What inspired you to write this book?
My deep interest in the unknown and what is possible spurred me to write this book. Also, I love the television show, The Twilight Zone, and that definitely was an influence.
How did you come up with the title?
I figured that keeping the title simple was key, not to give too much away. Since there are three stories, I came up with Trilogy: A Collection.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
I would say that each of the stories has its own message but I leave it up to the readers to formulate their own opinions of what messages to take away. However, that said, I think one of the messages running throughout the last two could be "be careful what you wish for." But that's just my take on it!
How much of the book is realistic?
I would say that most of what is in the stories is realistic; the characters, settings, things like that. However, the situations they find themselves in certainly aren't. As I had said, I leave it up to the readers to decide what to take away from the stories, though.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Some of the experiences I detail in the book are kind of a mélange of what I have experienced in my own life, yes. Some of the characters are amalgams, if you will, of people I have known or have observed, and others are just made up. A mix of everything is in the book I guess would be accurate.
What books have most influenced your life most?
So many books have influenced my life. Everything from things I read when I was younger, such as A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger to Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Dancing Girls and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood. I know that these books cover a disparate range of subject matter but they all had an affect on everything from the way I think to my writing.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
There are so many writers who could be wonderful mentors. I couldn't pick one, really. It would have to be all the writers I mentioned in the last question.
What book are you reading now?
Right now, I am not reading anything as I am focusing on promoting Trilogy. However, I do have a few books on my shelf that I need to finish, such as Long Drive Home by Will Allison and Carole King's autobiography.
