Author Philosophy Statement
Why do I write?
Some people cope with yoga or caffeine or bad decisions. I tell stories(and also drink caffeine). Stories that dig into identity, belonging, memory, and the magical mess of being human. My work leans speculative, but not the dragons and destiny variety. I prefer post-war spellcasters in therapy or swordsmen learning what family means after the fact. I like worlds that feel lived in. Scarred. Healing. If I can sneak in a little absurdity or a moment that makes someone snort-laugh and then cry two sentences later, I have done my job.
My novels, The Waltz of Blades and The Minuet of Sorcery, both hit Amazon’s bestseller lists. Not that I am keeping score. They explore found families, honor in a fractured world, and how we try to put ourselves back together after things fall apart. My creative nonfiction, like Bowling, Booze, and Chicken Wings, does something similar, just without the enchanted cancer causing magical rocks. The themes are the same. Grief, humour, memory, and the oddity of trying to live with heart in a world that rarely makes room for it.
I also design and run tabletop role-playing games, which is where some of my best storytelling happens. TTRPGs are a sandbox for co-creation, improvisation, and emotional chaos. Everything I love about narrative, with the added joy of seeing players shape the world beside me. My games lean collaborative, character-driven, and occasionally ridiculous. I build mechanics around story arcs and emotional beats, where players are not just rolling dice but rewriting themselves. Shared storytelling is not just a format. It is a philosophy. One that values trust, messiness, and the magic of surprise.
How do I write? Messily. Gloriously so. Drafting, for me, is like panning for gold with a colander. It takes a while, and there is a lot of sifting involved. But somewhere under all the noise, there is an emotional truth that rings out like a bell. That is what I am after. Once I find it, the editing starts. That is where the real work happens.
I edit like I write. With a mix of honesty, compassion, and a sharp pair of scissors. Whether I am working on my own material or someone else’s, the goal is always the same. Cut through the clutter and find what matters. Help the story say what it has been trying to say all along.
Storytelling, to me, is cultural currency. It is how we trade empathy, perspective, and little pieces of ourselves. It is also how we build a future. We share our weird little truths with each other and hope they stick. Whether I am writing for print, digital, or an interactive format, I aim for work that resonates. Not just entertains, but lingers. Not just says something, but leaves something behind.
I write because it's the only thing that's ever made sense to me. Ironically, I had to fight with my own hands just to do it. Motor dysgraphia makes writing a physical challenge, but writing has never really been about convenience. It is about trying to make meaning out of whatever life throws your way. In short, I write stories to understand people. I write people into stories to understand myself.