I’ve always had a voracious love for reading and writing. My love of things that go bump in the night or aren’t quite tangible on this plane of existence, really didn’t start until I was in my teens and fell in love with a movie about a pack of rowdy teen vampires (thank you Lost Boys). It seemed only natural to take that love and use it to fuel my writing.
Though I was born in San Antonio, Texas, I’ve spent most of my life in a glittering sea of lights. Las Vegas, or Sin City as many refer to it, isn’t geared for the under twenty-one crowd and it left a lot of time for my imagination to run amuck. It is this city and the areas surrounding it, both real and imagined, that serve as a backdrop and inspiration for most of my writing.
Raised in a family with a voracious love of reading, it didn’t take long for me to follow suit. My book tastes were eclectic. In my youth, favorite authors included Francine Pascal, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, and John Sanford. Though some of those authors remain on my must read list, there have been some new additions such as Laurel K Hamilton, Kim Harrison, and of course local Vegas Urban Fantasy author Vicki Pettersson.
In my teens, I watched my first vampire movie…The Lost Boys, and a love of vampires, the paranormal and urban fantasy began. This obsession added fuel to the fire and soon I was sitting behind the keyboard typing away some of my first (and very rough) stories.
As a writer, I envision many worlds within the present. Mixing the cities of today with beings that are otherworldly has become my passion. When I’m not writing, my pastimes include playing Rockband with my sons, daydreaming, and living vicariously through the characters I breathe to life. Indulgences? Why vampires, werewolves and faeries… oh my!
A Little Q & A
Which authors have influenced your writing?
There are so many great authors out there. It’s hard to narrow it down. They range from well-known, to just starting out and the list is ever-changing. There are a few who continue to top my list though and they are Vicki Pettersson, Lori Devoti, Teresa D’Amario, Jeaniene Frost, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Laurell K Hamilton, and Kim Harrison. Though the list hardly scratches the surface, these are some of the first that come to mind.
What else influences your writing?
My Critique Group… definitely. So much talent and support come from within the group structure at Passionate Critters and I’m extremely thankful to be a part of it. Oh, and though it may sound a bit cliché’ my other influences come from life, music, art, dreams, friends-everywhere you look there are things that impact our lives, and they mark you. It would be near impossible for those things not to leave a mark on my writing in some way.
Do you model your characters on real people or just imagine them?
A little of both. It’s hard not to incorporate traits of people you see or know. I think it helps to make the characters seem more real. But they are not entirely based on real people. I would hate for a friend to think I created my villain or hero in their image. That could be embarrassing.
What music do you like/ listen to (if you do) while writing?
This is dictated by the story so it could really be anything from country, to classical, to alternative… anything goes really.
Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
No, actually I always thought I would be a famous artist or a rock star. Okay the rock star part was never really on the list. I always wrote for fun, but never thought my ideas were interesting enough. It took a long time to come to the decision to work at being a writer.
Do you have a work/writing routine?
Routine? I don’t think I thought of it as one, but yeah I guess I do. Every day I make it a point to sit down and write something or do something that will help enhance my writing. Though there are authors out there who can whip out books at a rapid pace, it is not the norm for me. It is hard work and a process that can ebb and flow depending on many factors. A routine can be vital to keeping the juices flowing.
