I grew up a third-culture kid (TCK). Born in Alaska, I was raised in The Last Frontier, the Middle-East, and Texas. These three places created "the triangle" around which my family and I moved every year or two. Once I reached college-age, I moved nearly every semester. I began as an agriculture major but eventually changed to criminal justice. I hold a B.S. in Criminal Justice (with focus in terrorism and crime scene investigation), and a M.S. in Terrorism & Counterterrorism Studies.
First and foremost, I write to inspire. I write to build people up. I write to challenge readers to think and to stir their emotions. Intellect and emotions are not bad in themselves. One is not better than another, but the struggle is to balance them and become master of both.
I want to write stories that make a reader sit back and think, "Wow. Now that was an adventure!" At the same time, I want to leave you wanting just a little more. I hate the end of great adventures, whether a book or movie, especially ones that don't hint there is more to come. How can you go back to the way things were after experiencing something glorious or horrific, even if that experience came from reading a book? You can't. There is no going back because that experience changes you and your perceptions. Perhaps I always hope for the next adventure because I detest a monotonous life and stagnation, especially of the mind.
Secondly, I cannot not write. Fellow writers understand. When an idea strikes, you must write. There is no focusing on anything but the manuscript. I have learned through experience that if you try to avoid writing while inspired, it does not go well. The longer you ignore the "itch," the more ideas for a plot will build in your mind. The tension during the times when you know you should be writing but choose to procrastinate is uncomfortable and nearly maddening.
I choose to write because it is a gift. However, it is not one that I am trying to make a living from (and good thing, too). It is my service to the world. Inspiring people or offering them a temporary escape from the harshness of reality is more important to me than financial gain. Even if no one was to read my books, I would still write because it is one of my foundational purposes.
Part of sharing my gift includes keeping the story content clean. I believe that what you feed your mind affects your words and conduct. Every little thing you take in or dwell upon influences you. It matters. The power of the written word cannot be overstated. If you are going to put out a product that can be accessed worldwide, you are responsible for content.
I guarantee page-turning stories with great substance, flashes of witty dialogue, and quirky, relatable life-events. If a book does not grab and hold my attention, I do not expect it to hold the attention of my (few) readers.
As always, I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I've enjoyed writing them.
First and foremost, I write to inspire. I write to build people up. I write to challenge readers to think and to stir their emotions. Intellect and emotions are not bad in themselves. One is not better than another, but the struggle is to balance them and become master of both.
I want to write stories that make a reader sit back and think, "Wow. Now that was an adventure!" At the same time, I want to leave you wanting just a little more. I hate the end of great adventures, whether a book or movie, especially ones that don't hint there is more to come. How can you go back to the way things were after experiencing something glorious or horrific, even if that experience came from reading a book? You can't. There is no going back because that experience changes you and your perceptions. Perhaps I always hope for the next adventure because I detest a monotonous life and stagnation, especially of the mind.
Secondly, I cannot not write. Fellow writers understand. When an idea strikes, you must write. There is no focusing on anything but the manuscript. I have learned through experience that if you try to avoid writing while inspired, it does not go well. The longer you ignore the "itch," the more ideas for a plot will build in your mind. The tension during the times when you know you should be writing but choose to procrastinate is uncomfortable and nearly maddening.
I choose to write because it is a gift. However, it is not one that I am trying to make a living from (and good thing, too). It is my service to the world. Inspiring people or offering them a temporary escape from the harshness of reality is more important to me than financial gain. Even if no one was to read my books, I would still write because it is one of my foundational purposes.
Part of sharing my gift includes keeping the story content clean. I believe that what you feed your mind affects your words and conduct. Every little thing you take in or dwell upon influences you. It matters. The power of the written word cannot be overstated. If you are going to put out a product that can be accessed worldwide, you are responsible for content.
I guarantee page-turning stories with great substance, flashes of witty dialogue, and quirky, relatable life-events. If a book does not grab and hold my attention, I do not expect it to hold the attention of my (few) readers.
As always, I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I've enjoyed writing them.
"We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls." -Mother Teresa