Q & A with the Author

Q – Why did you become a writer?

A – It is all I have ever done. Every job I have ever had has led back to writing.

Q – How long have you been writing?

A- I began when I was small. My grandmother gave me a little blank diary and I recorded what was happening during the summer. I was about 7 years old.

Q-What was the first thing you had published?

A- I was 9 years old and Highlights Magazine paid me $4 for a short story about our dog. I have been writing ever since.

Q- What is the hardest part of being a writer?

A – People tend to think that you are the last person who should get paid for your work. I think because it’s writing, many people just don’t think of it as a solid service.

Q – What is the best thing about being a writer?

A – Writing. I am one of those people who couldn’t function if I couldn’t write.

Q – Is it easy to get published?

A – No it isn’t. You have to be persistent. I know that a lot of people think that you just need to write a great book to get published but that’s not the hardest part. The hardest part is sticking with it even when people tell you your book is no good. Some of the best authors in the world have had to deal with rejection.

Q- How much of your own experiences go into your stories?

A – I use a lot of my own experiences as I think every writer does. Life experience is what allows us to breathe life into our characters.

Q – How do you come up with stories?

A – An idea will just come to me. Sometimes I’ll see something or read a news story that sparks something. Beyond the Call began with a story a Vietnam veteran told me in Guam.

Q – What is the best advice you have for new writers?

A – The best advice I have is to write all the time. Persistence is half the job. The more you write the better a writer you will be. Don’t give up if it is what you are truly passionate about.