River Jordan, Saints in Limbo, SIBA Fiction Nominee: Author, Creative Conversator,  Host of Clearstory Radio on WRFN Nashville 107.1 Has been known to tell stories standing up. In public.

What are you reading right now? The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Why independent bookstores matter?  It will take a passion for the written word to keep the flame of reading alive. Indie booksellers are the embodiment of that passion.

Favorite part of writing a book? Getting lost, absolutely, completely lost in the world between the pages.

Least favorite part of writing a book? The line edits. I used to look at authors like they were insane when they were saying I’m in line edits and rolling their eyes and having heart palpitations. Now, I get it.

Are you working on anything new? Yes. In the middle of final rewrites for Praying for Strangers and completing a very Southern Gothic novel I started ten years ago.

Do you have any superstitions, lucky charms, or rituals around your writing? My only superstition is talking about the story instead of writing it. Ritual is I want to be completely alone while writing.

Comment on the writing life. . .  It’s the only thing I was ever meant to be. Well, maybe except for a gypsy trading potions in the night from a wagon with lots of bells tied to the side.

Hardest part of the creation to publication experience? For a new writer, getting an agent and finding the right publisher. Otherwise, the continued self-discipline to write another story. To isolate oneself at the keyboard.

Why do you write? To say what it is to be human, why we were here, and why that mattered.

When do you write? When I feel myself getting crazy. I mean that. When I’ve been away from the words too long I get all snappety-snap-snap.

When did you know you were a writer? Sixth grade. I look back now and realize I was weird at five and destined to be a writer but 6th grade is when I got called out by my teacher and identified as such.

What would make you a scintillating dinner guest? A rich, red Bordeaux.

Who is your favorite new author? That weird kid in the sixth grade somewhere who is writing words in a spiral notebook and dreaming of being a writer someday in spite of the fact that mean people say there is no future in it.

What is your drink of choice? AM = Strong Coffee. PM – Beer made by Monks or Wine made by Monks.

What is your favorite food? I’ve thought about this in relation to that one last great meal deal. Doggone if I don’t think I’d order a grilled hamburger and a huge order of steak fries. With a monk beer of course.