Q: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
A: When I was in the second grade, my classmates and I had been tasked with writing a short fictional story. After the papers were handed in, I noticed our teacher reading through them, and then suddenly bursting out into laughter. She immediately came to my side, and handing me my story, asked me to read it to the entire class. I was the only one she asked to do this and I had never done anything like it before. I was scared spitless.
I began to read my story to the class and it wasn't long before I heard laughter. The teacher and all of my classmates loved my story. I was in shock, but it was in that moment that I knew I wanted to be a writer.
Q: How did you get your start as a professional writer?
A: I had been picking up random work-from-home jobs and inevitably I ended up doing one form or other of writing for them. It was met with high praise, which led me to seek out legitimate work-from-home writing gigs. I had only clips from writing for my high school and college papers to show prospects, but it was enough.
I worked quite happily as a ghost-writer for one company for about six months until they were bought out and the new owners changed the pay format to one of those ridiculously insulting pay schemes that offers 'exposure' and pennies per month for ad clicks. You can get that or better with your own blog! I had previously been making about $30 per hour with that company prior to the buyout. I said 'no thanks' and moved on to greener pastures.
It was through the work I did with these greener pastures that I was able to start landing big name clients, write news, write politics and the got the opportunities to write books, which is what I had always wanted to do.
Q: What books have you written?
A: They were all either as a ghost-writer or under a pen name, so you won't find anything under my own name-yet. The first book I worked on was actually only as a contributor. I am not credited on the cover, but in the chapter I wrote. Under a pen name.
The next book was political in nature and also under a pen name.
Then I wrote six for a company that were all in the health/alternative medicine genre. These were all written as a ghost-writer.
In each case, I wrote for others and what they wanted me to write. I was hired specifically for that purpose. I am more grateful than words can express for those amazing opportunities. However, I feel its the right time for me to continue moving forward writing the books I want to write, and under my own name.
Q: What types of books will you be writing? And what else, if anything, do you plan to tackle in the future?
A: All of the books I previously wrote or contributed to were non-fiction. Its a good space for authors, but I also want to tap into my creative evil genius side and put out some fiction, as well. It's not that I don't want to write non-fiction-I actually have one in the works and several more marinating in my head. Its just that I need to spread my wings and take on new challenges, too.
As to the future, I want to see the books floating around in my head come to fruition, and then I want to try my hand at writing children's books and at screenwriting. Oh, and totally unrelated to writing, but I also want to obtain my helicopter's pilot license and become a highly skilled accoustic and electric guitar player.
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