1. Can you tell us about your journey as a writer? What inspired you to start writing?
I’m not sure exactly what inspired me originally, I was very young. I would staple small pieces of paper together and make my own little books – writing stories and illustrating them. When my uncle noticed that I was doing this he would buy them from me for a nickel or dime each. I don’t know if his intention was to inspire me to continue writing or if he was just being a good uncle and interacting with me, but writing became a passion that continued over the years. In college I majored in journalism and became a music journalist and an entertainment and travel writer after earning my degree, but I also continued to write poetry and fiction concurrently. And eventually it was a love for New Orleans, Louisiana that gave me the idea to write a collection of poems completely devoted to the city. After publishing a few volumes inspired by New Orleans I began writing about other places I loved in the world as well.
2. How do you develop your characters? Do you draw inspiration from real-life people or create them entirely from your imagination?
With the exception of just a couple short stories the bulk of my material is poetry. There are, of course, people mentioned in my poems, but they’re family and friends as well as people that I meet in my travels. So I’m really not writing anything at this time where I’m crafting characters. At some point I would like to write fictional short stories again, but for now my main focus is my poetry.
3. What is your typical writing process like? Do you follow a strict routine or write whenever inspiration strikes?
I am pretty regimented with my writing. I write every morning and will focus on whichever project I feel inspired by in the moment, but I always try to write something each morning. It doesn’t mean that what I write every morning is good, but it’s important that I keep working at it all the time. And there are days where nothing creative comes, but then on those days I’ll journal about ideas or my current projects in order to stay organized.
4. How do you handle writer’s block or moments when you feel stuck in your writing?
I’ve found that as long as I show up to the page regularly I don’t really deal with writer’s block. The times in the past where I felt I had writer’s block I believe were just a product of not being very disciplined. When I put in the work regularly then it’s easier to slip into that flow state and produce.
5. What role does research play in your writing? How do you approach the research process for your books?
I use a good amount of research for my writing as I center my projects around particular cities or regions. If I’m preparing to travel to a new place, which in itself creates the opportunity for a new writing project, then my research will initially be travel/tourist focused but during the process I’ll discover things or places which inspire the creative juices to begin flowing. Also, understanding the historical aspects, geography, and culture of a place or area is also very helpful when waxing poetic.
6. How important is the setting or location in your stories? Do you prefer using real places or creating fictional ones?
As for the place where a particular collection of mine is inspired by, then location is extremely important as that’s the theme of the book. But within the context of each poem, the inspiration can be anything from a mountain or meadow to a deli or a doorway. Whatever it is that makes me feel something in that moment, or in the memory of that moment.
7. Are there any particular themes or messages that you try to convey through your writing?
Themes involve beauty and nature, of course, but also relationships, aging, loss and so on because at the core of any poetry is the poet, really. Personal experiences are always with you and help you to process the world.But in regard to messages in my writing, I try to keep the bulk of my collections focused on the positive and beautiful things. There are poems and lines in my poems about the darker side of real life or the not-so-pretty things in a place. I include those things too because they are a part of life, a part of the city I’m writing about, and those things touch me too, but I do try to showcase the beauty of a place more so than it’s underbelly.
8. How do you handle criticism or negative reviews of your work? Do they affect your writing process or style?
I feel like poetry is the underdog of the arts. Songs and paintings are the rock stars of creative work. Poetry is almost archaic – a romantic but dead means to communicate, and most people have very little interest in it or the process which creates it. So first and foremost, I think it’s important for any poet to understand that. Secondly, there is nothing that everyone will like and you simply cannot please or delight everyone. Some people will like or appreciate what you do, others will not. We create art to express ourselves, so we should be doing so for ourselves, not everyone else. So no, I don’t allow criticism to influence my work. I was a music journalist for many years, and one of the things I had to do was write album reviews. But art is subjective and I’d always remind myself of that, so even if I didn’t like an album I knew there might be a million other people out there who love it. With art, everyone just needs to find what resonates with them. And as an artist, I am thrilled when my work resonates with someone but I’m fully aware that others might not like it at all.
9. Can you share any memorable fan interactions or feedback that have impacted you as an author?
I’ve had some lovely surprises regarding my books. Readers who have contacted me on social media because either they’d purchased one of my books at a shop somewhere, were given one of my books by someone they know, ordered one off of Amazon on a whim, etc. – and really enjoyed them. Again, it’s that resonating thing. One of my books just happened to fall into the hands of someone who had no clue who I was, and they liked it and reached out to let me know. It’s that kind of unexpected connection that is made at times in life that is extremely rewarding.
10. Do you have any specific writing rituals or habits that help you stay focused and productive?
I show up to the page regularly, I also carry a notebook around with me and if anything strikes me I’ll take notes. But, frankly, it’s just basic devotion. I spend a lot of time thinking about the projects I’m working on even when I’m not trying to write. Everyone handles their creative process differently and there is no right or wrong way, but for myself, my writing is always happening on some level. In order to be productive, I am always consumed by it to a degree. I can’t just decide to sit down and write and not think about it the rest of my waking hours. Things are always moving around in my head with the intention of writing. Life is short, there is no ‘some day I’m going to write.’ This is how I process the world and how I want to express myself while I’m here on this planet.
