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A little bit after I published Platypus, a couple people were interested enough to ask me a few questions (many thanks, especially to Becky Brun of Pitchfork Communications). I hadn’t been on the answer side of an interview since high school. That was about our hockey team, so it was easy. I could just talk about the other guys. This was harder, but I feel like since they took the time to ask, I’ll publish at least some of the answers. If you have a question about the books or my other writing, just connect with me and we can chat about it. But please, no questions or comments about my Bills, Sabres, or Maple Leafs. I realize neither has won a championship in my lifetime and it stings. So be nice, okay?
Tell me about your creative process. How do you map out a story?
I write like I do most things—by the seat of my pants. I think many writers outline a story and build characters around a central theme. I’m almost the opposite. I dream up people with qualities I find interesting, amusing or even annoying. Then I try to build a story that connects them.
How do you make time to write?I
try to weave writing time into my life. I used to be more of a reader, but now I write to help me wind down. Sometimes I’ll get lost in it and it’ll be four or five hours until anyone sees me.
I always have a thumb drive with me to capture ideas. When I get stuck on something at work, I’ll pop the thumb drive in and try to write a few creative paragraphs. It might be a sentence or a chapter, but it usually helps me break through whatever was blocking me from getting the job done.
What’s the hardest part for you?
Probably getting everything in my head to sound like a continuous story. I usually only think about five chapters ahead. I let the characters evolve as I write the story around them. I try to get inside each character’s head and then write what I think he our she would do in the situations they find themselves in. Sometimes they end up more central to the story than I originally thought, so I have to go back and give them more depth. Thankfully, I have some wonderful editors to call me on that sort of thing.
Do you have more than one editor?
Sure. It starts with readers—usually one person I trust to read along and keep me honest as I write. In Platypus, that was my son, Jake. He gave me some great ideas about the characters and story that eventually made their way into the book. Jake went off to college while I was writing NTL, so I asked my good friend, Summer Rohricht, to step in. Summer has been amazing to work with—she even came up with the title for me.
My official editor (for both books) was one of Jake’s best friends, Chandler Smith. She’s a brilliant young woman with a great eye and some strong opinions. Between Jake and Chandler, and then Summer and Chandler, I was able to weave multiple, diverse perspectives into the stories.
What about the cover art?
I keep that in the family too. My brother in-law, Adam Quagliano, designed both covers. I’ll keep asking him as long as he has the time. He’s an incredibly talented designer, and he works for beer.
Where do you get the ideas for your characters?
I guess the easiest answer is to say everywhere. Some of my characters are idealized versions of people I know or have met. Others might be the opposite of ideal. I draw from traits I find interesting, fun or admirable. Even when I try to create characters from scratch, I can’t help but inject a dose of something real. It could be a look, a gesture or even a phrase. And it might be from someone I just met or overheard talking. I think that’s what makes them relatable—even the villains. They’re real people, just not necessarily or completely my real people.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
I was always a big fan of spy novels, so I’ve read just about everything by Robert Ludlum and Vince Flynn. But I really love reading about people, so lately—when I do read—I’ve been more into sports and music biographies. I’ve read autobiographies from Don Cherry, Dave “Tiger” Williams, Phil Esposito, Ken Stabler and even Gene Simmons from KISS. I grew up in the heyday of professional wrestling, so I’m also not ashamed to admit having read my fair share of “autobiographies” from guys like Ric Flair and Mick Foley.
Who would you say has most influenced your writing?
Well, my grandmother tops the list, but I also had a number of great English teachers, most of whom would shudder at the way I’ve abandoned formal writing conventions. Of them, I’d have to say Sam Bertino—one of my high school teachers—was the biggest influence. He was also our advisor for the school newspaper and yearbook, and he always encouraged me to explore my creative side and have fun with my writing.
And I have to include Steve Crescenzo on this list. He and his wife, Cindy, are the brains behind turning corporate communication into creative communication. I’ve learned a lot from them over the years and been fortunate enough to stay connected with them.
What about author influences?
That one’s easy—Chuck Klosterman. My good friend, Brandyn Payne (the female alter ego of Brandon Payne from Platypus) introduced me to Fargo Rock City and I’ve been a huge fan since. Klosterman has a fun, conversational style that really appeals to me. And we share a love of Eighties pop culture. I sent him a copy of Platypus to thank him, but I don’t imagine he’s had a chance to read it or I’m sure he would’ve called by now. But in all seriousness, if he ever found himself in Nashville and reached out I would happily buy him his weight in his drink of choice.
What does writing do for you?
I think everyone aspires to do what they love to do. Writing is one of the things I do for fun. It also helps me stay connected to my grandmother. I think about her a lot when I write.
Would you want to do this full-time?
Absolutely. If I could retire from the corporate world and just write, I would do it in a heartbeat.
What advice would you give other writers?
I’m not sure I’m qualified to dispense advice, but I guess I’d say to just tell your story and don’t concern yourself with what others think. Let your passion for the story show in the work and people will appreciate you for it. And find someone to hold you accountable. When I was writing NTL, Summer would finish a section faster than I could complete the next one. I didn’t want to keep her waiting, so I made the time to keep going.
