Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing.
I was born in El Paso, Texas and grew up in Tennessee before moving to the Washington, DC area. Despite a degree in Soviet and East European studies, I made a name for myself as an expert on North Korea. After a stint in the US Government, I have spent most of my career in defense think tanks.
I began writing a journal when I was in high school and made my first attempt at a novel in my early twenties. The novel never got off the ground. Over the decades, I turned to nonfiction and wrote four books on North Korea and the Kim family. During COVID, I returned to fiction and wrote my first novel (“McMinnville”) in about six months. It was published this May. Since then, I have written three other novels and am working on my fifth. It is my hope to publish at least one book each year for the next few years.
Describe your writing process? Is there anything unique about it?
I try to write in the mornings but am not tied down to a particular time. I am not a creature of habit. My day job is not a 9-5 job, but one where I can set my own hours. This leaves time for the to write when I feel the most productive.
I am a discovery writer. I usually come up with two crossing plot lines and a character or two and I’m off to the races. If I outline, it is only to get over a hump in the story. Normally, the ending comes into focus around halfway through the novel.
Have you published any books or do you have a desire to do so?
I do not really have a specific genre. So far, I have written SCI-FI, dystopian, and romance novels. As a writer, I am more interested in trying new things and focusing on various techniques of writing. In “McMinnville,” which is about a dying detective chasing the truth behind two photographs of a UFO and a larger mystery that seems to have taken hold of his life, I focused on pacing. The novel spans sixty years. Once the trilogy is complete, it will span one hundred years. In another novel, “Writer’s Block,” I tried my hand at writing in the first person. The novel is about the last person on Earth. It is not easy to write an entire book with only one character. It stretched my skills as a writer. I have also written two romance novels, one normal and another paranormal. I was interested in how to build a relationship across generational and cultural gaps. I learned a lot about character development. Therefore, I would say that my fiction writing is a journey of discovery and learning on how to be a better writer.
Do you have any favorite poets or authors?
I have a number of favorite fiction authors spread across a number of genres. I am a fan of Stephen King, in particular “The Stand” and “The Langoliers.” Both have been influential in my own writing. I also like reading male confessional authors, such as Nick Hornby and Mike Gayle. For historical mysteries, I turn to Dan Brown and Steve Berry. And when it comes to romance, I like Cara Bastone and Fiona Lucas. But when it comes to pure pleasure of reading the English language, I turn to Pat Conroy. I am from the South and his writing style and dialogue fit well in my ear.
Do you have a favorite book of poetry or poems?
I read books not only for pleasure, but for technique. When it comes to pacing and geography, I like Stephen King. Novels like “The Stand” are sweeping epics that take up space. I like how he approaches his books by asking the question, “What if?”. One of the gaps in the romance genre, in my opinion, is the male point of view written by male authors. Nicholas Sparks. of course, is out there, as are some of the authors in the Lad Lit genre, such as Hornby and Gayle. Books like “The Choice,” “High Fidelity,” and “My Legendary Girlfriend” are some of my favorites. In SCI-FI, I prefer to stay on planet Earth in the present day versus on other planets in the distant future. I enjoy reading UFO novels, as long as the aliens are not in your face. “Communion” by Whitley Strieber hits a nice sweet spot.
What are you reading now?
I am reading “The Zoologist’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Arik Kershenbaum. In many of my novels, I explore the potential for life in the universe. This, of course, raises the question of what life in other parts of this universe (or other universes) might be like. Kershenbaum delves deep into what aliens might actually be like. What they look like, socialize, and communicate.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?
I am a manager in a defense think tank. My work focuses on understanding RED, the adversaries: how they think, make decisions, and interact with other countries. In the movie “Three Days of the Condor,” Robert Redford talks about his strange job as a reader and analyst for the CIA. In one scene, he ponders “Who would create a job like that?” That’s sometimes how I feel about my job. It is a bit odd, but serves a purpose. When I am not working, I write and play games, everything from wargames to Monopoly.
Are you working on a current project?I am currently working on another romance novel that is looks at the challenges that the Gen Z and Millennials face in finding love and relationships. Black Pill, Red Pill, Blue Pill, manosphere, post-feminism, hypergamy, hook up culture, etc…This is an attempt to write a story about the challenges faced by a generation raised in a culture of online interaction and social distancing.
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