Tell us a little bit about your life in Southeast Texas. What do you do when you are not
writing?
I try to create something new every day. When I’m not writing, I’m most likely in
Photoshop designing, either for clients or for myself. A lot of my therapy work comes out
in my images, so I text them to my therapist, and we talk about them in our next session.
Aside from my creative work, I spend lots of time with my dachshund, Odie. He’s my
baby.
You have a new story coming out soon in Scout Media Books and Music’s Alumni of
Words anthology. Can you tell us the title and what it is about?
I submitted my latest story, “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” It’s about a little girl who finds
friendship in a very unlikely place. I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say
that sometimes those we consider “monsters” are just misunderstood.
One of my favorite stories that you’ve written, which I had the pleasure of being
published alongside, is featured in an all-female horror anthology called Café Macabre
II. Each story had its own piece of original artwork, also created by female artists. Can
you tell us about your story, No Cure for Blessed Hearts?
“No Cure for Blessed Hearts” is about a bible-thumping family that borders on abusive
with their beliefs. What I mean by that is they think their daughter is demonically possessed when in actuality, she’s just acting out. The dad drags her to church, where
she’s exorcised, unnecessarily.
What inspired this story? Who is the main character and what makes them unique?
I guess I can thank my father for the inspiration. You see, I was a very sad child, and I’ve
always been fascinated by the darker aspects of life. My sense of humor can be somewhat
dry. I lived with my father at the time, and he got sick of it. He brought me to church one
day where I was prayed over, had hands laid on me, etc. The preacher pushed on my
forehead, I fell, and he shouted “Out demon!” a few times. It was all very traumatic.
How does this story stand out from the other stories you’ve written and why did you
choose it for this anthology?
I feel like I started learning more about the craft around the time I wrote “No Cure.”
Structurally, it’s sounder than my previous work, even if this story was shorter than the
others.
You are a very talented individual and aside from being an author, you also freelance as a designer. Can you tell us a bit about your business and what all you create?
I create a lot of book covers, but my favorite thing is when a proud mom or dad will send
me a snapshot of their child for me to use in a fantasy composite. The kids and parents
are always so amazed. It’s a great feeling.
Out of every artistic design that you’ve created, which is your favorite and why? What
inspired its creation?
Well, my latest favorite is the “inner child” image I created a few weeks ago. Edelweiss
Paone (Brian Paone’s daughter) was kind enough to be my model. Brian took a photo of
her gripping the railing of their staircase, and I made it look like she was gripping prison
bars. It’s a lot cooler than it sounds. Lol.
Out of all your short stories, which is your favorite and why?
My current favorite is “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” just because it was so much fun to write. I
tossed around the premise for several months before I wrote it, and I love the way it
turned out.
You’ve written many short stories; do you plan on sticking with shorts or do you think
you will branch out into novels soon?
Last month, I started writing a novel that’s loosely based on Janis Joplin’s “Me and
Bobby McGee.” It’s about a woman who is homeless by choice, who makes decisions by
flipping a coin. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever written. So, we’ll see…
Many authors suffer from mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. You are a
woman, which is hard enough in this industry, who suffers from various illnesses such as,
Bipolar, Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, and ADHD. Can you tell us how this
has affected your life and your writing? Has it inspired any of your stories or artwork?
My disorders show themselves in everything I write, even when it’s unintentional or
when I’m trying to avoid it. There’s always a nugget of my truth in my work. And, at the
same time, the symptoms also affect my ability to write. For example, it’s hard to stay
positive. My inner dialogue might be screaming at me that my words don’t matter or that
they’re trash. Or, I might also bounce from idea to idea ten times in an hour.
Are you working on anything that we should know about?
I’m always working on something. Lol. Right now, I’m working on the Bobby McGee
novel.
Do you have a favorite book, author, or genre that you read? Why?
My favorite genre is horror. Specifically, I love Chuck Palahniuk’s brand of horror (he
wrote Fight Club). It’s twisted, visceral, and nihilistic—in the best way. His stories
“Guts” and “Zombie” are my favorite. I always find myself reading his work and wishing
I could be that good.
Where can readers find your work?
Look for me on Amazon, Goodreads, DeviantArt, and Facebook.
Comments