Questions and Answers

My friend, Alethea Kontis, recently asked questions of some writerly-type folk and posted their responses to her blog.  My responses didn’t quite make it in, but here they are for the record:

Mac or PC?

PC. I loved my Mac while it lived, but getting a new one is out of the question for my budget.

Coffee or Tea?

Neither. I love orange juice, though. And root beer. By the way, Virgil’s is The Best Root Beer Right Now.


Travel the World or Travel Outer Space?

The world. Space is full of mostly nothing (even scientists say so!), while the world is full of people. People are more interesting than nothing.


Fantasy or Science Fiction?

Fantasy, usually contemporary/urban.


Music or Silence (while you write)?

Music. I do most of my writing while hitchhiking to work and music serves to cover up the road noise.


What weird food do you like?

Frog legs. They have a very delicate flavor that is reminiscent of fish, without being completely fishy.


What is one of your most irrational fears?

I’m terrified of swings. I’ll ride just about any ride at the amusement park but the swings. Last time I rode them with my six year old, and I screamed more than she did. It was embarrassing. They had to use the jaws of life to pry my fingers away from the bar.


Will you be watching the Royal Wedding? Why or why not?

Nope. I first met Will and Kate in a ice cream bar/vodoun temple called ‘Samedi’s Shake’ that’s just outside New Orleans. It was the summer of 1998. Let me just tell you—that bald spot Willy has? NOT from hair loss. Trust me. I’ve seen enough of those two yahoos to last me a lifetime.


How many novels/short stories/screenplays/poems/etc have you published?

One children’s play, 3 poems, 3 (soon to be 5) short stories.

How much do you write every day?

Between one page and four pages every day.


How much do you WISH you could write every day?

I wish that I could set six consecutive hours apart for writing. I’m not sure that word count is as important as time spent confronting your work in progress. Right now, because my writing time is spread out over the day, I only get in a couple hours writing.


What are you working on now?

A fantasy novel about a young boy whose wings begin telling him all the secrets of the people he loves.


If you could write like one author, who would it be?

I want to write like that Scott M. Roberts guy. He’s SOOOO dreamy… J


If you could be one superhero, or have one superpower, who/what would it be?

Unassisted, unlimited flight.


What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done?

I fought, then fell in love with, then courted, and then married the Queen of Sharzad-go.


What’s the coolest thing you’re about to do?

I am about to get my freak on.


Name three things on your List of Things to Do Before You Die.

Become able to support my family on the income from my writing.

Take an extended tour of Italy with my wife.

Conquer my fear of swings.