What are the underlying themes of the book? The Rift, while a horror/sci-fi story, also examines the line between life and death, and the difference between grief and despondency. How, when a sense of loss gives way to apathy, the consequences of our actions can build momentum and threaten to run beyond our control. A cautionary tale of mourning and loss in the best tradition of WW Jacob''s The Monkey''s Paw and King''s Pet Sematary, the story reveals the lengths a parent will go to for their child and what costs heartfelt, yet careless, actions can levy. Did you base your characters on anyone you knew? The characters in The Rift aren''t based on any specific real-life individuals. Instead, I attempted to make them as relatable as possible to as wide range an audience as possible. Everyone, without exception, will experience the loss of family and friends (or beloved pets!). And, if you live long enough, you''ll experience this grief more often as you outlive those around you. The characters in the novel serve as universal stand ins, whose lives and experiences we can all see ourselves in.

Who influenced you most in the writing of the book? WW Jacobs'' The Monkey''s Pawand Stephen King''s Pet Semataryare probably the greatest influences on this novel, although this is in hindsight. I don''t remember thinking specifically about these stories during the writing of The Rift. Death and dying, and the accompanying grief, are the universal themes of horror fiction. We as human beings can''t hide from it. Or, if we do choose to hide from it, it finds us in the end anyway. So, the horror writer faces death straight on, pulling no punches, as a means of catharsis. Is there any advice you can give someone starting to write? The best advice I can give to a young (or old!) writer, starting out on this journey of storytelling, is, perhaps boringly, the tried and true advice all writers who have ''made it'' give: read and write every day. Read to see how others in your chosen genres do it, and expand your reading horizons to tangential genres.

So, if you''re a horror fan, read lots and lots of horror, then move on to dark fantasy, sci fi, and crime/suspense fiction. Next, write, every day if possible, for as long a block of time as you can free up. And be consistent. If it''s an hour, then make sure you use that hour every single day, without fail. Even if you''re sick, not feeling up to it, or otherwise find some excuse not to do it. Unless you''re dying, write! Becoming a decent writer, like any skill worth doing well, takes discipline, commitment, and practice. If you don''t even try, your chances of making a living as a writer are by default, zero. If you put the time into it, your chances are automatically greater than zero.

It really is that simple. Where did you write the book? By bedroom also serves as my office. I could have chosen another room to put my writing desk and PC in, but for me, the relaxation associated with a bedroom is beneficial for the mood needed to write. I can''t have any distractions. I have to be as calm, rested, and relaxed as possible, and so my bedroom/office combo works well in that regard. Did you write in silence, or to any particular music? Although I''m a music buff--I worked for over six years at Barnes and Noble, with about half of that as a music manager. I love everything from classic 50s and 60s rock, to 90s grunge and alternative, to outlaw country, soul, and blues. But I can''t have music playing as I write.

It''s a distraction. And, for me at least, I can''t have anything distracting me from the story. Did you find it hard to write? Or harder to edit your own work? I never find it hard to write. My mind is always bustling with ideas. I have notebooks that I constantly use to jot down ideas for future stories as they come to me. I find writer''s block to be a myth and an excuse would-be writers use so that they can avoid and evade the work. Writing is a discipline, like eating write and exercising, and everyone knows intuitively what it takes to get something done. Unfortunately, a lot of people have an aversion to work, and thus whatever God-given skills they may have languish and wither.

It did, however, take me awhile to learn how to properly edit my work--a skill patiently but firmly taught to me by fellow writers Tamara Thorne and Dean Koontz. Early on, I thought just getting a story down on paper (or hard dive, nowadays!), was a triumph in and of itself. And, perhaps, it is. But then you have to get to the busy, unsexy technical work of making sure the syntax and grammar are up to snuff. The written word is worthy of respect. You have to make sure every sentence, every word, is chosen with care, and the final product is refined to the best of your ability. What was it like to be edited by someone else? Having an editor work with me on my first two novels, If You Go Down to the Woodsand Are You Afraid of the Dark?, was a surprisingly easy experience. I''ve heard horror stories from other writers about fights or struggles with their editors.

I fortunately have not had that experience--knock on wood! A little bit of humility and humbleness of spirit probably helps. Start from the position that other people in the industry--editors, copy editors, other writers, even readers--have valid opinions on the stories they read and work on. Then, accept whatever feedback you can honestly, with a self-critical eye, deem as legitimate. Pick your ''fights'' wisely, on issues--plot, character motivation, etc.--that are too important for you, as the writer and creator of the story, to budge on. This philosophy--humility, listening to others, choosing your battles--probably works wonders in other avenues of life. I''ll have to remember that next time a family member or friend pisses me off! What are you writing now? Although I tend to want to write to first and foremost entertain the reader, I occasionally have a bit of social commentary in my stories. But I usually keep this to a bare minimum, or work it organically into the lives--the thoughts, words, and actions--of the characters.

However, the current novel I''m working on--another horror story--is, by its very premise, going to be a bit of a hot button take on some current controversial social issues. These types of stories can be hits and strike a chord with audiences; or they can be disastrous. I''m using the one-of-a-kind, incomparable satirical horror of novelist Bentley Little, as a model for this one. As I write this particular story, I am consciously adding a lot of dark humor to--hopefully--soften the blow of the commentary inherent in the novel. Wish me luck!.