What were you like as a teen?

At the time, I thought I was pretty cool.  Of course when I look back now, I realize I was kind of a dork.  Don’t get me wrong, I had plenty of friends, but I was always the one who was going off on crazy tangents in the notes we passed in class, you know, making up long, outlandish stories about dead flies or how the cafeteria lady was secretly poisoning us with her toxic sweat.  Basically, I was a dork with an imagination.   

I was also a tad boy crazy (shocking, I know!).  Even then, I really liked the whole kissing thing. That little obsession may or may not have made it into a few of my books.  

 What were your favorite books as a kid?

When I was really young, I loved animal books…especially talking animals.  E.B. White was sort of my hero.  When I reached the ripe old age of, say, twelve or thirteen, I discovered the magic of Stephen King and never looked back.

If you had one wish what would you wish for?

To never use the phrase “toxic sweat” again.  Ever. Unless there’s a band called Toxic Sweat.  That actually sounds like something I’d listen to.  You know, the more I think about it, the more I love it.  Rock on, Toxic Sweat!  

What musicians have influenced your writing?

I’m not sure I’ve been influenced by a specific musician, but I love to use Evanescence as a backdrop for my writing, especially for the Body Finder series.  They have that perfect haunting sound that seems to fit with a book about finding dead bodies.  And, of course, who could forget Toxic Sweat?!?!   

What are you looking forward to about YALLFest ?

What aren’t I looking forward to about YALLFest???  Meeting the readers, hanging out with the coolest authors on the planet, eating pie!  (Seriously, Margie Stohl promised me pie.)

What is your favorite kind of pie? 

Pumpkin, hands down!  But any kind of lemon pie runs a close second.  I also like berry pies. Okay, who am I kidding, as long as it’s not rhubarb pie, I’m in!