FAQs
Q: When did you start writing?
A: I used to make up stories when I played with my stuffed animals. I used to create whole worlds and action-dramas that would go on for weeks. Simultaneously, as soon as I was able to write, I would write little stories for my mom, cut them out, and staple them into book form. I started writing more seriously when I was ten.
Q: How did you get the idea for The Fire Stone?
A: Different parts of the story came to me over time. I first started thinking about it when I was about eleven and then it started to snowball. By the time I started to write it, the whole five books were in my head.
Q: How long did it take you to write The Fire Stone?
A: After I outlined the story, it took me about a month (June 2008) to write the first draft. It sort of grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go of me until I was finished! Of course then it took months of editing to get it right.
Q: When will the next book in the series come out and what is it called?
A: After The Fire Stone, the next books are called, in order, The Water Stone, The Wind Stone, The Immortality Scroll, and The Final Alliance. The Water Stone will probably be published next spring or early summer.
Q: Are you still in high school?
A: Yes, I'm a junior, but I have a really cool situation. I used to go to a college prep high school, but I left after the beginning of tenth grade and I take classes from Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and Duke and some other programs, mostly online. It's really enjoyable - I get to go at a much faster pace and I get to work whenever I want to during the day. Usually I do my schoolwork in the morning and write all afternoon.
Q: What are your favorite books, movies, music, etc.?
A: My favorite writers are Suzanne Collins, Cinda Williams Chima, J.K Rowling, T.A. Barron, Rick Riordan, James Patterson, Emily Bronte, Trenton Lee Stroud, Brian Jacques, Jonathan Stroud, Cassandra Clare, Garth Nix. My favorite movies are the Lord of the Rings trilogy (by far), Freedom Writers, Hitch, Up, The Italian Job, and the new Star Trek. My favorite band is Coldplay.
Q: Have you always lived in Colorado?
A: No. My parents are both from Colorado, but when I was younger I lived in Chicago. I moved to Telluride, Colorado when I was seven for a year and a half and then we moved to Denver. The picture up above is Mt. Wilson taken from our house when we lived in Telluride.
Q: Do you have brothers or sisters?
A: I have an older brother named Nick who is a junior in college and is 6 foot 6 inches tall. He's pretty much amazing and is as good as a brother gets. I also have a Bernese Mountain Dog who is huge and definitely counts as a member of the family! He weighs more than I do and looks like a small black bear.