Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
A1. Every introvert’s worst nightmare, but now that we have that out the way…I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee where I spent most of my life. I am married with three wonderful kids. Our twin daughters have blessed us with seven grandchildren and now the pressure is on our recently married son. But seriously, we moved around some after the breakup of our church in’97, but that’s a story for another day and another book. We were in Florida for eight years and now happy to be back in Tennessee, residing in Hendersonville.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing your book “The Quiet Kid”?
A2. Balancing time between a full time job and family and still carving out the time to write.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
A3. There are so many. The first was probably Harper Lee ~ To Kill a Mockingbird. Kurt Vonnegut got me hooked and then came Cormac McCarthy ~ All the Pretty Horses. I love the way he handled dialogue.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
A4. Anna Maria Island. So many good times with family there. My wife and I took a road trip out to Bryce Canyon a couple of years back. I’m itching to get back out there to see more of the state and more of the Rocky Mountains.
Q5. What inspired you to write the book ‘The Quiet Kid’?
A5. Conversations with my son about my high school days, which stirred his curiosity. I became acutely aware of my lack of knowledge about my Dad’s early years, so I just started writing things down
Q6. How long did it take you to write your book ‘The Quiet Kid’?
A6. I wrote for almost thirteen years before concluding that I actually had two books going simultaneously. I spent another year or so breaking it apart before self publishing The Quiet Kid.
Q7. On what platforms can readers buy your books?
A7. Amazon
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Quiet Kid’?
A8. I wanted the cover to reflect the times, so I drew up a rough sketch of me flashing the peace sign out the window of the first car I owned and pitched it to a friend with the idea of some Peter Max style pop-art. Kudos to Brad Smith for the brilliant job! As for the title, it was how I was known, especially to those who didn’t know me well.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
A9. I always try to get inside the moment and draw the reader in with me. That’s the goal.
Q10. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about writing?
A10. “Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.”
Kurt Vonnegut
Buy The Quiet Kid on Amazon
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