AC: I was born in New York City but raised in upstate New York in Saratoga Springs. Growing up an only child with a heart issue is probably why I became an avid reader. Mysteries and action adventure stories became my world for a while.
What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
AC: I am still hooked on mystery novels and action thrillers. I suppose I write what I love to read. One author I always read is Jeffrey Deaver and he never disappoints. My favorite authors are those I want to emulate. I love Raymond Chandler for his beautiful prose, Elmore Leonard for his great characters and Ross MacDonald for his intricate plots. Writers I read just for fun are at the top of my genres today: Tana French, Michael Connelly, Lee Child and as I said, Jeffrey Deaver. These are the people who inspire me to keep reaching, trying to improve my craft.
What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
AC: I got an advance copy of Spasm by Robin Cook. I enjoy medical thrillers even though I don’t have the expertise to write them myself. I love the fact that Cook uses the same basic “find the clues” storylines that I use in my mystery novels. His protagonists Jack Stapleton & Laurie Montgomery are old friends and the fact that this one is set in a small town in the Adirondacks is a bonus for me, since I grew up in that area.
Favorite sports.
AC: I am not a sports fan at all. I’ve tried to get interested in football because the local team, The Washington Commanders, were in the playoffs last year, but the action just doesn’t hook me.
Favorite thing about the state/country that you live in.
AC: The best thing about living in Maryland is that I have easy access to all the best parts of Washington DC without the negatives. I can hop on the metro train to see the Smithsonian museums and monuments. But where I live we don’t have the urban congestions, insane traffic or National Guard in the streets.
How long have you been writing?
AC: I’ve been writing since High School (class of 1970) but it took me until 1999 to get anything published.
What inspired you to become a writer?
AC: I was an avid reader from an early age and tried to emulate the stories I had read. I wrote short stories for years but never tried a novel until I was in the Army. I read some disappointing novels in which I knew what the whole story would be before I hit the midpoint and figured I could do better that that.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
AC: I am very much a plotter. I can’t really start writing until I know exactly where the story is going. I write every day but in the beginning that time is spent pinning down the essential scenes that will move the story forward and getting to know the characters. The advantage of outlining is that I never have writer’s block because I always know what comes next,
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
AC: This series started as a writing prompt. I was invited to submit a short story to an anthology called “Insidious Assassins.” The story called for me to come up with a professional assassin. Once I finished that story the character called out for more time on stage to explain herself. I had read several criminal-driven books (The Saint by Leslie Charteris was one of my favorite series) and figured I could try my hand at it.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
AC: When someone tells me they want to start writing I tell them to sit down and get to it. I don’t use any special programs, I write in Word like most of the writers I know. I always advise new writers to build an outline of their stories, although I know lots of writers who don’t. I just think when you’re starting out it’s good to know what you want to happen in your story. My biggest bit of advice to new writers is to set aside a specific time to write every day. Your brain gets used to it and when you sit down it’s ready to create.
How do you organize everything and find the time to sit down and write?
AC: How do golfers find the time to walk around chasing a little ball for 18 holes. We always have time for the things that are important to us. I write in the same place at the same time every day so getting organized is not an issue. When I was working I wrote for an hour or two in the morning before I left for work. I am still primarily a morning writer.
As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal?
AC: My spirit animal has always been the wolf. Wolves are known for their courage, and endurance. To be a writer you must have the courage to open your mind and tell your story, and to come back to it, day after day, and never give up until your story is as good as it can be.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
AC: My biggest supporter has always been my wife Denise. She helps me get back to it when I get frustrated with a story or stuck on a plot point. However, the strongest supporters of my WRITING are the members of my critique group (dubbed the Royal Writers Secret Society) who offer praise and criticism in equal measure, helping me be as good a writer as I can be.
How do you name your characters?
AC: Sometimes the character’s personality and background will suggest a name, but most often it’s random. I pick names out of the newspaper or a magazine I’m reading.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
AC: I’m retired but my wife is still working, so my day starts with helping her get up, get coffee, and get out of the house. By 6:30am I’m alone to clear email and catch up on the news. By 8 I’m in front of my laptop in my office, with coffee and too often a cat on my lap. I will usually work for a couple of hours (I track the time, not the word count) and close down around 10:30 for breakfast.
Tell us about your current release.
AC: True Target introduces Professional assassin Skye Maddox who lives by one rule—every target has to deserve it. But when a revenge job drags her into a web of dirty judges, gang killers, and a shadow cartel, the hunter becomes the hunted. Detective Orson Rissik wants her behind bars, but he may need her to expose the rot crawling through the city’s power brokers. In a world ruled by greed and payback, Skye’s the last woman you want on your trail.
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