Ask Me Anything! - Your Questions Answered

1. (@storymakergv) What's your favorite genre of books?

          This is a hard one to answer! I love action and adventure, but I'll read almost any genre as long as the characters are well developed. I also enjoy complex plots that really make you think.

2. (@storymakergv) If you had access to a time machine, where would you go and when?

          Hmm ... well, I've always been curious about the War of 1812 (the one in Russia where Napoleon invaded from France and was eventually defeated by the severe winter). I once wrote a story about a man named Taylor who accidentally time-traveled to this period. I think I'd want to be behind the Russian lines listening to the strategic debates and trying to figure out what's going to happen next!

3. (@storymakergv) Did you read my story "The City?"

          Not yet, but I'm always looking for something new to read! ;)

4. (@ajinkyakirve22) What content do you like to read?

          This goes back to the first question - almost anything with exceptional character development and preferably a strong, complex plot. Mystery and political thrillers are some of my favorites!

5. (@headstrong_perfectionist) What's the name of your dog?

          I don't have a dog right now, but if I did, I'd have a red lab named Rudder.

6. (@sp0kenw0rd_420) What was your inspiration to write, and where do you see yourself in the next five years?

          Somewhere in my keepsakes there is a piece of printer paper folded in half, scribbled on in red marker, with the words 'MR. BOB AND RANKIN' across the front. That's the very first 'story' I remember finishing. Since the name 'Rankin' was stolen directly from The Boxcar Children, my inspiration to write probably came from a desire to emulate what brought me pleasure - good books. 

     As for where I see myself in the next five years, I've set a personal goal to finish and publish four novels by the end of high school. I hope to meet more amazing people from the writing community and hopefully find my niche among them as a young writer.

7. (@thestableme) What novel would you recommend?

          I love classical literature, so my recommendation is probably going to be a little biased. If you haven't already, by all means read Sherlock Holmes. As cliche as it sounds, that's one of my all-time favorite books! Otherwise, The Billion Dollar Spy is the first novel that comes to mind. It's a story about espionage on both sides of the Cold War, based entirely on true stories - absolutely fascinating.

8. (@poetry.rae) If you could me any mesozoic animal, what would you be?

          If I had the chance to be a flying dinosaur, I'd be a flying dinosaur. You can't beat literal flying dinosaurs.

9. (@theestherministers) Will you co-write with me?
          Shoot me a DM and let's talk! I'm always open to new projects and ideas.

10. (@chrismasonwriting) Should I have a professional line edit done before submitting to an agent?

          All I can say about this is that I didn't. Of course, I had friends and family check my writing, and I reviewed it several times over and made changes. By that point, however, I'd only ever taken one class about essay writing (in 6th grade), so I'd never even heard of line editing. If you don't know anyone willing to look through your book and offer advice, then by all means hire an editor! Just keep in mind that many publishers offer professional editing post-contract, which implies that they expect to have some edits left to do.

11. (@daniel_r_graham) What are your most effective writing habits?
          I usually write while listening to music, especially music that fits the mood of the scene I'm working on. (Ludovico Einaudi's music is almost always perfect!) I also like to set aside a specific time for writing so that I'm not trying to balance other commitments. On my more disciplined days, I turn off, silence, or hide my phone.

     By far my strangest habit is that I write best when sitting on the floor.

12. (@jsmithauthor) Are you writing more books?
          I'm always writing new books! At the moment, my first two novels, Stories of the Night and Self-Sufficiency are in the publishing process. My current project is tentatively titled Cinders and will (hopefully!) be complete by the end of the year.

13. (@tloyd_author) Would you consider making a Wattpad account to post sections of your in-progress stories?
          Actually, this idea had never crossed my mind until you mentioned it! I do have a Wattpad account with some very short writing, but I've never posted any sections of my full-length novels there. Most likely, if I did post sections, they'd be here on my website.

Edit: Thank you so much for 2,000 Instagram followers! I never thought this milestone could be reached so quickly. The writer's community on Instagram is beyond amazing and I'm honored to be part of it.