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Q. Why write?
I've been wracking my brain for the last ten years trying to figure that out. I suppose its because at some abstract point in time, I decided to, and for some equally abstract reason I decided to stick with it. The closest I've come to figuring it out is that I've been telling stories my entire life, true and false, for entertainment and I just haven't been able to stop. My other conclusion is that its kind of like herpes and I can't get rid of it.

Q. What kind of stuff do you write?
Anything and everything. At the moment, most of my work is fantasy or science fiction. I try not to assign my work to a particular genre because usually it tends to either depart it or limit my imagination.

Q. Where do you write?
In cafes, mostly. When I started writing in high school, I found myself being barged on frequently, so I took to going to the Starbucks down the street. When I came to college, that trend carried over. So far, it’s worked well for me. I concentrate better on writing outside of the house than I do at home. Plus, a reliable source of tea is always nice.

Q. You’ve written three books! Are they published?
Nope! I wrote the original versions of all three books so I could explore the form and test my abilities as a writer. I guess that makes it not count, but they felt like books to me! =)

Q. You have really random inspirations.
I know. I tend to dabble in a wide range of interests—from classic American literature to Japanese manga, heavy metal and electronic to jazz and punk rock. Getting inspiration is easier the wider you spread your tastes, I’m finding. Having the visual imagination of a depraved nutcase also helps sometimes. Have you ever imagined yourself riding on the back of a flying blue whale, crashing through skyscrapers while wildly soloing on a guitar and everything around you catching fire? Yeah, that’s my mind. I accepted my insanity years ago.

Q. Do you listen to anything when you write?
Music, and sometimes white noise and soundscapes. I tend to immerse myself fairly easily, but if I need some help I’ll usually put on a song or a band whose sound reflects the mood or essence of what I’m writing.

Q. Why do you post your stuff online? Aren’t you afraid people might steal it?
Contrary to popular belief, it’s a lot easier to protect ones’ work online than you might believe. All the work you see on here is my intellectual property, meaning it’s automatically protected under basic copyright laws. That’s pretty much the reason why intellectual property exists—so people will have an incentive to share their work as I’m doing. So, as the creator of the content here, I have the right to copy or reproduce, import, export, create derivatives, perform or display, sell or assign the rights, transmit or display by radio or video.

So, anyone believing they can rip stuff off of websites just because it’s on a widely available network has been severely misled. Besides, those sort of folks should try making their own stuff. It’s actually quite fun. ^_^

Q. Why post your stuff online any way?
Hopefully, so people will read it =). I’m also looking into the idea of online publication.

Q. Nice website! Did you design it?
Yup! I’ve been designing sites since I was twelve. Its quite a handy skill ^_^.

Q. Do you design sites for people?
Nope, sorry. Although sometimes, when my designer friends tell me what they get paid hourly, I wish that I did.

Q. Will you read my stuff?
Your best bet is posting your work on the forums for critique dropping me an e-mail until I get off my butt and put up the forums. I may not always have time, given I have my own writing, a job and school to worry about, but I’ll do my best. Please don’t send me manuscripts right off. I don’t open attachments from people I don’t know. Just drop me a line and I’ll respond with my availability and a time frame.

Q. Are you on any messengers?
Yup! The information is available on my contact page.

Q. What’s a Professional Writing major? I haven’t heard of that before.
It’s the equivalent to an English major, only minus the literature bit (sadly). The Professional Writing major at Champlain encompasses everything from journalism to poetry, creative to technical writing. It’s only about 8 years old as of 2009, but it’s quite fun. I highly recommend it if you like snow.

Q. Are you religious? Does it factor into your writing?
I keep my beliefs quiet. I like to make readers think, and I find that’s easier to do if I don’t portray myself as a subscriber to a particular moral standard or belief system. I understand that there are people out there who like putting people in categories, and I’ve come to accept that my stuff might offend people of various religions or beliefs. If it does, I’m sorry. It’s part of my job.

Q. I’m writing a book/story. Is there any advice that you can give me?
Write every day. Never give up. And find the methods that work best for you. Everyone has “perfect writing moods.” Sadly, those only come about once in a blue moon and aren’t worth waiting for. I find the more often I write, the more often they come. And read widely. That’s important, too.

Q. I found a mistake in your writing!
Please e-mail it to me and I’ll fix it immediately.

Q. Can I publish your work?
Contact me if you’re interested. Be sure to provide your contact information.