Your protagonist, Quincey Morris, is one of the most likable heroes I've encountered in a novel in a long time. How did you develop this character? Did he come naturally or did you want him to have specific qualities to suit your plot?

Quincey evolved gradually, but, looking back, I can see that he reflects qualities and attributes of three friends of mine – one of whom is a Texan, like Quincey. Or, another way to look at it is Quincey Morris is the man I always wanted to be. Give or take the vampires.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

The Hades Project took about a year and a half to produce the first draft. Black Magic Woman took about a year. Keep in mind, I have a day job. Or so my fellow professors say.

Describe your working environment.

I have an office at home where I do most of my writing. It’s decorated with “occult detective” memorabilia, since that’s both what I write and what I love to read. I’ve got Constantine and Hellboy movie posters on the walls, mugs from Twin Peaks and Millennium, Mulder and Scully action figures, and a prop from Kolchak: The Night Stalker (the original, not the more recent, pallid attempt). There’s a lot more, but you get the idea.

Are you a disciplined writer?

Not nearly as much as I wish.

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?

In the case of finding the publisher for Black Magic Woman (Solaris Books), it was a combination of persistence and dumb luck. It’s a very long story, and I’d rather skip to the second part of this question.

My advice is simple, but I mean it sincerely. Don’t quit. Don’t stop writing, don’t stop revising, and don’t stop sending your stuff out. This doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be published – but the other choice guarantees that you WON’T be published.

Somebody once said that “a published writer is an unpublished writer who didn’t give up.” I’m down with that.

What's inside the mind of the supernatural thriller writer?

I think it’s the knowledge, deep down, that the world is a dangerous place – and not all the dangers come from terrorists, diseases, and global warming.