What have you been reading lately?
I recently finished the third Children of Time book and the first Dungeon Crawler Carl book. Both were spectacular, highly recommended. The Children of Time series scratches that classic sci-fi itch, Asimov meets Star Trek TNG. Dungeon Crawler Carl wears the veneer of RPG and video game gimmicks, but has a big heart and a troubled soul under the surface.
What first sparked the idea for the book, and how did it evolve from that initial moment of inspiration?
The three-part spark for Crew of Exiles was
1. a desire to commit to fiction writing after the drought of graduate school
2. enjoying the characters of the Cracked: After Hours web series
3. and being entranced by, while also wanting to criticize, Kurzweil’s Technological Singularity.
Can you describe your writing routine—where, when, and how you tend to write best?
I’m a morning writer. I like to write after the dog walk and after breakfast. I’ll write all the way until noon if my schedule permits it. (I teach at a community college so the schedule is different every semester.) I listen to instrumental music like Katherine Cordova’s piano covers or Rok Nardin’s epic soundtrack stuff.
Are you a pantser of a plotter? In other words, do you plan your stories before writing them?
I lean toward pantsing, but Brandon Sanderson’s writing lectures are bringing me more toward the middle of the road. I would prefer to coax my character’s nearer through research until they’re ready to speak through me like a full-body posession.
Was there a particular part that proved especially challenging to write?
Yes, end of Act 2, start of Act 3. I knew where the story was and where I wanted it to get to, but the question of ‘how to bridge the gap?’ was agonizing. It required many brainstorms and rewrites.
Which authors, books, or artistic influences (literary or otherwise) have shaped your voice the most?
It’s hard to overstate how much the original Star Wars trilogy inspires and motivates me. I like to think that I have also adopted the strengths of Stephen R. Donaldson, particularly the way he let’s his characters drive his stories. Suffice to say there are many, many other great authors I wish to emulate in ways large and small.
What do you most hope readers feel or think about after finishing the book?
I hope readers feel less alone in their bodies, in this world, in our universe. To me, Crew of Exiles is about the hardship of existing in a body with its quirks, history, and lack of warranty. But it’s also about the benefit and the burden of co-existing with other people. Hell is other people before breakfast, but being alone ain’t so great either.
What advice would you give to other aspiring indie writers?
Read, write, reflect, limit your social media usage, and either enjoy the process, or figure out what’s not enjoyable about the process and ask yourself if/how you can change it. Different people will respond to different advice. Some people need to knuckle down and get serious about their writing. Others need to loosen up and relax.
Anything else you want to add?
Thank you to Book-Shelfie for the recognition and opportunity to do this interview. Praise of our work is mana from heaven for any author. Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts with all the beautiful strangers out there. My second novel, Tall Boy Sun, is coming out very soon, early 2026. It’s a standalone science fiction story about a deeply flawed protagonist, struggling with alcoholism and family and space pirates!
You can check out Crew of Exiles here!
