Tell us a little bit about your book(s) and yourself.
I’ll be forty-two this October, and have been lucky enough to have spent more than half of those years married to one wonderful woman. I lived the majority of my life in mid-sized cities and then found myself living in farm county in Southwestern Ontario Canada. Now I’m a country boy through and through.
I’m bipolar, on disability because of it. I have tried to be open about my mental health issues because I believe myths should be for campfires and novels.
Tomorrow Wendell is of the paranormal P.I. genre and the first novel in the White Dragon Black series, where magic and myth are real, although most people don’t know it. It features a reluctant hero named Jonathan Alvey, who is an addict – to magic. He is a man who would rather sit in his office reading, than anything else, but Fate always plays him a different hand. In this novel, Jonathan gets a client named Wendell who is getting predictions of his death – with a very set date. Jonathan has only three days to help his client. Three days to track down whoever is threatening Wendell. Three days in which to keep his client safe from the creatures that come to carry off his soul.
When was your first book published?
Although I’ve had a few short stories published before, Tomorrow Wendell is my first full-length novel. It was released just this past June. I have written, and even edited, other novels but this was the first one that I said to myself, ‘I need to get this in other people’s hands’.
Are you currently working on anything?
I just finished working on ‘Charon’s Obol’, a ‘White Dragon Black’ short story which will be released this fall, in Xchyler Publishing’s annual paranormal anthology. I have a new short story I’m working through, as I write the, still untitled, fifth novel. While doing this, I am also trying to stay on top of editing the second novel in the series ‘Bindings & Spines’, so it can be ready for release.
I think it is fair to say I’m staying busy.
Why did you decide to become an Author?
It is less that I decided to become a writer, and more that the stories in my head became stronger, deeper, and more belligerent to be let out. So the occasional scribble of an idea on a napkin grew into pages of text, and eventually, I was writing whole books. There is a peace and clarity of mind that I can find only while writing, so I doubt I’ll ever stop now.
Who and what inspired you to write?
It may sound cliché but I do believe it was due to how prominent reading was in my house growing up. I was read to from before my eyes opened, and as soon as I had learned the words for myself, I was encouraged to consume whatever I wanted. My love of stories, combined with my own imagination, lead to my being a part of the process of making more stories and, hopefully, more authors.
When you are writing to you like to listen to music? What is on your playlist?
Most often, yes, I have my ear plugs in and music playing while the words are flowing. I don’t need it to write, but it does add an almost transcendent quality to writing. My personal tastes are wildly varied but as I’m writing a certain world, certain songs get ‘set’ as being part of that world. For the White Dragon Black world the playlist contains songs like; ‘Howl’ by Florence and the Machine, ‘Downtrodden’ by Abney Park, ‘The Future’ by Leonard Cohen and ‘Paint it Black’ by The Rolling Stones.
Who is your favorite character in your books?
It has to be my protagonist, Alvey. The way he relates to the world just makes me keep coming back. He just wants to be left alone in his dimly lit office drinking his bourbon, smoking too many cigarettes, and reading – so, of course, it’s fun to throw complications into his life just to watch him sigh and grumble.
Do you ever take characteristics or nuances from close friends or family when working on character development and if so has that friend or family member noticed and what was their response to it?
Not consciously. At least, not so far. There is plenty of time yet to rectify this, however.
What is your favorite book of all time?
You wrote this question just to be mean didn’t you? You like to make authors squirm, and gnash their teeth. I suppose I have to say, after all the books I have read after four decades, the one that never leaves my head, the one that impacted my life the deepest, is Susan Cooper’s ‘The Dark Is Rising’. The whole series is wonderful, but that particular book seared into my young mind and left it’s indelible mark.
Tell us in one sentence why we should read your books.
You should read Tomorrow Wendell to fall in love with a character who will never leave you bored.
List your books that are available
Tomorrow Wendell Shades and Shadows: A Paranormal Anthology – ‘The Cost of Custody’ Mental Wellness: Real Stories from Survivors – ‘Ceaseless Cycles’ Horror Library Volume 3 – ‘Blink Away The Blood’ Hell’s Hangmen: Horror in the Old West – ‘A Son’s Duty’
Where can people connect with you?
Goodreads | Twitter | Website | Facebook | G+ | Blog |
Thanks for taking your time to answer some questions for my readers at Genuine Jenn.
It was my pleasure, except for that ‘just one book’ part. Thank you for letting me take part in it.
~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Genuine Jenn. All opinions are honest and my own.*~
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