Q. Why do you write horror and dark fiction over other genres?

A. I used to hate the label, "horror writer" and would respond that I'm a writer who writes horror, meaning I could branch out to other types of writing. Over that last few years the answer has changed. I'm a horror writer who might write other types of stories, but I will return to horror. Why? The avenues are limitless. Horror means different things to different people. You have vampires, werewolfs and demons in some stories, while others connect us to events we see on the news almost every day and to our fears whether real or not. I write horror because it allows me to address the complexity of these fears within a story and perhaps entertain while doing so.

Q. How much do you read?

A. As much as I can. I think it's an important part of being a writer. Also I don't stick to horror, though that's what I read most. I read just about everything.

Q. Where/when do you get your best ideas?

A. Life's the best source, everyday events. An idea will pop into my head and I'll immediately write it down, because they can get lost. Some I'll put together with other ideas, for example a couple years ago a neighbor came over on a Sunday morning to tell us that he thought he ran over my cat. When I showed him that he was wrong he stormed off angry. Around the same time my publisher told me a story about cutting down trees in his yard. I put the two together and the story became Hello Neighbor.

Q. Do you get stories from dreams?

A. I rarely remember my dreams and those I do have never transferred into stories.

Q. How long does it take to write something?

A. For me, probably too long. I know writers who can whip out a story in a week. I can't or haven't yet. I write lots of drafts, sometimes 20 or 30 before I'm done. So how long - in order to do a good job on a short story I'd like a couple months. A novel I could do in 8 to 12 months. I'd like to speed this up, but haven't yet.

Q. Where can I read excerpts from your book/stories?

A. There should be some here on the site. I'm not sure what's going to be available, because this question was submitted during the website's development so you might want to come back and see what may have been added.

Q. How do I buy one of your books?

A. That's also covered here on the site.

Q. How much of you is in your stories?

A. In the beginning, I was all over the place. That lessens with each story, but I'm there. None of the bad stuff is me, of course.

Q. If I send you a story, will you read it?

A. I'd rather not, for a couple of reasons. First, I don't like making suggestions to other people about their stories. Most don't like it and get mad. Telling someone they need to edit and cut isn't the same as saying, "it's crap", but that's how people take it. A friend of mine asked me to read her manuscript. I did and said, "Not bad for a first draft." She told me she thought it was perfect and wouldn't change a word. She didn't and the story isn't published. Second, I'm kind of busy. You probably want a rapid response and I can't promise one. Ask two or three people you trust to read it. Thank them all and listen to the one who seemed to like it least.

Q. Do you let anyone read your work, before you submit it?

A. I prefer to have a "First Reader", because I have a reading disability. I miss things - mistakes - in my work. If you only knew how many times I have to rewrite a story so I need someone who I can trust to point things out. For the record, the position has been taken.

Q. How did you research a woman having sex with a gorilla; are there websites for that?

A. Websites, I hope not. This is where imagination becomes useful. You might have noticed the similarity between that particular chapter and the first. There are reasons for this, which I'll leave for the reader to figure out for the moment.

Q. Why did you wait so long to write Monkey Love?

A. Monkey Love was never planned. I'd mention it at a party, after a beer. When I met with Dave Dinsmore (Biting Dog Publications) in August 2006 we discussed the project and I suggested other stories, but let the idea for ML slip out and before I left he said he wanted it.

Q. How did you think people would accept Monkey Love?

A. I was worried (I guess not enough) that people wouldn't be able to handle it. When Gifted Trust was released I lost friends, because it supposedly crossed lines. I knew in order to write this one I'd cause a reaction and I'm sure my Christmas card list will get smaller.

Q. Did you ever think of making Monkey Love a full size novel?

A. No. I think its the right size now, with certain things being left open in the story.

Q. What inspires you to put such a wild idea on paper?

A. I think it's the challenge, seeing if I can do it. The idea behind Monkey Love gave me the shivers - it still does, but I didn't want to just shock people. I wanted to create a story that said more than the initial idea. As twisted as it is, Monkey Love is a love story.

Q. I love your writing, but the explicit sex was too much for me. Why did you feel it was necessary?

A. In Monkey Love the sex needed to be graphic. It plays an important part in the story. I understand why some feel uneasy in reading such things, but I do try to warn people.

Q. How did you come about writing 'Gifted Trust'? Where did the inspiration for this novel stem from?

A. The seed of Gifted Trust was planted back in 1982. I was a student at Central Michigan University, a single dad to a four-year-old and enrolled in a poetry writing class. One night my son was on the couch sleeping while I watched a made-for-tv about the abduction of Adam Walsh (son of John Walsh). When the movie ended I knew I had to finish an assignment for the next morning class so I decided to write a poem from the point of view of someone who would hurt children. It came out:

The best time for me
is just before the screaming stops
and their voices hit that pitch.
Twisted little limbs
bending back and forth
back and forth
and all the blood
and the blue lips
and the begging for me to stop.
I love little children
so very very much.

Twenty years later I was taking a creative writing class at a school in Houston and the poem came to mind while passing a student lounge where students were watching America's Most Wanted. Upon seeing John Walsh, the host of the program, I went to the computer lab and wrote a five-page short story again using the same idea. A year later I expanded it into a novel.

Q. I keep hearing about a sequel to Gifted Trust. What's the word?

A. The first draft has been written, but needs some changes.

Q. What's next?

A. I can't give you a lot of details until the publisher makes an announcement, but I've got a short story (chap book) coming out called, Marquee. I can share that it took me three years to finish and in doing so I was able to connect with a lot of emotions. As for other projects, I'm working on a short story and a novel, but it's too early to tell you anything. I can say that animals won't be hurt in either.