I think my greatest writing influence has to be C.S. Lewis. He was the writer that made me want to read.

I went to college in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is the home of Eerdman’s Publishing Company. They had a bookstore where you could buy imperfect printings for 90% off. I bought every C.S. Lewis book I could find, and I read almost all of them.

From him, I learned not to just write that something was beautiful. He said I need to describe what made something beautiful. Otherwise, I would be asking the reader to do the work for me.

I think about that a lot when I am writing.

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I believe that mind altering chemicals detract from creativity. Drunk or stoned people may feel very creative, but the bar is so low, most of those thoughts wouldn’t hold up in the sober light of day.

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I write in the bathtub. It’s a private, warm place without distractions. I’ve written in the tub for about as long as I can remember. Just being in the tub has become a trigger for writing.

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Writing wasn’t my first artistic pursuit. I’m an artist. A painter. I also create digital art, and I’m a photographer.

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I usually write in the late afternoon or evening. I work the night shift, so I’m too tired to write in the early morning. I sleep during the day, and when I wake up, I’m thinking about getting coffee and running errands.

I usually write for an hour or two before getting ready for work.

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Once in a while, I grab my phone and make a voice memo of an idea. I don’t ever remember referring back to a voice memo to write, but I think the act of recording it solidifies the idea in my brain.

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One of my favorite words is unintentional.

UNINTENTIONAL. I love this word, because the thing it’s attached to had no sense of pressure. I love the unintentional meanings of things that come, attached to the more intentional idea I may have started out with. You unfold the paper and find a treasure. It was there all along hiding in the shadows, doing its best not to giggle at you before you find it.

If I lost the ability to read and write for a day, it wouldn’t be a problem. I’d sleep or watch tv… or paint, or hang out with a friend. I love writing, but it’s not the only thing I do. I’m not lost without it. You need to live so you’ll have something to write about.

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Of course I’d like to be published and make money off my writing . Money is helpful. It’s nice to get money, and it’s nice to be validated for your passion.

Publishing increases your audience. That’s a wonderful thing.