Frequently Asked Questions

CAN I HAVE A REVIEW COPY OF ONE OF YOUR BOOKS?
My review team is currently closed to new members. But if you choose to purchase a book, I’d love for you to review it on Amazon!

CAN I INTERVIEW YOU ON MY BLOG?
Due to an intense deadline schedule, I’m currently not accepting interview requests. I’m sorry! I’m releasing multiple books per year, and my main focus needs to be on writing and publishing those books.

WHAT BOOKS DO YOU RECOMMEND I READ?
My books, of course! Once you finish those, check out this list of My Favorite Books on Goodreads — they’re my all-time favorites that I always recommend.

CAN YOU READ AND CRITIQUE MY MANUSCRIPT/SHORT STORY?
Because of my intense deadline schedule to release multiple books a year and the fact that my to-read pile has more books than I can possibly finish, I cannot read your manuscript or short story. But when I was working on my first book, my family, friends, and teachers were extremely helpful in critiquing my work. I suggest that you ask similar people in your life to read your book!

WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER?
I’ve been a writer forever, but I realized it was something I wanted to do professionally when I was a junior in college. I was taking an Intro to Creative Writing class, and when I turned in my first assignment (the first chapter of Remembrance), my classmates and teacher loved it and wanted to read more. I’d never thought I could complete a novel, but I realized I would never know if I didn’t try. So I tried, and completed the first draft by the end of the school year.

DO YOU OUTLINE YOUR BOOKS AHEAD OF TIME OR GO WITH THE FLOW WHEN YOU WRITE?
I create detailed outlines of my books before writing. It keeps me on track with the story. Also, since the plot is already created in the outline, all I have to focus on while drafting is the actual writing. Occasionally a new scene will pop into my mind when writing, and then I’ll deviate from my outline to include it!

DO YOU BASE YOUR CHARACTERS OFF PEOPLE YOU KNOW IN REAL LIFE?
My main characters come from my imagination. Basing main characters off real people makes me feel creatively boxed in, as if that character cannot develop into their own person. However, some of my friends and family have made cameo appearances in my books! And I’ve never based a character off of myself. I worry that if I did that, I would take it personally if readers didn’t like that character!

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR IDEAS?
Remembrance was inspired by Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” music video, and The Secret Diamond Sisters was inspired when I was walking through my favorite Las Vegas hotel, The Wynn. Beyond that, I don’t know. I pluck them out of the parallel world full of ideas. I think some people’s brains naturally create stories, and if you’re one of those people, you should try to be a novelist! (If you’re not one of those people, non-fiction or ghost writing might be a better option for you.)

WILL THERE BE A MOVIE OR TV SHOW FOR YOUR BOOKS?
As of right now, none of my books are contracted for a movie or TV show. I’ll keep you posted if that changes!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WRITING ENVIRONMENT?
I work in my office, at my desk. I keep things QUIET at all times — no distractions!

HOW DO YOU CREATE YOUR CHARACTERS?
I create character biographies when I’m creating my characters. I start with an image in my mind of what a character looks like, and I’ll try to find actors/models with a similar look to picture them better. Then I’ll fill out the character biographies—these usually end up being about 1,000 words long for each character (although the length depends on how important the character is in the story.) The bios include simple things, like physical descriptions, likes/dislikes, etc., and also past histories with other important characters in the story. Figuring out their histories with other characters really helps me understand characters better!

I WANT TO WRITE A BOOK! WHERE SHOULD I START?
A writer I know once told me, “You have to write one million bad words before you write anything others want to read,” and that is so true. Writing is a skill, and like any other skill, it takes practice to improve. Experiment with different approaches to writing a novel so you can find what works best for you. (I prefer to outline my books first!) Most importantly, you have to write. Know what time of day you get your best writing done, and force yourself to write during that time, even if you’re not feeling “inspired.” Writing is work, and it’s not going to be fun all the time. You need to keep your end goal in mind. Set a minimum goal of how many words you can comfortably write per day, and reach that minimum five days a week. Make sure your goal per day is attainable for you—if it’s too high, it will be frustrating and will make you want to quit. And remember that even if you’re having a rough writing day, force yourself to reach that minimum. (My minimum is 1,000 words per day, although I prefer to write 1,500 to 2,000 words per day.) First drafts don’t need to be perfect, since you will edit it afterward. Once your draft is completed, edit to the best of your ability. Show it to friends, family, and teachers to ask their advice on how to improve.

I’VE FINISHED WRITING A BOOK! HOW DO I GET IT PUBLISHED?
Once your book is FINISHED (meaning it’s been edited to the best of your ability), you need to research to figure out if you want to self publish or try to get a traditional publisher. I HIGHLY recommend self publishing, because it’s much more profitable for authors who are willing to put in the time to grow their business. We’re so lucky to live in a time when authors can take control over our careers by self publishing, and make the money we deserve for our hard work.

There are so many different aspects of self publishing that you need to learn before jumping in, and it requires a course to do it correctly. I recommend that you take Mark Dawon’s Self Publishing 101 course. (CLICK HERE to learn about the course.)

Be aware that by self publishing, you are starting a business, and you will need to make financial investments into your business to ensure that your product (your book) is the best it can be and has a professional appearance. You need to spend money to make money, but please be smart in your spending!

If you believe in yourself and if you want it badly enough, you are giving yourself the best chance for success. Then be prepared for rejection, and don’t let rejection stop you from pushing forward and writing your next book. Your first, third, or even fifth book may not do as well as you want, but you never know what will happen with books you’ll write in the future. Remember: the people who make it are the ones who never gave up!