Author Insides - Brian Barnett

Brian Barnett lives with his wife, Stephanie, and son, Michael, in Frankfort, Kentucky. He has appeared in nearly thirty publications, online and in print, including several anthologies. He was co-editor of the anthologies Toe Tags, Toe Tags II and Long Live The New Flesh: Year One with William Pauley III, and has published a collection of horror stories titled State of the Dark. For up-to-date news on all things Brian: http://merrilyhauntingfrankfort.blogspot.com/

Brian's humorous poetry appeared in the Autumn 2011 issue of The Battered Suitcase.


Brian, when did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

I’m not really sure if I consider myself a true ‘writer’ even now. I can remember back to when I was younger (I can’t remember my exact age) and my parents had an old typewriter in the living room. I felt inspired enough to want to write then, but I had no idea how to even approach doing it. Plus typing was a bit of a mystery to me.

Now, I write whenever I can, which is not very often it seems. That’s why I don’t consider myself a writer, really. ‘Writers write’ is the saying I’ve always heard. I only write when I’m able, which is not nearly often enough. Sounds redundant, huh? Probably because I’m rusty from lack of writing.

Why do you write?

I love to write. I love translating the stories that I see in running through my head repeatedly like that obscure late-night B-movie that nobody else has ever seen. I love being able to bring those stories to life so that other people can see why I’m so deranged.

Is being a writer/poet anything like you imagined it would be?

Not at all. Well, at least not like I imagined it when I was younger. I used to think that if your name was stamped on a book cover, you were well-to-do and rich. As I got older and noticed that there were tons of writers out there and probably the top 1% actually made a living from it, I started to wise up.

Also I’ve been far more successful that I deserve to be. No I haven’t made a great deal of money, but I am certainly gaining a lot of credits and I’m improving all the time. Who knows, I might actually make enough to gas up the family van soon.

What do you think makes a good story? 

I used to think lots of scary monsters and lots of spooky sequences made stories good. But the more I read and the more I write, the more I see that the characters, especially in longer stories, are the key to a great story. If people care about your characters, they will be sucked in. No matter how many cool sequences you put in your story, readers won’t take it as seriously if they don’t care about the characters. I’ve read a few books now where I thought, “wow that was cool”, or “wow that was creative”, but I didn’t like the overall product because the characters were so weak.

What's your favorite genre to read? 

Horror. That’s probably 90% of my reading load. However, I like a few other genres to change the pace from time to time.

Who is your favorite author or poet? 

Author: Richard Matheson
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe

What books or stories have most influenced you the most as a writer?

I’d love to say Richard Matheson, but after reflecting on all that I’ve written, I’m a lot more pulpy than he is. I guess H.P. Lovecraft or Guy N. Smith would fit the “influential” bill.

What books or stories have most influenced you as a person? 

I haven’t really approached any books or stories that have influenced me that deeply. To me, books are entertainment, not life-changing. Perhaps I just hung myself with that statement, but I have yet to find anything so earth-shattering that I change my viewpoints on life.

Where/how do you find the most inspiration?

I wish I knew. Sometimes the writing bug just bites me and I can crank out a publishable short story in one 20-minute to half-hour sitting. If I was always that inspired, I would have a much larger body of work.

What does your family think of your writing? 

My family is very supportive. They usually buy the books that my work is in (anthologies and magazines). My wife provides enough tough love to keep me grounded. If I write something that is garbage, she’s not afraid to tell me. The problem is I don’t usually listen until it’s too late. Then once I wipe the egg off my face, I open up a little more to her suggestions.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing? 

Sporadic is probably the best word I can think of. If I get time and inspiration, I write like crazy. Other times, I write very little if at all, I’m ashamed to say.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals? 

Nope. I just sit down and go to it. I used to create outlines for every story. But now I only do that for stories with longer story arcs and multiple characters.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Just keeping my muse happy and busy seems like the most challenging part of my writing. I also have a difficult time staying focused on one project at a time.

What are your current projects?

I have a few novellas in the works. I’m a few chapters into four different stories. As I said in the previous answer, I have a hard time keeping focus. I’ll write a chapter or two for one story and then I’ll move to another. I usually don’t get a whole lot of progress on any one story at a time. However, I usually finish two or three at the same time, so I guess I break even in the end.

What are you planning for future projects?

Always planning. I have close to a dozen projects jotted down. Now if I could just get to writing them…

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Toughen up. You’ll get rejected probably more than you’re accepted when you’re first starting out. It’s nothing personal. Just take the advise of the editors and improve your work. That’s the only way to get better.

Also, be patient. That’s my biggest problem. Some publications take months to review your work. Don’t pester them with lots of follow-up emails. You certainly don’t want to annoy the editor before they read your story. If more than three months go by, then yes, send a polite follow-up email to see if the email gremlins stole your story. Outside of that, it’s a lot of sitting around and waiting.

Where else can we find your work? 

Everywhere, it seems. Probably the quickest way to access my stories is to access them from my blog page. I have them everywhere, so I’m not going to list them here.

My blog:  http://merrilyhauntingfrankfort.blogspot.com/

Author Insides - N.P. Miller

N.P. Miller is a Baltimorean native currently residing in Winston Salem, North Carolina. His poetry has appeared in such publications as Twisted Tongue, Dark Gothic Resurrected, and Moon Washed Kisses.

His poetry was also published in the Autumn 2011 issue of The Battered Suitcase.


When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 


Truth be told, I never really decided on becoming a writer, but more or less falling into it. I’ve always been writing stories and poems since I was in elementary school, so writing was just a natural, everyday thing for me. I couldn’t imagine pursuing anything else.

Why do you write?

I love entertaining people, and I think poetry is my best outlet for that. I get a rush when friends and family and complete strangers read my work. It’s invigorating, really.

Is being a writer/poet anything like you imagined it would be?

It’s actually more difficult than I thought it would be. The persistence of being a writer is probably the most complex aspect about it. It’s tough to find time to write every day, but if you love the craft, you’ll make time.

What do you think makes a good story?

I think well-developed characters are important, but it balances out with an interesting and engaging plot. I can’t say that one is more essential than the other. They kind of share the same space. Also, snappy dialogue – I’m a sucker for quick wit and sharp tongues between characters.

What's your favorite genre to read?

When I was younger, I was all about fantasy and horror stories, but these days I lean more towards the slice-of-life and coming of age genres. I enjoy reading stories about characters and situations I can relate to. There’s a comfort in that.

Who is your favorite author or poet?

I haven’t the fingers and toes to count them all, but if I had to save two a burning building it would have to be Edgar Allen Poe and Noah Cicero. I’ll read anything by these guys.

What books or stories have most influenced you the most as a writer?

In my freshman year of high school, our English class read “The Catcher in the Rye.” I have never been so entertained by a book before. I was so intrigued by the story; I went out and bought myself a copy a couple days after we finished it. I still have it on my bookshelf today.

What books or stories have most influenced you as a person?

“The Human War” by Noah Cicero was pretty influential for me in terms of how I viewed the world. The book taught me how there can be light in darkness, even when it’s small and speckled, and how one can still be an individual and not be an asshole about it.

Where/how do you find the most inspiration?

Here comes the strange part: I really don’t read that much. Most of my ideas come from music, film, or events that have happened in my life. I also love to travel and explore new places, which always help with my writing. If you discover a new place, you might discover a new you along with it.

What does your family think of your writing? 

They support me all the way, even though they’re not the biggest fans of poetry. They always have an attentive and honest ear when I want to read my work to them. I couldn’t ask for better critics.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I usually bring a notepad with me and jot down ideas while I’m really supposed to be working. They haven’t caught me yet, so it works out rather nicely. Other then that, I write after I get off work. Usually I’ll have some experiences from the workday that I can incorporate within my writing.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals? 

I always have a pen or marker in my mouth while I’m writing. I’m a ritualistic pen-chewer. Guilty as charged. What can I say? It helps me think. I also light scented candles, especially vanilla. It really opens up my senses. Also – as stereotypical as this may seem – I usually write at night. I can’t focus well in the daytime when there’s all this activity going on.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Persistence is perhaps the most challenging part. Coming up with ideas can be difficult, as well, especially when considering a theme or topic for a poem.

What are your current projects?

Right now I’m writing a screenplay. I’m kind of putting everything else on hold and focusing on this project alone.

What are you planning for future projects?

Not quite sure just yet. Whatever it is, I’m certain it will involve two things: writing and a bunch of teeth-mangled pens and markers.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Write for the sake of writing. Don't wait for the conditions, and don't rely on the prose fairies to swoop into your computer and pen your words for you. If you got a story, tell it, and then share it. The written word makes the world go 'round.

Where else can we find your work? 

I’ve been published in several online magazines such as Dark Gothic Resurrected, Moon Washed Kisses, and the UK e-zine Twisted Tongue. I don’t have a writing website or anything because I’m not that cool. I hope to have one up soon, though.

Author Insides - Jonathan Slusher

Jonathan Slusher is a native of the Garden State, now living in the San Francisco Bay area. He has a MS in Environmental Science and has spent the past six years — two of those abroad in France — as a stay at home father. You can find recent work by Jonathan in Paper Darts Magazine, Toasted Cheese Literary Journal, and on his webpage at www.waterlanding.net.

Jonathan's short story "That Far to Deep River" appeared in the Autumn 2011 issue of The Battered Suitcase.


When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

I realized that I wanted to be a writer gradually alongside with my reluctant acceptance of being a failure as a conversationalist.

Why do you write?

I’m not a quick thinker. Writing gives me a second chance to come up with all of the things that I wish I’d said in person. Also, whether writing them down or just imagining, creating stories is a great way to get someplace else, straightaway.

Is being a writer/poet anything like you imagined it would be?

I am still only in the beginning stages of taking myself seriously as a writer. I want to continue to write purely for pleasure, but I do shamefully admit indulging in the occasional delusion of grandeur.

What do you think makes a good story?

This is hard to say, but I prefer good story telling that is enhanced, not overly enriched with straightforward, meaningful prose.

What's your favorite genre to read?

Literary fiction is my favorite genre, but I am also not ashamed to admit being a huge fan of Robert Parker, J.K. Rowling, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Who is your favorite author or poet? 

If I have to choose one favorite author I’ll go with Paul Auster. He’s so bold. Not every book is one my favorites, but each is almost always a new invention in itself. I read The Book of Illusions years ago and it is still very fresh in my mind.
 
What books or stories have most influenced you the most as a writer?

The short stories of T.C. Boyle make me want to search harder for my own secret formula.

What books or stories have most influenced you as a person? 

Even during the times when everything I owned fit neatly into a few plastic clothing baskets I’ve always kept a perfectly worn out, hardcover copy of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. It isn’t even one of my all time favorites, but it was the book that made me crave stories with a purpose.

Where/how do you find the most inspiration?

I have a lot of story ideas that I’d like to get out, but don’t always know how. Attempting to find the right words to bring these ideas to life can be inspiring, sometimes it can be frustrating, and the challenge can be good or bad depending on my state of mind.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

Although it would probably be a good idea I don’t have much of a schedule. I do, however seem to make far better use of my free time when I don’t have very much of it.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals? 

Early morning at the kitchen table when everything is still and I have a strong cup of coffee within arm’s reach: that’s the most fruitful setup there is.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Editing is hard for me. The waiting aspect of publishing is extremely tough. I also still regret self publishing my first novel.

What are your current projects?

I’m just finishing The Room Above the Garage, which is a short story about a jealous husband –who is supposed to be out of town--lying in wait in the room above the garage to find out if his wife is cheating on him. He’s worried about getting caught and he can’t decide how many evenings will be enough to ease his suspicion. As usual, I have no idea if it will be worthy of publishing or doomed to join the collection of other duds lurking throughout the unorganized files on my hard drive.

What are you planning for future projects?

I’d like start working on a second novel. The first one took me almost two years and I gained fifteen extra pounds. I’m just now finally getting back in shape.

Do you have any advice for other writers? 

Try your best to write for your own enjoyment and avoid getting bogged down with worrying about how your writing will be received by others.

Where can we find your work? 

You can find my work in Paper Darts Magazine and Toasted Cheese Literary Journal. I also have a personal website at waterlanding.net

Author Insides - April L. Ford

April L. Ford lives in New York state, where she teaches French at SUNY College at Oneonta.  She's working on a collection of fiction called The Poor Children, that includes "Isabelle's Haunting."  When not writing or teaching, she travels to her native home of Montreal, Quebec in pursuit of authentic French coffee and pastries. Vive les croissants et le café au lait! You can find her online at http://www.cogentwords.com.

"Isabelle's Haunting" appeared in the Autumn 2011 issue of The Battered Suitcase.


When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer, April? 

Not until my early twenties—at least professionally.  Before that, I had used writing as either a private hobby or a tool for good grades in college … perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I figured out early on that, in some cases, a grammatically sound paper could steer attention away from content and research deficits.  I no longer engage in this practice, of course!

Why do you write?

I’m not designed to do anything else quite as effectively, I’m afraid.

Is being a writer/poet anything like you imagined it would be?

I didn’t have a fixed idea about how it would be, probably because I came to the reality later than some.  I feel a bolt of despair whenever I read about a successful author—dead or alive—who published his or her first novel at age twenty-one.  What was I doing at that age?  There are days when I fear I’ve “missed the boat” (whatever that really means); that is, I decide I should have been serious about writing from the moment I could use a crayon.  But then I look at how I’m actually living now—as a writer—and I feel validated.  It’s not a glorious existence, but it’s full of little luxuries and freedoms that suit me just fine!

What do you think makes a good story? 

A good writer.

What's your favorite genre to read? 

I love family drama / saga stories, and creative non-fiction about events in US history from about 1890 onward.  I’m generally fascinated by the macabre, and my poor husband and friends have to hear about my obsession du jour until I talk it out of my system and write a something.

Who is your favorite author or poet?

Let’s say the perfect baby would come from Iris Murdoch and Jeffrey Eugenides.

What books or stories have most influenced you the most as a writer?

As an adult: Faulkner and Nabokov have taught me about beauty in prose, and register; Anne Tyler, Kaye Gibbons, and Russell Banks have helped me figure how to tell stories about people—everyday, idiosyncratic people; and Joyce Carol Oates has given me a lesson or two on horror.  As a teenager, before I ever imagined myself as a writer: V.C. Andrews—My Sweet Audrina, in particular.  

What books or stories have most influenced you as a person? 

Numerous from the abovementioned pool of writers.

Where/how do you find the most inspiration?

Definitely not by force.  Whenever I try to will a good story into existence, I generate mechanical, lifeless prose that can’t be rescued even by careful rewrites.  This isn’t to say good ideas, characters, and stories float from the heavens right to my fingertips, but I’m at my best when my psyche is well fueled—a state of being over which I don’t have perfect control, so I’ve learned to manage what I do have control over: The fuel.  I read whatever attracts me, I watch television and film for pleasure, and I converse incessantly about things that interest me.  Perhaps hedonism is the engine for inspiration?

What does your family think of your writing? 

We all have a different opinion of what it is, exactly, that I do.  Fame and fortune, no doubt, would clarify things some.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

I have spent the last decade organizing my life around my writing.  Generally, I wake up at absurd morning hours and write until the other demands of the day (like teaching, and my vanity about personal fitness) begin.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals? 

I need the command of silence when I begin a new piece, but I prefer the background drum of coffee shops when I edit.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Starting and finishing.

What are your current projects?

A novel.

What are you planning for future projects?

Another novel.  One more novel.  HBO television series (everyone has a dream).  More short stories.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

A break from writing can mean the weekend off, or it can mean a month off.  It can also mean a much longer period, and it’s dangerous to think, “I’m not a writer if I haven’t written in the last year or three.”

Where else can we find your work? 

http://www.cogentwords.com

Author Insides - Flower Conroy

Flower Conroy’s poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in: American Literary Review; Serving House Journal; Psychic Meatloaf; Ghost Ocean; Sweet: A Literary Confection; Labletter; Saw Palm; BlazeVox; Interrobang!? and other journals.  She will be attending Fairleigh Dickinson University’s MFA program in January.

Her poetry has also appeared in the Summer 2011 issue of The Battered Suitcase.


Flower, when did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was a child I began writing these “pieces.”  They were exciting because of how they were structured.  What I didn’t fully understand at the time was not that I was inventing a new way to write but that I was discovering poetry.  Being a writer wasn’t something I wanted to be, it was something I just was.  I was writing, therefore I was a writer.  But it seems like in the last several years the idea of being a writer has really gripped my mind, and I am conscientiously working toward that goal.

Why do you write?

I am never bored writing.  In fact it’s the opposite; I get great satisfaction out of writing.  I get naturally high writing.  It’s meditative; it’s cleansing; it’s wild and surprising.  It’s play.  It’s fun work; it’s puzzle making and solving.  It’s seeing what one can get away with.  Like looking though a kaleidoscope, the experience is never repeated, it’s always fresh.

Is being a writer/poet anything like you imagined it would be?

Oh, it is much more glamorous than I ever imagined: will I ever get used to the paparazzi?  Seriously, it is like anything worthwhile: you need to work, work, work, work, and work some more.  (I think there are still romantic notions of what the writer’s life is like.)  My life as a writer is ever-evolving.  I’m pursuing my MFA.  I’m getting poems published.  I’m trying to do the best I can.  

What do you think makes a good story?

The great stories have been told, archetypically speaking.  (Think of the clichéd example of “West Side Story” being a retelling of “Romeo and Juliet.”)  Something must be at stake and you must have interesting, nuanced characters or it’s a sunk ship.

I think there is a different type of story being told in poetry than in fiction.

What is your favorite genre to read?

As a poet, I read poetry.  It is my passion, and I believe it is crucial for writers to read their genre de jour.  That sounds so obvious, but…maybe it’s still worth saying.  There is a certain level of discipline and patience needed when reading poetry; often I’m left feeling flabbergasted (sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a not so good way).

Who is your favorite author or poet?

Asking me my favorite poet is like asking a five year old what they want to be when they grow up.  Today it’s Maggie Smith.  Yesterday it was Amy Gerstler.  Two months ago, Dean Young.  Once it was Charles Simic.  One cold weekend, Brenda Shaughnessy.  Anne Sexton and I have been whittling away the evenings in bed for the last few months; I wouldn’t say a favorite but definitely important.  Wislawa Szymborska, how I adore you.  There was my love affair with Sharon Olds, Pablo Neruda, and Charles Bukowski.  It can be dangerous to have a favorite poet; I prefer continually becoming obsessed verses focusing and fixating on only one poet.  I have too much to learn.  Without meaning to sound trite or religious, I would say the author of this conscious world is perhaps the greatest poet.

What books or stories have most influenced you as a writer?

When I was younger, I enjoyed the pick your own adventure stories and Snoopy comic books.  I read the slender young reader encyclopedia set that we bought month by month from the grocery store.  The Babysitter’s Club series.  Anne Rice and Stephen King, my mother’s romance novels, mythology stories.  I was reading a lot of fiction but writing poetry.

What books or stories have most influenced you as a person? 

I attended Episcopal Church in my youth and I loved the language and imagery of the stories and psalms.  The stories my father would invent definitely influenced me.

Where/ how do you find the most inspiration?

How do you dig a big ditch?  Start digging, and keep going.  Ask the archeologist how she finds a dinosaur bone: by digging.  I dig; I dig into my heart, my imagination, my fear; I dig into other writing: I read.  I dig through pictures, books, words, experiences.  I’m sifting, sorting, gathering, rearranging.  You make inspiration like you make fire: start rubbing things together—something will ignite.  Inspiration is a proactive occurrence.  I scour magazines: Elle Décor is chock full of textures and visual stimuli and often the language is equally provocative.  Old art books.  Yahoo! News.  I invent or revisit writing exercises—I still use Richard Weems’ fiction prompts for my poetry.  Or actually exercise: a few jumping jacks gets the blood flowing.  I am in no short supply of finding inspirational sparks because I want to find inspiration, I want to discover.  Uncover.  Pick apart.  Reassemble.  Dig in, dig in.

What does your family think of your writing?

My cousin Shane (who I consider my brother) is a wonderful champion of my work; for years he has accompanied me to The Cape May Poetry and Prose Getaway where I have subjected him to impromptu poetry readings.  He recognizes when I revise poems, and agrees or disagrees with me.

My parents were always supportive of me writing whether or not they understood or enjoyed what I had written.

I think for the most part, my family is unfamiliar with my poetry; they love and support me because they love and support me: I think they want to understand and know what my poetry is about but I have been stingy in sharing it with them.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I try to dedicate Mondays and Wednesdays to writing/revising.  During the week in the mornings I research publications.  At evenings and nights I am reading.  I also always carry books with me so that if I have some down time at “work,” I can stick my nose between some pages but I’m usually too busy or the shop is too hectic so I might pick up a magazine instead (in which case, I always read with the intention of stealing some interesting tidbit from.)  If I’m not reading, I wish to be writing; if I’m not writing, I wish to be revising; if I’m not revising, I wish to be reading.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals?

I play “twinkle” music—new age, wordless music (I don’t like complete silence, and anything with words is too distracting).  I like to burn incense but it isn’t necessary.  If I’m writing by hand, I prefer Pilot Pens, #5 or 7 and the paper must be immaculate.  Physically releasing tension before beginning to write is effective.  I keep a little bottle of essential oil on my desk and I will anoint myself with aromatherapy.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I find the greatest challenge creating the heartleap—the moment when an internal leap occurs and you feel yourself slip into a wormhole but it is so instantaneous you almost wonder if it happened.  When a door behind you opens but when you turn around there is no door.  When your mind is jarred in or out of reality.  Getting the memory down, the thought down as it feels in my mind.  Recreating that emotive sliver in my audience.  Making sense out of the—as Eminem would say—“Crazy insane or insane crazy.”

What are your current projects?

My current projects include: organizing my poems into chapbooks and book length collections; vetting my publication resume; and pursuing my MFA.  For personal fun, I’m experimenting with Dadaistic poetry exercises.

What are you planning for future projects?

As I mentioned, I’m about to embark on my MFA journey; I imagine that will happily occupy most of my future projects.  Down the road (this is more of a goal than an actual project) I would love to be invited on the panel of the Key West Literary Seminar the next time they showcase poetry, so I am purposefully trying to build a poetic foundation that will earn the credentials necessary to garnish an invite.

Do you have any advise for other writers? 

Read, read, read and read.  But if you only do one thing—read.  A lot.

Where else can we find your work?

American Literary Review; Oberon; Serving House Journal; Psychic Meatloaf; The Moose & the Pussy; Ghost Ocean; Sweet: A Literary Confection; Lavender Review; Labletter; Saw Palm; BlazeVox; Interrobang?!; Cliterature






Brief Bio:


Flower Conroy’s poetry has appeared/is forthcoming in: American Literary Review; Serving House Journal; Psychic Meatloaf; Ghost Ocean; Sweet: A Literary Confection; Labletter; Saw Palm; BlazeVox; Interrobang!? and other journals.  She will be attending Fairleigh Dickinson University’s MFA program in January.

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Author Insides - Craig Steele

Craig W. Steele is a writer and university biologist whose musings occur in the urban countryside of northwestern Pennsylvania where he lives with his wife, their two children and one rubbish cat. He writes poetry and stories for both children and adults, and teaches environmental biology at Edinboro University. His haiku and senryu have appeared recently or are forthcoming in Modern Haiku, a handful of stones, Asahi Haikuist Network, Three Line Poetry, Prune Juice, Magnapoets, Grey Sparrow Journal, Haiku Pix Review and elsewhere.

His haiku were also published in the Autumn 2011 issue of The Battered Suitcase


Craig, when did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? 

In my seventh-grade English class, when we had a short-story writing contest. We had to read our stories aloud and I found that sharing my imagination with others was a huge thrill.

Why do you write? 

Because I can’t not write; the ideas and words gamboling around my mind have to get out or I’d go crazy.

Is being a writer/poet anything like you imagined it would be?

Difficult to answer. I really had no firm expectations going in. I have found that, in today’s crowded, competitive market, it’s more difficult to break through to publication than I had thought it would be.

What do you think makes a good story? 

Realistic, even if the story’s a fantasy.

What's your favorite genre to read? 

Science fiction, especially military science fiction.

Who is your favorite author or poet? 

Tough question, I like so many. Among authors, I’d say David Weber, Jim Butcher and J.D. Robb. For the “older generation” of poets, Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson; among contemporary poets, Jennifer Reeser and Kim Addonizio. And my favorite haikuists are Helen Buckingham and Bob Lucky.

What books or stories have most influenced you the most as a writer? 

Jennifer Reeser’s poetry books, Winterproof and An Alabaster Flask.

Where/how do you find the most inspiration? 

I find inspiration through my family, everyday experiences and nature. For the most part, my poetry deals with: the effects of the past on the present; the effects of the present on the perception of the past; our everyday interaction with nature; my family; and whatever peculiar, interesting, overlooked or neglected oddities I feel deserve notice.

What does your family think of your writing? 

They’re supportive and are always pleased for me whenever I get an acceptance, however, none of them like haiku, or tanka (!!). My kids enjoy my children’s poetry, but are a bit too young for my non-children’s poetry (though my son does try and seems to like some of it). My wife is a visual artist and has little interest in “word art.”

What is your work schedule like when you're writing? 

Highly variable. It depends on the demands of my day job, my family, and how cooperative my muse is being.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals? 

I’m not sure this is a quirk or a ritual, but I find I write best while relaxing in my lounge chair and writing in a spiral-bound notebook.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? 

Revision!

What are your current projects? 

My children’s poetry critique group is currently sending round a manuscript of bug poems. We had a group anthology of spooky poems published last year by Marshall Cavendish titled, An Eyeball in My Garden: And Other Spine-Tingling Poems, and hope to repeat that accomplishment.

What are you planning for future projects? 

I’m working on poems for two chapbook ideas, one dealing with storms (both natural and human) and the other, poems about winter.

Do you have any advice for other writers? 

Don’t ever give up. Enjoy the experience because writing for yourself really is more important than writing for publication.

Where can we find your work? 

Most recently, my haiku have appeared in Modern Haiku and the Aurorean and online at Three Line Poetry, a handful of stones, and Asahi Haikuist Network. My “regular” (non-haiku) poetry has appeared recently in The Lyric, the Aurorean and online at The Earth Comes First! and Willows Wept Review.