A: Actually, I write for myself. I write whatever I enjoy writing. It just so happens that my books end up being marketed and sold to teens.

Q: Along the same line, why do you write books dealing with the supernatural?

A: Sometimes I like to explore ideas about the afterlife or religion, and that's really what the supernatural is: life beyond what we experience every day.

Q: Which book was your favorite to write and why?

A: None was my favorite to write-I liked working on all of them--but after the fact, the one I like best is Out of Order. I like that one best because the main character, Colt, is not a terribly nice guy. He dares to be bad.

Q: When you were a teenager, did you already see yourself becoming a writer?

A: Yes. I just didn't know what kind. I thought I might try to be a journalist or screenwriter.

Q: What do your kids think of your writing?

A: They don't think about it much. From their end, it just looks like I'm on the computer all the time.

Q: Right now, who are your favorite authors out there today for teens? Do you feel that your writing has been influenced by any of these writers?

A: Hmm. I love the way Anthony Horowitz hooks readers. I like some manga series, including Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, Death Note, Saiyuki, and D. Gray-man. My favorite novelists are Cynthia Voigt and Megan Whelan Turner. These all have definitely influenced my writing.

Q: Can you share with us something about yourself that is not commonly known?

A: My favorite movies are either Jane Austen-type films, or martial arts flicks. That's kind of weird, don't you think?

Interview Date: August 2008
Profile and questions compiled by Matt R. Steele Creek and Angela A. North County Regional