Although I have been inspired by many different authors, my biggest influences are:

Stephen King because his prose is tight, clean, and masterful. Two of my favorites: The Shining & The Outsider.

Yes, a less-wonderful thing about Stephen King’s writing (and I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t admit to having my own shortcomings) His endings can be a little…wah-wahhhh.

This man, Cormac McCarthy, was majestic in his ability to juxtapose the beautiful and horrific aspects of human nature. The New York Times called him “The Novelist of a Darker America”. My book Wolves was heavily influenced by McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. The Road is also another impactful piece for me.

Joe Abercrombie. My book, A Harvest of Ash & Blood, was highly influenced by this gentleman’s unique portrayal of violence. He understands the irony of it— how it is deadly serious, and yet it can seem almost farcical at the oddest of times. Medieval war was a travesty and I specifically remember a scene in Abercrombie’s The Trouble With Peace, where two columns of pikemen are blindly jabbing at each other in a crush of bodies—terrifying and senseless.

One of the oldest influences of my writing career! I love Charles Dickens for his uncanny knack for being entertaining, while also discussing serious, big picture issues. Who doesn’t love A Christmas Carol? The holiday season wouldn’t be the same if the book or movie didn’t make an appearance! The past several years, we’ve been fans of Jim Carrey’s animated version. (The kids get through it more easily than other versions. But who am I kidding? I think it’s fantastic as well.)