What sparked the writing fire? How did your author story begin?

As much as I enjoyed reading as a kid, I didn’t actually catch the “writing bug” until the late 90s, when I began interacting with some of my favorite fanfiction writers and even became penpals with some of them (when I used to draw fanart back then, it was all traditional with paper, pen, and colored pencils… so I snail-mailed them). 

One of those writers was not only kind enough to humor my antics but responded with sage advice on life and encouraged me to try my hand at writing because she thought my letters and emails were entertaining. 

I decided to send her my first attempt at an actual chapter, putting everything I had into making it entertaining and dramatic. This was when I also started researching things I didn’t know, like details about real FBI investigations and how much pressure a thin glass needs to actually break in a firm fist and, hell, how much money it took to rent a high middle-class space (I was in my mid-teens, I knew next to nothing). 

She couldn’t have been more impressed. 

That’s when I realized it took way too much work to write a crime novel and dove head-first into magical sci-fi, instead, where I could make things up as I went along. This laziness persisted until I turned 40.🤣

Oh, dear! It seems you have stepped in a puddle of radioactive goop. What superpower would you like to contract from it?

My answer to this hasn’t changed for decades. While I’ve dreamt of flying and enjoyed the thrill of rollercoasters, the one superpower I would really want is teleportation. To be able to instantly “blip” from one country to another to visit a friend (you included, Aaron! I’d buy you lunch) or family member or to buy some delicious food after a stop at the bank to exchange currency would be the absolute best.

Is there a genre of writing you haven't engaged in but want to?

Historical fiction, but that would require way more work than a crime or mystery novel, so I’d have to be mentally stable and retired to take a shot at it.

After being kidnapped by a mafia boss, you give him a piece of information that's vital to his operation. As thanks, he brings you to a sandwich shop and tells you to order whatever you please. Describe your ideal sandwich. 

Haha! Don’t you know that the best sandwich is a piece of longaniza sausage nestled into the butt of a freshly-baked bread? The butt of the bread ensures that the meat doesn’t slip and escape when you bite into it. Someone even wrote a song about it. 🤣

Do you have a specific schedule or environment (physical and/or mental) to write? Any silly rituals? Got to have your favorite coffee? 

I weaned myself off of coffee years ago because I realized I was suffering from withdrawal migraines every time I forgot to take my daily dose. 

If I focus hard enough, anywhere can be a good place to write. On an airplane, at a restaurant, during a break at work. So long as an idea strikes that I don’t want to forget or I’m motivated to work on something, I’ve been known to even text myself notes on my phone’s “note” app. 

The most significant driving factor is motivation, and I’m sure others feel this way, too. A plethora of ideas come to me naturally, and I try to jot them down. Unfortunately, there are times when I want ideas for the current story I’m working on, and my mind provides me with “pink, fluffy unicorns dancing on rainbows.”

That’s utterly useless if I’m working on a murder mystery (though I know some talented writers right here on the site who can spin the “pink, fluffy unicorns dancing on rainbows” INTO a murder mystery without batting an eyelash!).

Cue the intense music! No, like, this is super serious. You have one egg. How are you cooking it?

If it is just the one egg, I would soft boil it for 4-5 minutes at boiling-point water. Then I would remove it from the heat and cool it off with cold water (or ice if I’m in a rush), carefully peel the egg and toss the shell, then drop it in a ziploc bag full of soy sauce and sweet mirin sauce in equal amounts to marinate overnight. A ramen egg that’s been marinated for 1-2 days bursts with flavor. 

What is something you are beyond proud of in life?

I am proud of a few things, but I can’t think of anything that I’m “beyond” proud of. Let me think:

I helped a lot of people over the years when they really needed it.

After several failed attempts, I did get a Bachelor’s degree. 

I haven’t murdered or plotted to murder anyone. 

I finished several projects and stopped leaving anything incomplete.

If you could live in the world of your favorite fiction novel/series, would you and which story is it?

Aw, s**t. I have too many favorites to pick just one world! I’d love to be one of the many angels bustling about Aditus’s "Cupid Central" story, an imp/angel from Timothy M.’s series, one of CassieQ’s *****(I’m censoring myself because I’m sure I’m not supposed to talk about those guys yet), one of the many citizens of Jason Rimbaud’s "Glacier Bay", one of Kbois’s shifters, one of Lee Wilson’s empaths… I could go on for hours. 

Are you a dog or cat person?

Both! Both is good.

To finish off the interview, what's your favorite ice cream flavor?

At the moment, it’s salted caramel with a hint of lavender.