From Where I Sit: A Collection of Short Fiction follows the lives of different characters showcasing the consequences of the choices people make in life. Where did the idea for this collection of stories come from?

During COVID I was teaching multiple online writing classes and having so much fun with short stories that I returned to my collection of over two dozen from over the years. Some of the finished ones were even contest winners from years earlier. Most were in various stages of development, but I was able to split the stories up into three collections based on genre: science fiction, horror, and general fiction. I selected the best five for each to edit or finish and was especially excited to challenge myself with the general fiction stories because they were unlike anything I ever fully fleshed out before.

What things do you find interesting about the human condition that makes for great fiction?

Most of the creative writing I’ve dabbled in has been science fiction or horror. The search to find one’s place in the world, their purpose, were at the heart of those earlier stories. In those tales, the characters deal with hyperbolized conflicts that act as metaphors for what readers struggle through in their daily lives. In this collection, however, the human condition is front and center. It’s raw. Exposed. I wanted to explore the complexities and ambiguities that make up an individual’s character. The same with relationships and their connective tissue. What draws people to each other? Why are some animals more deeply connected to certain humans than others? What part do they play in how someone approaches life and its challenges? Then there are those who grow tired of adhering to the mold society has forced on them. Is it a midlife crisis if someone finally gains clarity and wants change? Is there something to be gained by going to what some may perceive as extremes? What defines an extreme? How does one go about discovering—and trusting—their authentic self? And while conflicts are introduced and resolved, I wanted these characters to be complex and interesting enough to feel as if their story was only a snapshot—a chapter, if you will—of a much larger narrative.

Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your novel?

Like any writer, there’s always a bit of me in everything that I write. This collection, however, was the most personal. As such, it was also the most cathartic. If one takes to heart what it means to write what one knows, the authenticity of that act makes for some very emotional content. It’s not manipulative; it’s not forced. So, yes, parts of my life are in all the characters, but three of the five stories were the most reflective of my own life experiences and emotions than anything written in the past.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?

Last month an independent study skills workbook for young learners in grades 6-12, Essential Study Skills: A Holistic Approach to Learning, was published. Only the Kindle version is available, but the paperback will be released in a couple of weeks. I’m currently wrapping up a coaching book titled Who Are You, Really? The Search for Authenticity, which is due to be released on the 16th of December.

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