About

How long does it take you to write a book?

Writing usually takes between six and eight weeks. Editing takes between six and eight months.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I love exploring the Pacific Northwest wilderness as much as I can. Hiking to mountain tops, waterfalls, and alpine lakes clears my mind and inspires me. As a teen, I didn’t find many books where the characters enjoy the outdoors, so I try to incorporate nature into all of my books. I also love watching my son play tennis or soccer, and my daughter compete in equestrian events.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

I don’t always decide what’s going to happen with my characters. I find them doing things that I hadn’t imagined. A lot of them are teenagers so that kind of makes sense, but sometimes a character who I thought was going to play a minor part ends up as a main character.

Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?

Read. Read. Read. And then commit to writing every day. One of the things that has helped me get through a first draft is that I only allow myself to edit what I wrote the day before. After that, all the material is new. That way you don’t get stuck rewriting one paragraph until you get so frustrated that you give up on it entirely. The rest of the editing can come after you’ve written what you intended to write.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be a police officer so that I could drive really fast and not get arrested. I also wanted to own a bookshop, be a farmer, and become a professional soccer player. I was told that artists and writers couldn’t make a living and that I should get a real job so I spent a lot of years as a graphic designer. While I loved the work and still do some of it, my heart is happiest when I’m writing.