"I'm a 59-year-old enthusiast and collector of horror fiction along with the oddities that often accompany it. I live in Oak Forest, Illinois, located in the South Suburbs of the Chicagoland area. My writing has appeared in more than 40 publications, and I've authored two poetry collections, a short story anthology, a novella, and a holiday-themed children's book. I enjoy exploring the eerie and the imaginative, and my work reflects that passion.

One of my earliest brushes with the strange came when I was just two years old. I wandered into the woods near the famously haunted Bachelor's Grove and was lost for hours. The incident made the local newspaper, complete with a photo and article, although I have no memory of it. Still, I sometimes wonder if that mysterious moment was the beginning of the path I now follow."

Pluck your strings like a harpist in trance and reveal unto us the title of your latest opus—the very quill-scribed creation that skirts the precipice of imagination and madness!  And whence came the  electrician that wired your literary bulb? What whispers of chaos birthed such prose?

(What are you currently working on? What’s your latest story or book, and what inspired it?)

"My writing tends to emerge from the shadows of my psyche, revealing not only the monsters that haunt us from beyond but also the ones we unknowingly create within ourselves. These internal beasts often feel more unsettling than any ghost or ghoul.

My muse is a fickle creature. Sometimes she whispers ideas gently into my ear. Other times she threatens me with bodily harm if I ignore her demands. On rare occasions, when she is feeling generous, she lures me in with coffee and bagels. I have learned not to question her mood, only to write when she calls. "

Do your wooden sinews harbor peculiar rituals, as your quill--inked in inspiration--dances upon the parchment of your future masterpiece?

(Do you have any creative rituals or habits when you write? What helps you get into the right mindset?) 

"The only rituals I truly follow are those that demand patience, especially when the words finally strike. Often, this moment is accompanied by a metaphorical slap from my muse. These rituals typically include caffeine-laced elixirs, the occasional donut delivered by my loyal spider minions, and a generous infusion of arcane thoughts.

There is also a fair share of incantations, most of which involve creatively chosen expletives as I wrestle with my keyboard. It is all part of the process, chaotic and strangely sacred."

 String freshly snipped, hinges screeching and wood creaking I ponder:  What ink-stained tales' puppeteer the strings of your imagination?  Whose words influence your quill?  Speak, fellow marionette of mind-molding tales--what authors inspire you?

(Which authors or stories have influenced your writing the most? What shaped your imagination?)

 What are you currently spinning with your golden thread?

(What projects are you currently developing or planning to release soon?) 

"Ahhh, the thread is like a spider’s silk. It holds a slowly growing novella, a partially completed novel, two unpublished erotic horror stories, and an unpublished poem. Just like a spider, these works crouch in the shadows, waiting patiently.

Their purpose is to inject unsuspecting readers with visions that both horrify and arouse—experiences unlike anything they’ve encountered before. They are quiet now, but they are watching, ready to strike when the time is right."

Do you have any advice for future Marionette's wishing to put quill to parchment?

(What advice would you give to new writers who are just starting out?) 

“Just do it. Be your own marionette, and wield your strings with every ounce of power you possess. Those strings can create beautiful music with the instrument of your choosing, or tighten into a garrote that unleashes a depravity the world has never seen.

Marionettes are meant to dance. Let your dance be unlike any other. Dance for yourself first. Listen to the quill. It has so much to say, and it speaks in a language only you can translate.” 

Embrace your tangled threads and spill the milk on the best advice you have ever heard.

(What is the best writing advice you have ever heard?) 

“Write for yourself first. The word count doesn’t matter. What matters is telling the story. Spin your tangled threads and draw from your own depths. Embrace them fully. There are no others like them in the world.

Your creation is a reflection of you. If it pleases you, then you’ve already succeeded. That is the true measure of making something real..”

Now,  dear masterless marionette, what does the future hold for your quill?

“I aim to create as much as I can, whether it's with a quill, a brush, or a sculpting tool. Lately, I sense the stirrings of a future collection of erotic horror. But truly, it all depends on what the muse chooses to whisper.

Right now, she is whispering. The spiders are gathering the sweets. Something is coming.”