1. How did you come up with the basic story for Kritterkreep?

Well, I was up late working on the computer, okay, well, I was playing Ages of Empires to be honest, not working. My first child was still an infant and it was my day to get up with her during the night. The baby monitor sat crackling away next to me as I played. I heard these odd sounds, almost like a laugh emit from the speaker. I’m sure it was my daughter giggling a little in her sleep as she would do from time to time. Then I thought what if there was a little gremlin or something in there terrorizing her and that’s why she wakes up every night? And that was it. I started writing a few days later.

2. What made you choose to write for young adults?

Kritterkreep is my third book. Until then I had been writing Caribbean based adventure stories for adults and had never even considered writing for any other type of audience. However, once the idea hit me I switched gears just to see if I could write something different. I never really planned to do anything with it. That and in my eyes, while typing away I had not thought of the story as being middle grade fiction. I had never even heard the term. I just typed and whatever popped out, popped out. It just happened to work out for the independent reading crowd. It’s not quite for the young adults meaning high school age though they might still enjoy it even as an adult would but I think teens may not find it spooky, scary or complicated enough for them. It seems the under 18 crowd prefers their literary heroes or protagonists to be a little older than them, so middle grade folks want to read about high school kids and high school kids want to read about adults. I think once one is an adult, it really doesn’t matter anymore, one just wants to read a good story. Who knows? I sure don’t.

4. How do you develop the characters? Are their traits based on people you know?

I guess all of my main characters or protagonists have quite a bit of me going, so to speak. I develop other characters as I need them. I have to the say the sidekicks are usually taken from people I’ve known throughout the years. Usually individuals that I felt some sort of strong friendship or attachment to even if those bonds only lasted a short time. For example, one of the characters from Kritterkreep, the main character’s best friend Juan is basically my best friend during high school, name, description, attitude and all.

3. What was the process to getting your book published? Was it difficult?

In general getting a book published is tough and getting tougher by the day that is unless the writer wants to pay for it out of their own pocket. As far as Kritterkreep goes, it wasn’t much beyond a snap. I mentioned earlier that I had never planned to do much with it in the first place. I had a few friends read it for their opinions. I hit up a few agents and, of course, got rejected. So I shelved it and forgot about it. About a year went by and I ran into a gal, an excellent writer and now a good friend and confidant named Ophelia Julian. Ophelia is big into the paranormal stuff in many parts of her life even beyond literature. She also writes for younger audiences. When I met her I mentioned Kritterkreep and she said she’d love to take a look at it. She read the book, gave me a referral to her publisher. The rest is history.

4. Who are your literary influences?

Well now, that’s tough to say. Honestly, I never meant to be or even wanted to be a writer. In fact, if you knew me during my school years you would never think I would ever have any chance of having a book published. I was always the guy in the back of the room who did his term papers during the bus ride to school. And maybe even during study hall of which I always made sure I had plenty of those spaced through the day. So let’s say my literary influences are the folks I love reading the most. I suppose that counts, right? Here’s the list……Hiaasen, Cussler, Bob Morris, Randy Wayne White, Jimmy Buffett yes, he writes books as well as songs, J R R Tolkien, Hemingway and there are the unknowns, Randy Richardson a great writer himself and the President of my writers group The Chicago Writer’s Association. Then there is Joyce Faulkner, another excellent writer and someone who has been so influential in my writing that I just can’t mention her enough. There’s JA Konrath, he’s great. I’m sure I’m missing folks. Did you notice there are no authors from the genre I’m currently writing in? Until Kritterkreep, I had never read a word of it. I picked up a Goosebumps, and one of those Series of Unfortunate Events books. I did that just to see what was up with how these established folks wrote. I enjoyed them. But then I decided to skip on reading anymore. I don’t want to write like anyone but myself. If it doesn’t work, I shouldn’t be messing with it.

5. Who is your favorite literary character and why?

This is a pretty tough question, one which took quite a bit of thought to answer. I’m going to have to go with a fellow named Skink. First, this is a character developed by one of my all time favorite writers, a genius in the literary world, Carl Hiaasen. Skink is a very odd character who occasionally pops up in Carl’s books. At one time he was an upstart in Florida politics, a Governor of the sunshine state named Clinton Tyree. Clinton tossed aside the usual business of politics, usual being kick backs, pay offs and political favors to those who might benefit them the most. Skink/Tyree actually worked to benefit the real people of Florida, the land and the wild life as well, often times fighting against the beach front and swamp developments that run rampant through the state in a quest for the almighty dollar. In this day age of political and financial subterfuge, obviously Clinton Tyree didn’t last. His political career sabotaged by a scandal contrived by his land and money grubbing opposites, Tyree disappears. He takes up life in the swamps as a crazy old, road kill eating hermit, reluctant fishing guide and occasional eco terrorist. That’s right eco terrorist, never the less, I still find him to be one of literatures most fascinating and funny protagonists.

6. Who is your favorite villain and why?

Who can like a villain? Do comic book characters count? If so, I’ll go with the Penguin from Batman.

7. How do you keep in contact with fans? Facebook, Twitter, My Space etc…?

Back when I was doing the adventure stuff, before Facebook I had a web site and let everyone in on my email address which I plan to do again. I’m a professional procrastinator so at this point, I still have no web site for the new stuff, but I’m working on it. I do have a Facebook page and I welcome any and all to join. But please beware; I throw some stuff out there for my family and friends. I imagine the time will come when I’ll need to create a page for the writing alone, but, let’s face it, I’m a newbie, I haven’t reached that point yet.

8. If you could spend time with any author (alive or dead) who would it be and why? What would you expect to gain from that experience?

Hemingway, I hear the guy really knew how to have a good time. I’m sure I’d walk away with hang over and quite a few great stories to pass along.