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Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

What is there to say about me? I love life. Despite the graphic violence in my writing, I am a pacifist. My interest is writing, and my hobby is writing. I’m in love with words, metaphors, stories. I earned an MA in modernist literature and composition. Of course, there are no jobs in that field—hell it’s not even a field—so I had to get a different job. I won’t talk about it, but it requires me to travel. I wrote this book/series in six or seven different countries, and you can feel it in the words. I’m a foodie, so I love trying different dishes from these wonderful cultures I encounter. I think my favorite meal would be “chimec” from S. Korea, which is fried chicken and beer. No place in the world does fried chicken like South Korea. Trust me, I’ve checked.

When and why did you start writing books?

I’ve always been a writer. I remember I wrote a short story in the 5th or 6th grade and it disturbed my teachers. I went to a very religious school back then, and my fantasy/supernatural vibe rubbed them the wrong way. I was not encouraged to continue that. I started writing books for the reason most writer do, there’s a story that yearns to be born. But also, I couldn’t find any writers who could land the aesthetic that resonates with me, so I decided to do it myself.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

Writing is what I love to do. I hope someday I can make a living from it, or enough to keep writing, anyway.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

I love Hawk and Spike. They make me laugh and they make me cry and they give me hope for life.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

Since “Hunt…” is my first book, I must say this book. I see authors in my genre popping out a book a year. That’s not me, unfortunately. This 700+ page beast took me five years to draft and a year and some change to edit.

Who is your favourite author and book?

This is a tough question. There are so many great writers like there are so many great colors and flavors and sounds. If I had to pick one it would be Cormac McCarthy and his book “The Road.” I have read this book over a dozen times, and I’ve committed pages of it to memory. I think it might be the perfect book.

What book are you reading right now?

Right now, on topic, I’m reading The Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio. I’m also working my way through Shakespeare, currently in “The Tempest”. And I’m always reading the poetry of Wallace Stevens, as if it is a bible.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

Real life, of course. My book is dark, but nothing can compete with the darkness in the human soul, the darkness written in the pages of history. I write darkness only so I can write that one, fleeting glimmer of hope.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I don’t have much spare time. But what I do have I use it for reading…and remembering…

Do you have any new books in the works?

Yes. I’m glad to say I have completed the rough drafts of Hunt for the Maji books 2 and 3. I’m now working on a self-edit/rewrite of book 2.