What book(s) or projects are you currently working on?
I have two comic books that are coming out in the next month. The first is Ghosts: The People That Melt in The Rain #3 by Mike Dubisch and myself. The story follows a 12 year old girl named Laura who moves from a big city to a small town across the country. Mysterious events begin to happen as soon as she arrives from a rain of frogs to a cat that disappears and reappears in front of her eyes. The series is full of paranormal events and intrigue and is for kids ages 11 to 15.
My other comic book is called After the Robots Died, Issue #3, The Worms in our Eyes, This is also a YA series for preteens. This is the series premise: Arriving as embryos and raised by robots, a colony of children on a distant planet struggle to survive when the robots who raised them begin to shut down. It’s full of science fiction and horror themes, but not intense as it is still for older children.
I also have a picture book that I am illustrating called Just Down The Street by R.H. Bynum. It’s a cute rhyming book for little ones and that should be out later this year.
What was your inspiration for your most recent book or work-in-progress?
My youngest child was the inspiration for this series. During their teen years a diagnosis of depression and suicide ideation was a shocking blow for our family. I wished desperately that I could see the monsters that haunted my child and in my comic series, Orin’s Nana, is a powerful witch and his protector from when the creatures come calling.
In this chapter it becomes clear that Nana’s overprotective nature is holding Orin back from his destiny. So she becomes the antagonist and I think this is an important turning point in the story.
What books are you currently reading (for research and/or entertainment)?
Right now I am reading Paper Girls which is a YA fantasy graphic novel that won an Eisner Award. The art is stunning and the story draws you in. It’s about four preteen girls who get up before dawn to deliver newspapers in the mid-1980’s on the day after Halloween. Strange “people” steal one of their walkie talkies. They pursue the thieves and they quickly find themselves involved in a baffling situation where it seems they have traveled to the future. The characters are really engaging. As a writer and artist of kids comics this is definitely both research and entertainment. Aside from that I am constantly reading children’s books by my peers for review purposes and to stay apprised of what is out there.
What tool(s) do you use to write, and how? (Computer, tablet, apps, paper, etc.)
When it comes to writing, nothing helps me get started like a notebook, a pen and a quiet room. Concentration and focus is key and nothing is more helpful than an inability to go online. I do have to type up my writing but that just forces me to do much needed editing. This is the best thing that I have found for me to be productive. Other than that I use Google docs most of the time to keep track of my files and store them.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your book(s)? Who is your ideal reader?
My ideal reader is, generally speaking, is too young to buy a lottery ticket. Since some of my books are wordless picture books and simple stories I have written for newborn to age 14. I am a parent and I work with kids as an elementary school art teacher so I love writing for this age. So much of the world is new to them and they have such enthusiasm, it’s really quite rewarding to share my stories with kids.
Are you an author and would like to have an interview posted here? (You do not need to be a Sulis Author.)
