamed'-type comments. The biggest compliment I got was that I was "creatively brilliant." It was cool to hear that, and it definitely inspired me to keep pushing boundaries in content and imagining.
When you sit down to write, do you do it the old-fashioned way with pen and paper or do you use a computer? Do you prefer one way or the other?
Oh, I'm all computer, all day, every way. Sometimes keys can feel restraining, but I'm so hooked into technology that I can't ever really say no to my laptop. It's probably one of my better friends. It's part of me--I'm practically a cyborg.
Besides writing and reading, what is your most favorite thing to do?
I love to eat Italian food and drink micro-brewed beers. Ahh...the finer things in life....
Did you have any teacher in school that encouraged you to write? Did you take their advice?
I had a really tough teacher way back in 5th grade. He would give us coursework that seemed so beyond our grasp. We had to write some serious papers for being elementary school kids. Whenever I felt like I couldn't do it, dispirited, he'd ask me what was wrong. I'd simply shake my head and he'd tell me to believe in myself. That the challenge wasn't punishment, it was a reward. That he knew I could handle it, and he was rewarding my ability by giving me the push I needed. He was one of the few teachers that made me realize the importance of hard work.
We all have our little things when it comes to reading, is there anything that bugs you when you read a novel? What is it?
I'm not somebody that goes through a novel with a fine comb, looking for grammatical errors and misspellings. However, when these things are everywhere, I get a little peeved. What really bugs me is when the entire story seems to be told instead of shown. I'm a visual person and I like language that guides a vision.
What do you listen to when you write? Do you find one type of music over another that inspires you to write? Why?
I used to listen to music, but now I just keep the T.V. on in the background. I used to listen to atmospheric and 'hippy' music.
On a typical weekend, what can we find you doing? Who are you with?
I have a small circle of friends. A lot of times I like to stay at home and relax. Sometimes I get the itch, and I'll head to the bars solo. I do a lot of people-watching. You definitely meet some interesting characters when you go out alone. Once you get over the initial fear of being alone, things get pretty fun.
Who are your favorite authors?
King, Bradbury, Tolkien, Rowling, Camus, Ludlum, Puzo, to name some
What 7 words would you use to describe yourself.
serious, humorous, strange, dark, uncertain, confident, contradictory
ASIN: B00C5137FW
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Buy the book here: Amazon
Book blurb:
Something has infiltrated the quiet airs of Marin's Dale. Something that has never been seen. Something that mere human minds cannot fathom...
Contact the Author here:
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