Give me a synopsis of your book.
A man is given a 2^nd chance at life after dying in a car crash and as a result, has a new special ability.

How did the idea come to you? 
From wishing I had the main character’s ability.

Once you had the idea, how long did it take you to begin writing your novel? 
About two years

Tell me about your process. Do you write in a linear storytelling format? Skip around chapter to chapter as things come to you? Start at the end?  
I believe I used what you refer to as the ‘linear’ process if I understand what you mean correctly.  I started with the first page and then one right after another as the ideas kept coming.  There was only one point where I took a chapter and combined it with an earlier one.

Are your characters modeled on people you know? Who? 
The characters are all fictional but my teenaged daughter was used extensively as a reference in many ways with one character.  My knowledge of our daily business dealings was helpful and a part of that is outlined in describing a particular situation early in the novel.  Some of my personal preferences and habits are quietly written into different characters but that’s for me and those close to me to know which!

Tell me about your discipline. What time of day do you prefer to write? Do you write something every day? Computer or longhand? 
I wrote mostly everyday after work and on the weekends using a desktop or laptop computer depending on where I was.  I constantly saved my work, almost after every sentence, and definitely after each paragraph and always had at least three updated backup copies on different computers.  I really didn’t place a deadline on myself but always felt a longing to get back at it if too much time went by.   I don’t think there was more than 2 days that went by when I didn’t at least write something.

How many drafts did you do before you considered it finished?  The editing process was always ongoing so there was never a ‘draft’ copy. 
The novel was always a forward moving work in progress and had been edited for spelling, grammar, and sentence structure once it was done by family members and myself a total fourteen times if I remember correctly.   In my opinion, that was the hardest part of the process. Practically every time I read over a page, I found something that needed to be corrected or could have been represented with more clarity.

Is this your first novel (published or not)? If not, tell me about some of your prior books/stories.
“The Giver’s Consequence” (TGC) was my first novel.  Though the main character haunted me from time to time over a couple of years, I only accidentally started writing the story when I was bored one day. By the time the first chapter was completed, a new personal goal emerged; the goal to be able to place my own novel on our coffee table.  That goal was achieved when the publisher sent me a couple of “author” copies earlier this month prior to the actual release date of January 31^st, 2005.  This story came out of the blue and I never had the slightest notion that I could write such a long manuscript.

Have you always had a bent for writing? 
No.

Did anyone encourage/inspire you to finish your book?
No, not really.  My wife is an avid book reader and if I had to name an inspirer, it would be her. Since I’m not a reader, I wanted to surprise her when it was done but that didn’t happen.  No one knew I was writing a novel, including my spouse, until it was nearly completed.  When I was about halfway through, she kept asking me what I was doing but I wouldn’t answer her.  She was used to seeing me on my laptop often so it was not out of the ordinary for her to see me busy.  Finally, at about ¾ the way through, she had enough of the secret so I told her what I was doing but teased her about the subject.   I actually told her it was about vegetables or something like that and she believed me. She’d just shake her head and walk away. We laugh about that now.   She’s incredible proud of me and that in itself is ALL the inspiration I could ever ask for.

Who are some of your favorite authors and why? 
Ironically, I’m not a reader but over the years have read about five novels by Dean Koontz.  Like Steven King, whose novels I’ve only read two or three of, I’m fascinated by their imaginations.

Your favorite genres?
Historical fiction and historical non-fiction. Spiritual as well, but not necessarily from any religion. I enjoy uplifting human stories, very much like “The Giver’s Consequence.”

Do you now consider yourself a novelist? A writer? An author? A storyteller?  
Do I have to answer this one?  It humbles me because I don’t feel like I’m any of them.  If I had to pick, I’d pick novelist.

What is the most difficult aspect of writing a novel? 
For me, the editing process. I’m very lucky to be able to let loose, so to speak, when writing.  Because I don’t pay much attention to spelling or grammar as I’m rapidly moving along, I have to force myself to quickly go back and reread the previous passages.  There were times I neglected to do that, realized I’d written gibberish, and then had forgotten what I was trying to convey after moving to another subject. I don’t make that mistake anymore!

What comes effortlessly?
Almost always, the ideas seem to just roll right along!

What is the key to believable dialogue? 
Write it as if you’re in the conversation; as if those were the words you’d hear that personality say to you or—have that character respond the way you would have.

Tell me about the process of getting published. Who did you contact? Did you want to smack the editor when all was said and done? 
It started with Bobbi Ortega, another Avnet author who was featured in AGP last year.  Coincidentally, I had recently finished TGC (The Giver’s Consequence) and had just started the process of searching for a publisher.  I saw her article, emailed her, and ended with the same publisher as her, PublishAmerica, so I have both AGP and Bobbi to thank.  I sent my manuscript to them and to my surprise, they accepted it right away.  About the editor they assigned to me; that person and I had a serious on going spat via email.  Like I said earlier, the editing process was the hardest part for more than one reason.

Any advice for those who say, “Someday, I’m going to write a book about _________.”? 
Don’t write to just fill up a blank page with endless descriptions/ adjectives.   Less is better. Be precise, focus on the point using the shortest sentences that YOU believe makes the most sense.  If you don’t feel the encouragement to move along, that’ll probably show up in the text.  Like losing weight, or a successful change of life, it’s going to come from something that’s already built in; that unknown driving force.   Also, you won’t know whether or not it can be done unless you give it an honest first effort.

What’s next for you when it comes to writing?
My second novel, “The Cannons At Goldsboro Bridge,” has been completed since the end of November, 2004. I’m patiently waiting to see how my current publisher does with TGC and if they help me sell it well, I’ll send them my new one.  Further, my ears and eyes are open for another story.  I’m paying attention to things I see and hear in my life that could give me a new idea worth a full novel.  I just finished the 2^nd one.  As I did with the time I took between the two I have now, I’ve got to stage things so that I’m not too focused with too many projects at once.

What operating group / division do you work for at Avnet? 
EM / cilicon.

What is your job title?
Sales & Marketing Rep; 18 years in our Kansas City office, 7 in Orlando.

What town do you live in? Oviedo, FL, a Northeastern suburb of Orlando.

What are some of your other interests outside work? 
Classic rock and electric blues composition, recording, and performance.  Surfing.  Just staying at home with the wife, enjoying my computer, music and video equipment.