What were you like as a teen?

I wore a lot of black, and rings on every finger.  I spent a lot of time writing poetry in spiral notebooks.  I still have a giant tub full of them in the garage.  I wasn’t completely fringe and I did have friends, but I always felt different and it was hard to fit in.

What were favorite books as a teen?

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger and Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.

If you had one wish what would you wish for?

For my family and friends to be healthy and happy.

What musicians have influenced your writing?

Black Sabbath, The Smiths, The Cure, AC/DC, The Killers, Soundgarden, My Chemcial Romance, Neko Case and Stevie Nicks

What are you looking forward to about YALLFest?

I can’t wait to see so many of my favorite authors all in one place.  And I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was planning to work my way through the city one slice of pie at a time. 

What is your favorite kind of pie?

Tollhouse Cookie Pie, Coconut Crème and Coca-Cola Cake (It should be a pie!).