- Where did you get the idea for this novel?
You know, I wish I could remember. I just know that I wanted to write a story about a young man struggling to overcome a health-related issue and somehow rising above it to realize some kind of destiny. I didn’t set out to write a superhero origin story; the story just kind of evolved into that. Right now my writing is very much geared toward fantasy, and for now I need to follow that path, so even when I have an idea about overcoming a health issue, it blends with my fantasy style of writing.
- The cover is eerie and eye catching. Can you share a little about the cover development?
All credit for the cover goes to the publisher, Tell-Tale Publishing. Tell-Tale works with a professional book cover artist, and they take great care in crafting covers that really represent the book in a strong visual way. This is the third book of mine published by Tell-Tale, and each cover has been incredible. My other books from Tell-Tale are a two-book pirate series, The Dangerous Legacy and Deadly Waters, the Pirate’s Calling series, and the covers for those are just as amazing. What Tell-Tale does is ask the author a number of questions about the book and seeks an author’s ideas and concepts for a cover. The cover artist then takes those ideas and does something amazing with them. So, I am very thankful to the publisher and the cover artist.
- How long did it take you to write Tripp Unleashed and how do you make time to write?
I find that it takes me a year to write a novel, and that was the case with Tripp Unleashed—a full year. But, then there was my own editing stage, followed by working with a professional editor. So, all in all probably two years to have a book ready to present to literary agents. And, I did end up with an agent for this book from Booker Albert Literary Agency. And that agent worked with me for several months on additional edits before sending it to publishers. So, if you look at the entire process to get a book published, trying to follow traditional publishing paths, it took about three years or a little more for this book to be published. But, again, the actual writing took a year. And you ask when I write. The answer is – when I can. I have a full-time job in government affairs, and I’m a part-time Community College English teacher, so I don’t have a lot of time. There were lots of late-night and weekend writing sessions, but it’s worth it because it’s something I really enjoy doing. And I hope the end result is that I write something that might bring someone else some enjoyment.
- What is your favorite part about writing?
You know, there is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from building worlds through your imagination, and I think that is one of my favorite parts of writing. I also really enjoy when a story starts to evolve and the writing just becomes this fluid, smooth process where you feel like you could write all day without stopping. That’s a great feeling. Writing is not always that way. Sometimes, it can be a trudge to try to work through a plot hole or a weakness in the story, but that’s just the way writing is. By the way, when you do figure out how to fix holes or weaknesses in your story, that is also a great feeling of satisfaction. In the end, I really enjoy the whole process, even the editing.
- What is your least favorite part of writing?
There really is no least favorite part of it, but there definitely are challenges. When an editor or publisher sends you back comments suggesting major changes, that can be overwhelming, but you just have to tackle it in pieces as best you can. Then, the hardest part of being a writer is the marketing end of it. Authors have to realize they have a major role to play in trying to find readers (if you are not a famous author), and that is a huge challenge. I have had to learn to accept that if even one person gets some enjoyment from your work, then that is meaningful and worth celebrating.
- Can you tell us what’s coming next for you as an author?
Thanks for asking that. I’m excited to report that this spring (or summer) the third and final book in my Last Princess of Latara series will be published by Divertir Publishing. The first two books, Guardian’s Nightmare and Guardian’s Return are already available on Amazon. The third book, with a working title, The Future Queen, will be an exciting conclusion to the series. I’m also working on a science fiction novel, which I hope to finish in 2022. Finally, for the last couple of years, I’ve gotten into writing horror short fiction. I’ve had a couple of short stories published in anthologies, and soon I’ll start work on another horror short. So, writing continues to be a big part of my life.